Sydney's synagogue leaders give evidence on antisemitism to Royal Commission following Bondi attack

Leaders from Sydney's synagogues and Jewish schools are presenting evidence to Australia's Royal Commission, detailing concerns about antisemitism and the future of the nation's Jewish population. The commission was formed following a terrorist attack at a Chabad Hanukkah event in Bondi, which resulted in 15 deaths and 40 injuries.

Rabbi Wolff of Sydney's Central Synagogue in Bondi Junction stressed the necessity of "three complementary pillars: security, legislation and education." He argued that while all three are vital, only education can proactively address the problem. "Education should encompass how Jews live, not only how Jews died," Wolff stated, advocating for a broader understanding of Jewish life.

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Australia requires "three complementary pillars: security, legislation and education." We need all three, but only education really addresses the problem before it begins. Education should encompass how Jews live, not only how Jews died.

Dr. George Foster, a member of the South Sydney Synagogue, acknowledged that Australia's institutions are providing protection and does not believe the country is becoming "another Germany." However, he cautioned about "disturbing parallels in the social atmosphere," pointing to "warning signs that Holocaust survivors, and indeed the Jewish community, recognize because they have seen where such patterns can lead if they're left unchallenged."

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disturbing parallels in the social atmosphere... warning signs that Holocaust survivors, and indeed the Jewish community, recognize because they have seen where such patterns can lead if they're left unchallenged.

Tyson Wodak, president of Melbourne's Bialik College, shared the profound impact of heightened security measures on students' welfare. "I worry a lot, I fear a lot both as a parent and in my institutional role, about the impact of constant security," he told the commission. "My kids have spent their whole life under security," he added, expressing concern about how this environment might shape their perception of Australia and their place within it.

Mr. Sztrajt, principal of Melbourne's Mount Scopus, highlighted the school's status as a potential target due to its prominence. Consequently, the school employs a counterterrorism expert to manage security in the wake of a series of antisemitic incidents.

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I worry a lot, I fear a lot both as a parent and in my institutional role, about the impact of constant security. My kids have spent their whole life under security.