Jewish students in Sydney resumed classes on Friday under the watchful eyes of police and private security, as the community grapples with a surge in antisemitic incidents, including a foiled bomb plot that could have caused mass casualties.
The return to school comes just days after New South Wales police uncovered a trailer filled with explosives that they believe was intended for an antisemitic attack. Officers say the explosives had the potential to create a deadly blast wave of up to 40 metres (130 feet).
The alarming discovery is part of an ongoing pattern of targeted attacks against Sydney’s Jewish community. Just this week, Mount Sinai College and two other sites were defaced with antisemitic graffiti—part of a series of nearly a dozen incidents police believe are coordinated.
Fear and Frustration in the Community
For many Jewish families, the increased security presence outside schools and synagogues is both reassuring and disheartening.
“We’re really grateful that the police are here and protecting us,” said Gina Ferrer, a parent dropping off her child at Mount Sinai College. “I love this country, I think it’s the best country in the world, but for the first time in my life I actually feel really let down by Australia.”
Australian Jews have increasingly taken their safety into their own hands. Some have hired private security for community events, while others have removed visible symbols of their Jewish identity—such as mezuzahs from their doorways and skullcaps worn by men—to avoid being targeted.
Government Under Pressure
The surge in antisemitic violence has drawn criticism from Israel and placed mounting pressure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government. With federal elections looming by May, community leaders are calling for stronger action.
“We’re seeing a worrying trend,” said Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. “The more of these attacks that we see, and particularly given their gravity and the scale, people will begin to question how they can live in Australia as Jews.”
Stephen Vogel, founder of Sayeret Security, a private firm that provides security to Sydney’s Jewish community, confirmed that demand for protection services has risen in recent weeks. “People are a little bit more nervous at the moment and want to have security for their functions, just to mitigate any potential risk,” he said.
As Jewish Australians navigate this uncertain reality, the question remains: Will stronger measures be taken to combat rising antisemitism, or will fear continue to shape daily life for one of the country’s oldest religious communities?