‘Jews feel targeted and that’s a real feeling’: Adelaide Rabbi reveals fear in SA Jewish community

Frightened Jewish South Australians are hiding religious symbols, scared of being targeted after the outbreak of war in Israel, an Adelaide Rabbi has said.

An Adelaide rabbi says the Jewish community in South Australia is employing extra security and hiding religious symbols in fear of being targeted after the outbreak of the war in Israel.

Rabbi Yossi Engel, from Chabad SA, said Jews were “concerned of being targeted” and have now employed security guards at their community centre to maintain safety.

“We now have a security presence at prayer services, children’s education and adult education,” Rabbi Engel said. “Jews feel targeted and that’s a real feeling.”

He said Jewish people in Adelaide now try to conceal religious symbols and items of clothing when in public.

“People are concerned, they question if they want to wear their head covering in Adelaide,” Rabbi Engel said.

“Some are not visibly wearing Jewish signs and some may cover their kippah with a hat.”

Rabbi Engel said.

A protester waves an Israeli national flag during a rally in support of the people of Israel. (Photo by Simon Wohlfahrt / AFP)

He said he suspects some members of the community are no longer attending Jewish events for “rightfully” feeling concerned for their safety.

“People with children didn’t come to an event, possibly because they didn’t want to put their children in harm’s way,” Rabbi Engel said.

“Jews are feeling threatened, not because there’s a war but because of the vehemence of anti-Semites.”

But Jewish people remain defiant in maintaining their religious practices, he said.

“We will continue with our programs, our study and our services but we are now more aware of the needs of our safety,” Rabbi Engel said.

And Rabbi Engel said he has not changed the way he dresses and but conceded “it takes a measure of courage” to do so.

“When I walk down the street there’s no mistaking my identity,” Rabbi Engel said.

But the threat is not new as Rabbi Engel referenced an incident last year when an Adelaide University publication was placed under review following claims of anti-Semitic behaviour in the wake of a controversial article.

A student was sacked from the On Dit magazine editorial team for the article, which she denied meant to death to Jewish people but, rather, “death to the state”.

The article listed incidents of Israeli violence against Palestinians and argued this was “ethnic cleansing”, ending with the line “Free Palestine and Death to Israel”.

A Woodville household has erected a sign in its front yard reading "Death to Israel and its allies". Picture: Supplied

It comes after a Woodville Park man on Monday defended an inflammatory sign he put up in his front yard.

When The Advertiser visited on Monday night, Masoud Rahmani, 31, agreed he had gone too far and removed the words “Death to Israel and it’s (sic) allies”.

But Mr Rahmani, 31, defended the language on the sign.

“As an Australian I feel ashamed. In Gaza and Palestine, people are getting killed on a daily basis,” he said.

Originally published as ‘Jews feel targeted and that’s a real feeling’: Adelaide Rabbi reveals fear in SA Jewish community