Sydney's Jewish community mourns ‘Bondi rabbi’ amid grief and fear: 'We don't feel safe'

Wails rang through and through a packed tabernacle on midweek as Sydney's judaic community of interests laid to rest beloved local rabbi Eli Schlanger, gunned down on Bondi Beach in Australia's worst mass shooting in decades.

Onlookers sobbed as the hearse carrying the 41-year-old -- known as the "Bondi rabbi" -- pulled up and his coffin, emblazoned with a black velvet cloth bearing the Star of David, was unloaded.

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As a steady stream of mourners filed in, two overcome young women threw themselves over the casket, howling in grief.

More cries reverberated down the mostly silent street before everyone was ushered inside.

Chief Rabbi Yehoram Ulman choked back tears as he paid tribute to his son-in-law Schlanger.

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"You're my son, my friend and confidant," he told the funeral.

"To think I will go a day without you, it doesn't seem possible."

Those unable to claim a place in the synagogue huddled on the street to follow the ceremony on their phones.

They watched as Rabbi Levi Wolff spoke of the community's "unspeakable" loss.

Local businessman David Deitz, 69, told AFP he had known Schlanger for a "long, long time".

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"He affected in a good way, many, many people," he said.

"It's a shock for Australia to have such an event happen here. It's not Australian."

Father-of-five Schlanger's funeral at the Chabad of Bondi Synagogue was the first of 15 expected in the coming days as the victims of Sunday's massacre are bid a final farewell.

There was a heavy security presence with police lining the street outside, which has been closed to the public.

The officers stood to attention and saluted the family as they left the synagogue.

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As the coffin departed, onlookers broke into a chorus of Hebrew songs.

But overcome with emotion, some collapsed into the arms of their companions, barely able to stand.

Authorities said Sunday's attack was designed to sow panic among Australia's Jews.

The country has long been seen as a haven for those fleeing terror and oppression abroad, and is home to around 2,500 Holocaust survivors.

Some in the community voiced anger that their warnings of mounting antisemitism were seemingly not taken seriously enough as the Gaza conflict -- sparked by Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel -- dragged on.

Data analyst Brett Ackerman told AFP the attack was "not a surprise... They could have listened to us".

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Rabbi Yossi Friedman agreed, saying "the writing has been on the wall" for over two years.

"Do we feel safe? You know, the answer is 'not really', to be honest."

"The community is extremely shaken."

A second funeral will be held for 39-year-old rabbi Yaakov Levitan in a city synagogue in the afternoon.

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