‘Their Souls Are Injured Forever’: Israeli Trauma Team Rushes to Bondi After Shooting
Israeli emergency psychotrauma responders provided immediate support to victims and the wider community coping with shock, grief, and fear
People were celebrating a holiday, enjoying themselves, when they were ambushed and shot at, and forced to run for their lives.
Even the people who are not injured on their bodies, their souls are injured forever
“Some of them are injured, but even the people who are not injured on their bodies, their souls are injured forever,” said Hadas Rucham, clinical director of the United Hatzalah Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit. “We saw this many times on October 7, the people who escaped Nova, and now we see it here. It is very sad.”
Rucham is one of a group of psychotrauma emergency responders in Bondi Beach, helping to support the community through the tragedy of Sunday’s attack. “The community is very moved and embracing us,” she said. They were “shocked we came all the way from Israel to stand with them,” she continued.
Hadas Rucham (R), clinical director of the United Hatzalah Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit, in the field. (Courtesy)
Everywhere she looked, Rucham observed immense pain and anxiety. Her job is to provide what the team calls “psychological first aid” for those experiencing symptoms of trauma, a common response in situations where people feel a sudden loss of security. She explained that there are many circles of trauma at a crime scene like this. They include those who were present during the attack, those who lost loved ones, those who were injured or know someone who was injured, and members of the surrounding community who now feel unsafe.
Although Rucham did not go into specific techniques, she said grounding methods are used to help people manage anxiety, panic attacks, and flashbacks. Social workers and psychologists who specialize in trauma speak directly with victims. Unfortunately, she noted, this is not their first time responding to such devastation. United Hatzalah’s psychotrauma teams have been deployed around the world, including to Ukraine and to regions hit by hurricanes and other disasters.
“We teach them that the trauma symptoms are normal immediately after the attack,” Rucham said. “We teach them how to ground themselves, and techniques to see the big picture. And, you know, you grow from the pain. You become more resilient.”
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We teach them how to ground themselves, and techniques to see the big picture
She said that when people witness a scene such as what happened on Sunday in Bondi, it never completely disappears. However, she emphasized that people do not need to become stuck in the trauma.
“This community is strong and will grow,” Rucham said.
United Hatzalah’s efforts are supported by an emotional support first-aid hotline opened by ERAN, a nongovernmental mental health organization from Israel. ERAN Australia volunteers staff the hotline and operate in both English and Hebrew. It provides immediate, anonymous support for anyone experiencing distress, anxiety, or emotional difficulty during this period.
Earlier this week, ERAN also hosted an international webinar to support parents in the Australian Jewish community. The program provided tools to help children of different ages cope with fear and anxiety.
Alongside these teams, another group of Jewish volunteers from ZAKA, a nonprofit rescue and recovery organization based in Israel but operating globally, arrived to assist with honoring the dead. The group arrived in Australia on Monday around 8 p.m., after traveling from Israel, South Africa, and the United States.
Yossi Landau, who heads the ZAKA mission, said the team first visited the crime scene and introduced themselves to the police commissioner, who welcomed their assistance. Landau said there was blood to clean and body parts to locate, similar to terror attack scenes he has encountered many times in Israel. Everything, he explained, must be handled and buried according to Jewish law.
ZAKA’s role also includes ensuring that every Jewish victim receives a proper burial.
“It’s not easy,” Landau admitted.
He and his team left their homes during Hanukkah, a family-centered holiday marked by light, games, and shared meals, to rush to the scene. He said it was jarring to leave the warmth of home without preparation. The journey from Israel to Australia took about 20 hours, but he stressed the mission’s importance.
This should bring peace, that we are all unified together
“This should bring peace,” Landau said, “that we are all unified together. We need to be united.”
The Bondi Beach shooting resulted in the deaths of 15 people, and funerals only began on Wednesday. Some of the victims have not yet been publicly identified.
