Bondi victims honoured with mezuzot

A series of bespoke mezuzot dedicated to the victims of the Bondi attack are now affixed at the entrances to newly refurbished classrooms at Emanuel School.

The mezuzot were unveiled during a dedication ceremony celebrating the first stage of the Brender Moss refurbishment, a community fundraising project that attracted support from more than 300 Emanuel families.

Commissioned by the Emanuel School Foundation, the 15 handcrafted mezuzot were created by Sydney artist and Emanuel parent Ruth Shteinman.

Originally commissioned simply as part of the classroom refurbishment, the project took on new meaning following the Bondi attack on December 14, 2025.

A week after the tragedy, Shteinman contacted the Foundation and proposed to dedicate each mezuzah to one of the victims, with every name carefully inscribed on the reverse of the artwork.

Speaking at the dedication, Foundation CEO Lisa Pillemer said the gesture transformed the project into something much deeper.

“Every mezuzah represents far more than a physical object. It represents memory, resilience and our belief in the future.

“They remind us that Jewish education is about preparing young people to live proudly as Jews while carrying forward the values of compassion, community and hope.”

The Brender Moss refurbishment has transformed one of Emanuel School’s historic learning precincts into contemporary classrooms designed for collaborative learning.

The project was made possible through the leadership of the Brender and Moss families, together with Leia and Jonathan Lewis and Stephen and Janine Silver.

Emanuel principal Linda Emms said philanthropy continues to play an essential role in helping the school realise its educational vision.

The dedication concluded with students, families and donors gathering to affix the mezuzot, each now representing a symbol of blessing and protection and a permanent reminder of lives lost and a community committed to building a hopeful future.