Latest news with #EmanuelSchool
ABC News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Antisemitism inquiry told Jewish school students subject to abuse and threats
School children have had eggs thrown at them, been chased down streets, and subjected to Nazi salutes and death threats amid a surge of racism targeted at Sydney's Jewish community, a parliamentary inquiry has heard. The upper house inquiry is examining the prevalence and severity of racist incidents targeted at the NSW Jewish community — known as antisemitism — and what measures could help combat it. Miriam Hasofer is the principal of Sydney's Moriah College, a Jewish independent school, and told the inquiry the hate directed at her community had become "crude, vile and targeted" and was designed to intimidate. "Last week a year 9 girl was chased up Queens Park Road by a woman shouting, 'F*** the Jews', 'f****** c-word', 'free Palestine', over and over," Ms Hasofer told the inquiry. "This was a child walking to school; she was terrified." Ms Hasofer also described receiving an anonymous message stating: "I hope all the children, parents and staff get cancer and die a slow, painful death. Praise Hitler." She also recounted incidents of people driving past the college and giving the Nazi salute or yelling "f*** the Jews". Ms Hasofer said security had been stepped up at Moriah College in response. "In 2025 we are averaging nearly one incident a week; that's nearly two years of relentless, targeted abuse," she said. "Our leaders are operating like a counterterrorism unit and this has become our new normal." Emanuel School board member Bassina Farbenblum told the inquiry Jewish students were "genuinely fearful" for their safety. "There were kids in my son's year who had raw eggs thrown at them at Westfield because they were in school uniform," she said. It is not just students at Jewish independent schools being targeted. Avishai Conyer is the head of youth and young adult engagement at Sydney's Emanuel Synagogue. He told the inquiry most of the students who were part of his synagogue attended non-Jewish schools and often reported trying to avoid conflict over their identity. "They make an active choice to take off their Star of David necklace … or not wanting to make a fuss when someone draws a swastika on the locker," he said. NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson said the rate of "hate incidents" recorded against the Jewish community was increasing year on year. Deputy Commissioner Hudson was questioned by the inquiry about the spate of graffiti and arson attacks on the Jewish community over summer and whether they constituted antisemitism. "Whilst the catalyst of those incidents was a manipulation of the criminal justice system by an individual … the Jewish community was targeted; they were putting lives in danger," he said. "I don't think we would consider it anything but antisemitic in nature." Several members of the inquiry also questioned whether the incidents targeted at the community were anti-Jewish or anti-Israel attacks. "You can have this argument day and night in this committee around what the definition is, what the intent is," Nathalie Samia from the National Council of Jewish Women of Australia said. "We can only talk to the impact on our families and that is what I think you need to have in mind when you have this discussion." Emanuel School principal Linda Emms was also unequivocal when she described hate directed towards her students. "The references are Nazis, Hitler, gas chambers — to me there is no question, this is antisemitism." The inquiry is set to hand down its findings by September.
Sky News AU
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
'Relentless drip-feed of hate': Principals reveal horrific incidents of antisemitism at Sydney's Jewish schools as children taunted by strangers shouting 'Heil Hitler'
A principal has told a parliamentary inquiry the "unacceptable has been normalised" after lifting the lid on the horrific antisemitism Sydney's Jewish school children have been subjected to since October 7. On Friday morning, the inquiry heard from multiple principals that strangers were approaching Jewish school kids and tormenting them with chants of ''Heil Hitler'', "F*** the Jews'" and "free Palestine". Moriah College principal Miriam Hasofer said a Year 9 girl was "chased'' up Queen's Park Road by a woman repeatedly shouting abuse at her. "This was a child walking to school. She was terrified," Ms Hasofer said. "What was once repugnantly un-Australian has become disturbingly routine. "The unacceptable has been normalised." The principal said the eastern suburbs school, which has experienced at least one security incident per week, has been exposed to a "relentless drip-feed of hate" since the Israel-Gaza war. Ms Hasofer said the school received an anonymous Instagram message after the October 7 attack which labelled the school as a "disgrace". It included a message reading: "I hope all the children, parents and staff get cancer and die a slow painful death, praise Hitler." Ms Hasofer spoke on a separate appalling incident which occurred in 2024 when two men "exposed themselves" to the school's security cameras in an attempt to "intimidate" Jewish children. "Our teachers are drained. Our wellbeing team is overstretched. Our leaders are operating like a counterterrorism unit, and this has become our normal," she said, adding the antisemitism has had a "corrosive" impact on the school. Emanuel School principal Linda Emms said students would hide their Jewish identity in public by covering their uniforms to avoid any harassment while travelling to and from Randwick school. "I couldn't have imagined anything like this before taking a role at a Jewish school," she said. Ms Emms said the school had to "reallocate significant funds to cover the costs of additional guarding measures". Earlier in the year, the National Children's Commissioner raised the alarm about the impact of rising antisemitism on the wellbeing of young Jewish people in Australia. The Commissioner revealed the heightened abuse is forcing Jewish families to now move their children to non-denominational schools to protect their safety.
