7-year-old Samar survived the attack — and the effort to commemorate her sister: "She was murdered because she was Jewish"

On the eighth candle of Hanukkah 5786 (2025), 7-year-old Samar Britwan and her family gathered to celebrate the holiday with the Jewish community of Sydney at Bondi Beach. The celebration turned into a nightmare when two terrorists opened fire on the crowd.

In the horrific attack, 15 people were murdered and 42 others were wounded. Samar survived, but among the victims was her 10-year-old sister, Matilda.

This October, the Jewish community in Australia will hold a central ceremony marking the October 7 massacre near the site of the Bondi Beach attack. The community has chosen activist Ben Carso to host the event.

Carso requested that Samar stand by his side during the ceremony. According to Carso, it is vital to connect the attacks on Jews in Israel with the rise of antisemitism globally.

Following a tour in Australia last March, where Carso met with thousands of teenagers facing antisemitism, the community reached out to him to return and lead the memorial ceremony.

Ahead of the event, the parents of the late Matilda asked Carso to help ensure "Matilda will not be forgotten." Her father, Michael, gave Carso a memorial pin, which he has worn ever since during lectures, media interviews, and meetings with parliament members.

A shipment of these memorial pins has recently arrived in Israel.

"They asked to ensure that the pin reaches as many people as possible in the country. For them and for me, this is not just a souvenir, but a way to ensure that Matilda's memory is not forgotten and that everyone knows she was murdered only because she was a Jewish girl. I will do everything so that the memorial pins have a presence both at the ceremony in Sydney and in Israel," said Carso.