The family of Tibor Weitzen have welcomed a baby boy born eight days after the December 14 Bondi Beach massacre in which his great-grandfather was killed.
Relatives of Weitzen, who was killed aged 78, have celebrated the the newborn’s arrival, holding his bris on Tuesday at the Sydney synagogue where his great-grandfather’s funeral was held less than a fortnight ago.
Weitzen was one of the 15 people killed on the first night of Chanukah in the terror attack targeting Jews on Bondi Beach.
Named Henry Amzalak, the new baby received his Hebrew name at a ceremony held at Chabad of Bondi synagogue.
Henry was given the names Aron Eliezer – the first in memory of Weitzen and also of another great-grandfather, Henry Amzalak; the second after one of the Chabad rabbis, Eli Schlanger, who was also killed in the attack.
Weitzen was known to his family as “Saba” (grandfather), but many in the community referred to him affectionately as “the lollipop man” because of his habit of handing out sweets to children in shul.
Mendy Amzalak – Weitzen’s grandson by marriage, and Henry’s father – said his son would carry on his great-grandfather’s legacy of loving life and family, and Rabbi Schlanger’s spirit of “spreading light”, the Australian newspaper reported.
The decision to name Henry in their honour would be a “source of comfort” for the Chabad, Amzalak was quoted as saying.
Speaking at the bris, he said: “That day unfolded in ways I will never forget, I ran toward danger, saw things no one should ever have to see.
“I held people I love. I worried for my wife and daughter. I worried for my unborn son.
Addressing his new baby, he said: “Henry, you are so beautiful. You arrived and refilled our hearts with joy at a moment when they were running on empty.”
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