The Advertiser
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Jewish school security like 'counter-terrorism' squad
Jewish school principals say their security teams resemble counter-terrorism squads in an effort to keep students safe after a rise in anti-Semitism. Giving evidence to a NSW parliamentary inquiry examining anti-Semitism in the state, leaders revealed schools had dealt with a barrage of incidents including frequent verbal abuse laden with Nazi references. The inquiry was set-up in February after a swathe of incidents in Sydney, including the firebombing of a non-religious childcare centre located near a synagogue and Jewish primary school in the city's east. That the centre was targeted for simply being near Jewish institutions highlighted the scope of the issue, Moriah College principal Miriam Hasofer said. She said her school was spending $3.9 million a year on security, an 86 per cent increase compared with before October 7, 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel. "We comfort students, call families, write reports, put together briefs, and then try attending to the teaching until (another anti-Semitic incident) happens again days later," she told the inquiry. "Education is constantly disrupted, our teachers are drained, our wellbeing team is overstretched, our leaders are operating like a counter-terrorism unit, and this has become our normal." Moriah College has dealt with one security incident per week in 2025, Ms Hasofer said. Emanuel School principal Linda Emms, who started the school this year, said the childcare centre firebombing had created a heightened sense of tension among the community. "My first communication to parents and staff should have been that of setting my vision for our school," she told the inquiry. "Instead, it was a communication outlining the steps being taken to ensure the safety of students and staff for term one, there was nothing normal in the measures to make our community feel safe." A spate of high-profile attacks over summer included the targeting of a Jewish community leader's former home and the spray-painting of anti-Semitic slurs in various prominent locations. At a previous hearing, Jewish Australians labelled the inquiry "troubling" because it risks exacerbating anti-Semitism by focusing on just one form of racism. Those advocates said the inquiry itself and potential subsequent action could stoke the fires of anti-Semitism by treating one form of racism separately from others. Jewish school principals say their security teams resemble counter-terrorism squads in an effort to keep students safe after a rise in anti-Semitism. Giving evidence to a NSW parliamentary inquiry examining anti-Semitism in the state, leaders revealed schools had dealt with a barrage of incidents including frequent verbal abuse laden with Nazi references. The inquiry was set-up in February after a swathe of incidents in Sydney, including the firebombing of a non-religious childcare centre located near a synagogue and Jewish primary school in the city's east. That the centre was targeted for simply being near Jewish institutions highlighted the scope of the issue, Moriah College principal Miriam Hasofer said. She said her school was spending $3.9 million a year on security, an 86 per cent increase compared with before October 7, 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel. "We comfort students, call families, write reports, put together briefs, and then try attending to the teaching until (another anti-Semitic incident) happens again days later," she told the inquiry. "Education is constantly disrupted, our teachers are drained, our wellbeing team is overstretched, our leaders are operating like a counter-terrorism unit, and this has become our normal." Moriah College has dealt with one security incident per week in 2025, Ms Hasofer said. Emanuel School principal Linda Emms, who started the school this year, said the childcare centre firebombing had created a heightened sense of tension among the community. "My first communication to parents and staff should have been that of setting my vision for our school," she told the inquiry. "Instead, it was a communication outlining the steps being taken to ensure the safety of students and staff for term one, there was nothing normal in the measures to make our community feel safe." A spate of high-profile attacks over summer included the targeting of a Jewish community leader's former home and the spray-painting of anti-Semitic slurs in various prominent locations. At a previous hearing, Jewish Australians labelled the inquiry "troubling" because it risks exacerbating anti-Semitism by focusing on just one form of racism. Those advocates said the inquiry itself and potential subsequent action could stoke the fires of anti-Semitism by treating one form of racism separately from others. Jewish school principals say their security teams resemble counter-terrorism squads in an effort to keep students safe after a rise in anti-Semitism. Giving evidence to a NSW parliamentary inquiry examining anti-Semitism in the state, leaders revealed schools had dealt with a barrage of incidents including frequent verbal abuse laden with Nazi references. The inquiry was set-up in February after a swathe of incidents in Sydney, including the firebombing of a non-religious childcare centre located near a synagogue and Jewish primary school in the city's east. That the centre was targeted for simply being near Jewish institutions highlighted the scope of the issue, Moriah College principal Miriam Hasofer said. She said her school was spending $3.9 million a year on security, an 86 per cent increase compared with before October 7, 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel. "We comfort students, call families, write reports, put together briefs, and then try attending to the teaching until (another anti-Semitic incident) happens again days later," she told the inquiry. "Education is constantly disrupted, our teachers are drained, our wellbeing team is