Bondi victim’s daughter Sheina Gutnick joins fight

Sheina Gutnick, whose father Reuven Morrison was killed in the Bondi Beach terror attack on December 14, has joined the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) as its Australian public affairs officer.

Morrison was a prominent member of the Chabad of Bondi community who acted heroically during the attack. Gutnick says she carries the weight of his loss every day.

“There’s a clear line in my life now — before December 14, and after,” Gutnick told The AJN.

The Melbourne educator and psychologist had not planned a public role. But community response to her early media appearances changed that. Strangers told her she had reinstilled them with Jewish pride. People pulled their Magen Davids from under their shirts when they saw her. She says those moments made clear that speaking publicly was no longer just personal.

“My dad no longer has his voice, but I can speak for him,” she said. “It was my responsibility to give his story forward.”

Gutnick grew up with a father whose own Jewish identity had been forged under pressure. Morrison was raised in the Soviet Union, where Jewish identity was actively suppressed. That history informs the way she now thinks about identity and community resilience.

CAM Australia director Alex Polson took notice of her impact. He approached her after seeing the difference she was making without any media training.

“This role came to me through that space,” she said.

Gutnick’s focus will be grassroots. She will work with local councils and mayors to understand how antisemitism affects Jewish residents at the individual level, rather than going straight to federal government. She was recently present when Hunters Hill Council became the second in Australia to pass a motion establishing antisemitism policies.

She sees her work as running on two tracks. The first is strengthening Jewish identity from within, grounding young people in pride, clarity and history before social media shapes it for them. The second is educating non-Jewish Australians about antisemitism in a way that builds genuine understanding rather than mere reaction.

“If we don’t know who we are, we become shaped by whoever is loudest,” she said. “If we don’t speak for ourselves, others will do it for us.”

CAM will hold a national summit later this year showcasing progress made across Australian councils and government agencies.