The first day of the new school year is usually a day of joy for Jane* and her family. This year, however, the Jewish mother is focused on protecting her children from the rising threat of violent antisemitic attacks.
“The juxtaposition of my fear and their excitement about starting school, proud of their uniform and their school, is palpable,” the mother of three school and preschool-aged children from Sydney’s eastern suburbs, who did not want her full name to be used, said on Thursday.
Waking up to the news of an antisemitic graffiti attack on Mount Sinai College in Maroubra on Thursday, and reeling after the discovery of a caravan laden with explosives and a list of Jewish community targets in Dural, revealed on Wednesday, she said returning to school meant her children had to confront hatred.
“It’s my kid’s first day back and my middle child’s first day at school ever – why should they ever be subjected to this? They are innocent children, but they are marked because they are Jewish – it’s terrible and depressing,” Jane said.
“Many parents will be scared to send their kids to school and devastated that their kids should be confronted by such hatred and racism on what already is a big day.”
She said her children’s school had sent notes to parents advising them excursions would be, for the most part, cancelled, or would include some form of security – and that if a student or parent has safety concerns, they were permitted to cover any identifying parts of their uniform.
She said many parents were “anxious about drop-off, pickup and the entire school day until their child is at home safe”.
“People will be wondering what’s next, people will be very scared. Some will be defiant – but underneath will be shock and fear.”
Emily* has children returning to classes at Mount Sinai College on Friday, the day after it and a nearby home became targets of antisemitic graffiti – and less than two weeks on from an antisemitic arson and spray paint attack on the Only About Children childcare centre, just metres away from the school.
“They were like, ‘oh my gosh, what happened?’,” she said of driving past the scene with her two children that day. “Because it was cordoned off, there were police and a media circus.
“I just told them there had been a fire. I don’t want them to grow up thinking that people hate them for being Jewish.
“I’m just tired, I just want it to stop. I am sick of waking up to find out something else has happened.”
(December 7, 2024)
A caravan is parked on the side of the road in Dural, a semi-rural suburb in Sydney’s north-west.
A local resident, believing it is parked in a hazardous position for road users, tows the caravan to his property.
The van is padlocked. The man leaves it parked on his property.
(January 19, 2025)
The property owner busts open the caravan, to discover it contains explosives. He contacts police. He is not accused of any wrongdoing.
In addition to Powergel explosives capable of creating a 40-metre wide blast radius, in the caravan there is also a note containing the name of targets including a Sydney synagogue and remarks about Jews.
No detonator was found.
State and federal police launch a covert joint counter-terrorism investigation.
At the time of the discovery, the registered owner of the caravan was in custody on separate matters related to weapons and drug charges.
(January 21, 2025)
Police raid properties, including a Dural address next to the property where the caravan had been towed. Another home in Sydney’s west is also raided.
Anthony Albanese convenes national cabinet to address “the shocking rise of antisemitic hate crimes”. Leaders agree to set up a national database, and federal police reveal foreign actors may be orchestrating recent attacks.
(January 29, 2025)
Details of the caravan are leaked and reported by The Daily Telegraph, which prompts NSW police and the premier, Chris Minns, to call a press conference. They make public the investigation into the “potential mass casualty event”.
On the eve of the school term, she said there was a level of trepidation but also determination to try to live life as normal.
“At the end of the day, we just want to keep our kids safe,” she said.
As counter-terrorism teams investigate the Dural incident, ongoing investigations into a string of antisemitic incidents and arson attacks targeting homes, businesses and synagogues in Sydney and Melbourne have led to numerous arrests. Federal police last week revealed they were investigating whether “overseas actors or individuals” had paid people to carry out antisemitic attacks.
Amid anxiety and uncertainty in the Jewish community, security and police presence have increased across Jewish sites in NSW, including schools.
Simone Abel, a parent and the head of legal at the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the incidents had led to “difficult conversations around dinner tables and elsewhere about the safety of our kids, and also the safety of other children at our kids’ schools”.
The day after the childcare incident, Emily said “the WhatsApp group messages between all the parents were flying and just like ‘what are we going to do?’”.
Security had been increased at Mount Sinai and she said she and other parents were feeling somewhat reassured.
“It had hit so close to home,” she said. “I’m exhausted, everyone’s exhausted.”
Despite Thursday’s graffiti incident, she said she would still take her daughter to daycare because she doesn’t want to let the alleged perpetrators intimidate her.
“When is it going to stop?” she said.
“This cannot be deemed as normal. I honestly believe the average Australian thinks this is deplorable and the messages of support from colleagues and friends are heartwarming.
“We know we have the police and government working tirelessly but we just need everyone to realise that we need their support in calling out any racist or antisemitic behaviour out.
“This will only stop if we work together to stomp it out.”
The Australian federal police commissioner, Reece Kershaw, said last week that “all lines of inquiry” were open and that this included whether some attacks had involved young people being radicalised online.
“There is still a lot of investigative work to be done and we are not ready to rule anything in or out,” he said.
Sarah*, whose three children attend Mount Sinai College and Emanuel school in Randwick, was less fearful than angry.
She said she knew parents who were considering removing their children from Jewish schools in the belief that non-religious schools may be safer options.
“It’s not fear, it’s more anger that it’s got to this stage,” she said of her reaction to rising antisemitism.
“I’m not fearful because we have the [Jewish community security organisation] CSG – they are incredible, we are so grateful to them.”
Abel said she was determined to see her and others’ children continue to attend school.
“We shouldn’t be fearful of being the melting pot that we are. That’s what makes Australia great. And so I would just say to parents, please stay strong.”
* Names changed to protect families’ privacy
