One of the inspiring stories from the Chanukah Festival at Bondi Beach, was with my cousin Chaya Dadon, just 14 years old, who found herself in the midst of unimaginable chaos.
When the shooting began, Chaya sought shelter beneath a bench, as did many others. For several long minutes, as fear filled the air, those hiding together prayed quietly, reciting Shema, a declaration of unity and faith, affirming that God is One. Though terrified, Chaya describes channelling that fear into strength and resolve.
As the situation unfolded, Chaya became aware of others nearby who had been wounded, including a mother desperately calling out for her children to be saved. In that moment, Chaya felt a clear sense of purpose, an inner calling that her mission was to protect the children.
Ignoring shouts to stay hidden, and despite the danger around her, Chaya climbed out from shelter, believing with certainty that God was with her. She reached the children, who were very young, and instinctively placed herself over them, shielding them with her own body. She recalls the experience as surreal, almost as if she were watching herself from the outside, guided not by fear, but by something greater.
Even after being injured herself, Chaya did not move. She focused entirely on keeping the children safe, speaking to them softly, reassuring them, and surrounding them with care until help arrived. She later reflected that any pain she felt was transformed into strength in that moment, a strength she had never known she possessed.
That a 14-year-old could act with such bravery, faith, and selflessness is both humbling and inspiring. In the face of darkness, Chaya chose to protect life especially the lives of the most vulnerable. Her story reminds us that courage has no age, and that even in our darkest moments, one person can become a source of light.
Chaya’s actions echo a powerful moment in this weeks Parsha, Parshat Shemot. The Torah tells us that Moshe, still a young man and not yet a leader, saw an Egyptian taskmaster beating a Jewish slave. Moshe knew that intervening would put his own life at risk, yet he could not turn away. The Torah says, “He saw, and he could not stand aside.” In that moment, Moshe chose moral responsibility over personal safety.
That act defined who Moshe would become. Long before he lead the Jewish people out of Egypt, he proved himself a leader through courage, empathy, and an instinct to protect the vulnerable. Moshe did not ask whether it was safe. He asked whether it was right.
So too with Chaya Dadon, just 14 years old, who in a moment of terror did not turn inward, but outward. Like Moshe, she saw others in danger and felt compelled to act. Guided by faith and a deep sense of purpose, she placed herself between harm and innocent children, embodying the same moral clarity that first revealed Moshe’s greatness.
What is most fascinating is the instinct Chaya displayed. She had never practiced for such a moment, nor trained for it. It was something deeper—something carried in her blood, embedded in her soul.
That same instinct lives within all of us. It is a legacy passed down through generations of great Jewish men and women who chose courage, responsibility, and compassion even in the face of danger.
May we recognize these gifts within ourselves, and may we use them to strengthen one another, our community, and our own sense of purpose.
