WINTER PARK, Fla. — As the world reels from the Bondi Beach shooting that left 15 people dead and 27 others injured, in what officials are calling a terror attack against Jewish Australians, local Jewish organizations in Central Florida are not backing down. 

What You Need To Know

Rabbi who was killed in the Australia terror attack had a connection to Central Florida from years past
Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who organized the Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach, danced on the Central Park Main Stage 30 years ago when he was a student rabbi
He is remembered by some in Orlando’s Jewish community for his courage
The Chabad of Greater Orlando’s “Chanukah on the Park” event was their largest one yet

The Chabad of Greater Orlando officials say that they are not letting fear stop them from celebrating their heritage.

They kicked off the first day of Hanukkah with their own “Chanukah on the Park” event in Winter Park on Sunday night.

But they’re also remembering the victims who were killed in the terror attack, including Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who organized the Jewish celebration at Bondi Beach.

The Chabad of Greater Orlando’s Rabbi Sholom Dubov shares that Schlanger once had a connection to Central Florida.

According to Dubov, Schlanger once danced on the Central Park Main Stage 30 years ago.

“Every year, we get a group of young Rabbis like we do tonight, and these Rabbis make a connection that we stay together. We stay in touch,” says Dubov. 

He says that like many young rabbis, Schlanger came here when he was a student rabbi for the Winter Park menorah lighting ceremony for night one of Hanukkah.

He’s remembered by some in the Jewish community for his courage.

“Here’s a rabbi who devoted his life to bring light, to bring, a positivity to the community and there’s a lot of problems right now in Sydney from an antisemitic group and despite all that he stood there he was at center stage, and he was targeted,” says Rabbi Sholom Dubov of the Chabad of Greater Orlando.

Organizers say they ramped up security efforts ahead of the big event, and after what happened, they were not expecting a large turnout.

But they were shocked since Sunday’s Hanukkah celebration drew one of the largest crowds they say they have ever had.

“In every event, from 9/11 on, whenever there was a disaster, whenever there was a crisis, whenever there was something that would be a consideration to stop doing it, our response was always come back stronger, brighter, healthier and holier,” says Dubov.

There were more than 1,000 people present at the Chanukah on the Park event.

Organizers say that while antisemitism is alive and well, Jewish pride is even stronger.

Local Jewish leaders plan to continue with the Hanukkah celebrations they have planned over the next several days, including “Chanukah at the Orlando Airport” on Monday afternoon, “Partner Appreciation Night” on Thursday evening, and Chanukah on Ice on Sunday.