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Behind the Aegis

(55,955 posts)
Tue Jan 20, 2026, 04:45 PM 20 hrs ago

(JEWISH GROUP) Bondi hero who was shot while shielding children from terrorist nominated for Australian of the Year

Bondi massacre hero Chaya Dadon has been nominated for Australian of the Year after shielding children from gunfire during the horrific December 14 attack.

The then-14-year-old showed extraordinary bravery when she placed herself between armed attackers and younger children at the Chanukah by the Sea event in Bondi, acting as a human shield as bullets tore through the crowd.

'I knew in that moment, I felt like Hashem was sitting right next to me,' she said in an interview with Reuters, using a Hebrew name for God. 'He was whispering into my ear, "This is your mission: go save those kids".'

The schoolgirl left the safety of her hiding spot, pulled the children away, and jumped on top of them, covering their bodies with her own. At some point, she was shot in the thigh, but she kept shielding them, reciting the Shema, a Jewish prayer.


Bondi massacre hero Chaya Dadon has been nominated for Australian of the Year after shielding children from gunfire during the horrific December 14 attack.

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