UPDATE: A trio of friends from the USA made a miraculous journey to Sydney in a race against time to attend the funeral of beloved Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was tragically killed in a terror attack at Bondi Beach on December 14, 2025. This heart-wrenching incident has left Jewish communities worldwide in shock and mourning.
Rabbi Schlanger, a cherished community figure and father of five, was among 15 people fatally shot during a Chanukah celebration. His close friends, Mendel from Los Angeles, Levi from New York, and Eli Rutman from Miami, felt an urgent need to be there for their friend’s family. They had been in communication with Rabbi Schlanger just hours before the attack.
The trio’s mission quickly turned into a race against time as they worked to coordinate their travel to Sydney. They agreed to meet at LAX to catch a United Airlines flight, but unforeseen delays threatened to derail their plans. Eli’s Miami flight faced significant delays, putting his connection to Sydney in jeopardy.
Unbeknownst to Eli, his friends were working behind the scenes, alerting airline staff to his situation. As Eli traveled from Miami to LAX, a flight attendant delivered an unexpected message: while United Airlines could not hold its flight to Sydney, American Airlines would delay its departure for him.
The AA73 flight to Sydney was scheduled to leave before Eli could arrive, but American Airlines’ operations team made the extraordinary decision to wait. They even arranged a gate change for Eli’s domestic flight to expedite his transfer to the international terminal.
Upon arrival at LAX, Eli was quickly transferred to the front of the plane and escorted through the terminal by ground staff, who only referred to him as “the Sydney passenger.” This expedited process ensured he made it to his waiting flight just minutes before takeoff.
American Airlines went above and beyond, comping Eli’s ticket and offering condolences for his loss. The flight departed just 19 minutes after he arrived and made up time in the air, landing in Sydney ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, delays on United’s earlier flight meant Eli’s friends arrived later.
In a show of solidarity, passengers on both flights were asked to remain seated so the trio could disembark quickly. Special escorts facilitated their passage through customs and immigration, allowing them to arrive at the Chabad House just before Rabbi Schlanger’s funeral began.
Reflecting on this miraculous series of events, the friends emphasized the compassion and coordination that made their journey possible. “This could only have happened through a combination of compassion, coordination, and a bit of heavenly help,” Eli Rutman stated.
“For all those who knew Eli, he lived every day with complete faith in Hashem. Eli saw goodness and open miracles wherever he turned,” Eli Rutman told The Australian Jewish News.
American Airlines later confirmed the extraordinary circumstances, praising its teams for “living out our shared purpose of caring for people on life’s journey” during these difficult moments. This incredible chain of kindness and quick action has become a powerful testament to Rabbi Schlanger’s legacy.
As communities continue to grieve, the friends pray that the spirit of compassion they experienced will inspire others to seek goodness amidst tragedy.
