The close-knit communities of Sydney and beyond are mourning the loss of Marika Pogany, an 82-year-old grandmother remembered as a beacon of selfless kindness, who was tragically killed during the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on Sunday.
A Life Defined by Quiet Service and Resilience
Marika Pogany was among the 15 victims murdered at a Hanukah event in what has become Australia's worst terrorist atrocity. A mother and grandmother, her death has sent waves of grief through the many lives she touched over decades of dedicated volunteer work.
For nearly 30 years, Pogany was a pillar of support for Jewish seniors in Sydney through the Centre of Activity Sydney (COA). The organisation described her as "not just a long-serving volunteer" but "a source of warmth for thousands of people." Her commitment was hands-on and practical; she personally delivered an estimated 15,000 meals via a kosher meals-on-wheels program, for which she received a 'Mensch Award' in 2019.
Her friend of four decades, Matthew Mullamphy, recalled her constant, radiant warmth. "She was very calm and cool and lovely. Just a terrific person," he said. "Her beauty always struck me – that beautiful, big, radiant smile." Mullamphy, who owns the Harbourview Bridge Club in Bellevue Hill, knew Pogany as a keen and competent bridge player who spent every Tuesday afternoon at the club.
From Holocaust Survival to a Sydney Refuge
Pogany's life was marked by profound hardship and resilience. She found refuge in Sydney from the horrors of fascism and communism in Europe. A close family friend, former Slovakian President Zuzana Čaputová, revealed the deep scars of Pogany's past. In an emotional Instagram tribute, Čaputová wrote that apart from Pogany's mother and an uncle, all other members of her family perished in the Holocaust.
"I could write a book about her fate and the fate of her family," Čaputová stated, noting she had learned Pogany's story during a visit to Auschwitz. Despite this trauma, Pogany returned to Slovakia annually after 1989 and was a steadfast presence at significant moments in Čaputová's life, including her presidential inauguration in 2019.
Her volunteerism knew no bounds. The COA noted she helped with events, cooking, and visiting people in hospital or at home. She would even change lightbulbs for those who needed the help, performing every task "with her quiet smile and her steady kindness … without fanfare and without ever wanting attention." The group's statement emphasised her profound legacy: "Most of all, Marika showed us how people should be cared for … She never let anyone feel alone."
A Tragic Loss on Her Favourite Beach
The news of her death unfolded tragically for her friends. When Pogany failed to appear at her bridge club's Christmas party on Monday, concern grew. A friend showed Mullamphy a photograph placing Pogany in the front row at the Annual Chanukah Festival. After calls went straight to voicemail, the devastating confirmation came through roughly half an hour later.
The cruel irony of the attack's location has compounded the sorrow. Bondi Beach, a place that symbolised safety and sanctuary for Pogany, became the site of the violence that ended her life. "She died on her favourite Bondi beach," wrote Čaputová. "Marika will be greatly missed."
As tributes continue to flow, the memory of Marika Pogany endures as a powerful testament to a life lived in service of others, a life brutally cut short in an act of senseless terror that has shaken Australia and the world.
