(JTA) — A crowdfunding campaign to support Ahmed al Ahmed, the Muslim fruit seller shot after disarming one of the men who attacked a Hanukkah event in Sydney, has generated $2.3 in its first two days — with the largest donation coming from American Jewish billionaire Bill Ackman.
Ackman gave $99,999 to the GoFundMe campaign for al Ahmed and promoted it to his X followers by stating: “This is the verified link for the Bondi hero.”
In a video that went viral shortly after Sunday’s attack on Bondi Beach that killed 15 people and left another 40 injured, al Ahmed can be seen crouching behind a car before jumping into action as one of the terrorists shoots a firearm at the Jewish celebration. Al Ahmed, 43, a Syrian-born father of two who was unarmed, then jumped on the attacker from behind, wresting the firearm from his hands.
“In a moment of chaos and danger, he stepped forward without hesitation,” the sponsors of the GoFundMe, Car Hub Australia, wrote on the page. “His actions were selfless, instinctive, and undeniably heroic, taken without regard for his own safety. Early reports indicate he was shot twice in the process while protecting others.”
He also garnered praise from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
As al Ahmed recovered from his injuries in a hospital on Monday, he was visited by Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, the Australian state that includes Sydney.
“Ahmed is a real-life hero,” Minns said in a post on X alongside a photo of him visiting al Ahmed in the hospital. “Last night, his incredible bravery no doubt saved countless lives when he disarmed a terrorist at enormous personal risk.”
Praise also poured in on social media from Jewish leaders in the U.S., including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Sen. Bernie Sanders.
“Ahmed al Ahmed, a Muslim father of two, risked his life to disarm a murderer who was shooting down Jews celebrating Hanukkah in Sydney,” Sanders said in a post on X. “Religion must not divide our common humanity. We must stand together and end antisemitism, Islamophobia and all hate — no exceptions.”
For others, al Ahmed’s act of bravery during the massacre appeared to be Divine intervention — coming as it did at a time when many Jews feel isolated and abandoned by their non-Jewish allies.
“I’ve been thinking about this man Ahmed and his selfless act of courage, and I can’t help but feel that it as an act of God,” Jewish social media influencer Alana Zeitchik said in a post on Instagram. “It is a message that could only have been written by something higher than all of us. Like all actions it has a ripple effect. In this moment of immense grief and fear, his actions repair a painful tear in the collective Jewish soul that so badly needed to be tended to.”
She continued, “He will be cherished and spoken about by our people for generations.”
Among the nearly 39,000 donors to the GoFundMe campaign so far are many who said in notes that they are Jewish and explained why they donate unusual sums, in multiples of $18.
“Ahmed, you are a true hero. As a Jewish supporter, I donated $180 USD because 18 (“chai”) represents life. Your courage embodied that meaning in the most profound way,” wrote Craig Gross. “Thank you for what you did, and may you heal fully and quickly.”