“It was the sound of quiet sobs that echoed through the memorial hall where people came together to bid farewell to Matilda. She was a bright and beautiful 10-year-old whose life was cut short far too soon in the tragic events at Bondi Beach. Matilda was the youngest victim of that fateful night and her loss has left an entire community heartbroken.
Matilda had been doing something simple and fun – spending the first night of Hanukkah at the beach with her friends and family. It was supposed to be a time of enlightenment, togetherness, and celebration. Instead, it became a day that will alter the life of many people forever. Many people got injured in this disaster, including a very young baby who is currently getting treatment in the hospital.
Matilda’s memorial was held in Woollahra on Thursday. It was indeed a moving occasion where friends, family, religious leaders, and officials came together to pay their tribute to the departed soul. There was such a huge turnout of people at the memorial that the hall was quickly filled to capacity. Those who could not get in waited in silence outside to catch the proceedings on the huge screen.
In the hall, feelings were running high. Family members were crying openly as speakers were describing Matilda as a gentle, joyful child who was so loved. She was remembered as a child who spread warmth wherever she would go. She was a little girl with a big heart growing up in a house full of care and kindness.
“There are no words strong enough for that pain,” Rabbi Salamon said, fighting back tears. “Matilda’s existence, though too brief, is not the end of her soul. It is incumbent upon all of us that Matilda’s memory live through goodness. Matilda is a righteous woman, whose name is ‘tzadei, lamed, tav, lamed, immigrated, aleph’. It is a meaning that has already manifested itself because, despite being so young, Matilda was already such a righteous woman.”
Another speaker talked of Matilda as a light. Perhaps that light is no longer visible, but it will continue to shine through the love that she has shared.
While the end of the service drew near, Matilda’s mother was noticed to be leaving the hall, hugging the soft toys tightly to her chest. People moved to the coffin in silence, praying, whispering words of comfort, and silently condolving in ways that only the heart can understand. Some people observed the custom of washing their hands as they left the hall.
Photos taken moments before the disaster reveal Matilda’s bright and beaming smile, her painted face and bright eyes as she stands with her sister. This is a moment that captures innocence, happiness, and siblings’ love. Matilda’s family has begged that she not only be remembered through her death but through her life as well; her name, her smile, and her love. Matilda may be dead and gone, but the light that was Matilda lives on.
