Tibor Weitzen, 78, HYD
Tibor Weitzen, a beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and a member of the Chabad Synagogue in Bondi known and loved by the children as 'the Lollipop man,' was murdered in the massacre in Sydney on the first night of Chanukah.
by COLlive Editor · COLliveTibor Weitzen, a member of the Chabad Synagogue in Bondi, a beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, has been confirmed as the latest victim of the Chanukah massacre.
He was 78.
Mr. Weitzen has been remembered as a “sweet grandpa” who “loved life”. He went to the Chanukah By the Sea Event with his wife and grandchildren and died trying to shield a family friend, who also lost her life.
The beloved community member’s grandson, Mendy Amzalak, told The Australian he had rushed down to the scene of the shooting to work as a first responder when he came across his grandfather’s body. Mr. Weitzen died at the scene from his injuries.
“He was very involved in the family, we saw him as recently as yesterday he was watching our daughter swim in the pool. I didn’t realize that would be the last time we would see him,” Mr. Amzalak said.
“I was one of the first responders, my family were there for the event, and my wife called me so I ran down to the beach with my defibrillator and the shooting was still going. I started treating people and then I came across his body,” Amzalak said.
Amzalak said his grandfather was a man full of life, joy, smiles and laughter.
Community member Ronnie Sternberg said Mr. Weitzen was known around Chabad as the “sweetest kindest guy.”
“All the kids would run to him at synagogue and he would give them lollipops, he was the lollipop man,” Mr. Sternberg said.
“He was just such a sweet grandpa, he loved his kids, loved life, he had a very good sense of humour, and he was a loving father grandfather and great grandfather.”
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes. Hashem Yikom Damo.
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