Daughter of Bondi victim to speak at Sydney Holocaust commemoration

University of Sydney academic Professor Sabina Kleytman will deliver the keynote speech at next week’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration, telling of her father’s history and the tragedy of his death at Bondi Beach on December 14.

Alex Kleytman survived the Holocaust only to be murdered in the Chanukah terrorist attack, making this year’s theme “Bridging Generations” tragically relevant.

The Sydney Jewish Museum will host the annual event, with Governor-General Sam Mostyn, Holocaust survivors and their families in attendance.

Mostyn will address the gathering before Kleytman’s keynote speech on her father’s succumbing to the shocking consequences of contemporary antisemitism.

Also featured will be a panel discussion entitled “Holocaust remembrance today in the shadow of contemporary antisemitism” with academics Professor Avril Alba from the University of Sydney, Professor Jan Lanicek from UNSW and third generation leader Michelle Levitt. Sydney Jewish Museum’s head of education Sandy Hollis will moderate the discussion.

Survivors and their families will light memorial candles and musical elements include performances from Rabbi George Mordecai and Ilan Kidron.

Australian Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors & Descendants president George Foster said this year’s theme emphasised the essential role of younger generations in carrying memory forward, ensuring it remains a living, active force in shaping our society.

“It highlights the power of intergenerational dialogue: listening to those who came before us, learning from their experiences, and passing their stories to those who will come after,” Foster said.

Sydney Jewish Museum president Greg Shand said: “As the passage of time increases, so too does the risk that the Holocaust recedes into abstraction in the distant past.

“Preserving memory – and connecting it to present day realities – is especially urgent amid rising antisemitism in Australia and across the globe, where the lessons of history must be applied with renewed clarity and resolve.”

The event takes place at Emanuel Synagogue on January 27. To book visit sydneyjewishmuseum.com.au/international-holocaust-remembrance-day-2026