overstretched, our leaders are operating like a counter-terrorism unit, and this has become our normal." Moriah College has dealt with one security incident per week in 2025, Ms Hasofer said. Emanuel School principal Linda Emms, who started the school this year, said the childcare centre firebombing had created a heightened sense of tension among the community. "My first communication to parents and staff should have been that of setting my vision for our school," she told the inquiry. "Instead, it was a communication outlining the steps being taken to ensure the safety of students and staff for term one, there was nothing normal in the measures to make our community feel safe." A spate of high-profile attacks over summer included the targeting of a Jewish community leader's former home and the spray-painting of anti-Semitic slurs in various prominent locations. At a previous hearing, Jewish Australians labelled the inquiry "troubling" because it risks exacerbating anti-Semitism by focusing on just one form of racism. Those advocates said the inquiry itself and potential subsequent action could stoke the fires of anti-Semitism by treating one form of racism separately from others. Jewish school principals say their security teams resemble counter-terrorism squads in an effort to keep students safe after a rise in anti-Semitism. Giving evidence to a NSW parliamentary inquiry examining anti-Semitism in the state, leaders revealed schools had dealt with a barrage of incidents including frequent verbal abuse laden with Nazi references. The inquiry was set-up in February after a swathe of incidents in Sydney, including the firebombing of a non-religious childcare centre located near a synagogue and Jewish primary school in the city's east. That the centre was targeted for simply being near Jewish institutions highlighted the scope of the issue, Moriah College principal Miriam Hasofer said. She said her school was spending $3.9 million a year on security, an 86 per cent increase compared with before October 7, 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel. "We comfort students, call families, write reports, put together briefs, and then try attending to the teaching until (another anti-Semitic incident) happens again days later," she told the inquiry. "Education is constantly disrupted, our teachers are drained, our wellbeing team is overstretched, our leaders are operating like a counter-terrorism unit, and this has become our normal." Moriah College has dealt with one security incident per week in 2025, Ms Hasofer said. Emanuel School principal Linda Emms, who started the school this year, said the childcare centre firebombing had created a heightened sense of tension among the community. "My first communication to parents and staff should have been that of setting my vision for our school," she told the inquiry. "Instead, it was a communication outlining the steps being taken to ensure the safety of students and staff for term one, there was nothing normal in the measures to make our community feel safe." A spate of high-profile attacks over summer included the targeting of a Jewish community leader's former home and the spray-painting of anti-Semitic slurs in various prominent locations. At a previous hearing, Jewish Australians labelled the inquiry "troubling" because it risks exacerbating anti-Semitism by focusing on just one form of racism. Those advocates said the inquiry itself and potential subsequent action could stoke the fires of anti-Semitism by treating one form of racism separately from others.
Perth Now
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Jewish school security like 'counter-terrorism' squad
Jewish school principals say their security teams resemble counter-terrorism squads in an effort to keep students safe after a rise in anti-Semitism. Giving evidence to a NSW parliamentary inquiry examining anti-Semitism in the state, leaders revealed schools had dealt with a barrage of incidents including frequent verbal abuse laden with Nazi references. The inquiry was set-up in February after a swathe of incidents in Sydney, including the firebombing of a non-religious childcare centre located near a synagogue and Jewish primary school in the city's east. That the centre was targeted for simply being near Jewish institutions highlighted the scope of the issue, Moriah College principal Miriam Hasofer said. She said her school was spending $3.9 million a year on security, an 86 per cent increase compared with before October 7, 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel. "We comfort students, call families, write reports, put together briefs, and then try attending to the teaching until (another anti-Semitic incident) happens again days later," she told the inquiry. "Education is constantly disrupted, our teachers are drained, our wellbeing team is overstretched, our leaders are operating like a counter-terrorism unit, and this has become our normal." Moriah College has dealt with one security incident per week in 2025, Ms Hasofer said. Emanuel School principal Linda Emms, who started the school this year, said the childcare centre firebombing had created a heightened sense of tension among the community. "My first communication to parents and staff should have been that of setting my vision for our school," she told the inquiry. "Instead, it was a communication outlining the steps being taken to ensure the safety of students and staff for term one, there was nothing normal in the measures to make our community feel safe." A spate of high-profile attacks over summer included the targeting of a Jewish community leader's former home and the spray-painting of anti-Semitic slurs in various prominent locations. At a previous hearing, Jewish Australians labelled the inquiry "troubling" because it risks exacerbating anti-Semitism by focusing on just one form of racism. Those advocates said the inquiry itself and potential subsequent action could stoke the fires of anti-Semitism by treating one form of racism separately from others.
