Private security firms are seeing a surge in demand for services at Jewish schools, synagogues and homes following a spate of antisemitic attacks and terror threats targeting the community.
While ASIO general secretary Mike Burgess has ruled out changing the national threat level from probable, the discovery of a caravan laden with enough explosives to create a 40-metre blast, coupled with more than a dozen firebombing and vandalism attacks across religious centres, schools and residential areas in the past three months, have left the community reeling.
Security consultant Daniel Lewkovitz. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
Security expert Daniel Lewkovitz said he has had an increase in calls from Jewish home owners in Sydney’s eastern suburbs who have been “seriously rattled” by the attacks, requesting home security installations, CCTV, window bars and reinforced doors.
“Usually, I’d get calls the morning after someone has their house broken into, but, this week, I’ve received calls from people simply because they’re worried that their house could be next. And that’s really disturbing,” he said.
Lewkovitz has advised government, law enforcement and high-profile families on terrorism and security. He also runs security system supplier Calamity.
He stressed security concerns were “nothing new” for the Jewish community.
“The organised Jewish community has taken security very seriously for as long as I can remember, but I’ve never in my entire life seen a situation where ordinary Australian Jews are feeling unsafe in their homes or walking around the streets in Australia,” he said.
Antisemitic graffiti at Maroubra on Tuesday.Credit: Rhett Wyman
“The Jewish community has been required to essentially spend a fortune that no other religious or ethnic community has ever had to spend on their own protection.”
Stephen Vogel is the director of a small private security company, Sayeret Security. The firm’s main business is providing security guards for Jewish functions, events and small parties, but recently, the company has been contacted to patrol synagogues and schools after hours.
The demand for services has increased so much that Vogel plans to expand his business and branch into armed protection.
“We need to be prepared for the worst. Attacks may progress to car-ramming, stabbings or potentially shootings,” he said.
But it comes at a cost – Vogel estimated some of Australia’s larger independent Jewish schools would spend more than $1 million a year on security.
Peter Wertheim, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said nobody should have to hire private security to feel safe.
“We should all be able to live our lives in freedom and dignity without having to worry about being targeted simply because we have different religious views or different political views,” he said.
“Sadly, that’s not the world that we live in.”
Australian Jewish Association president David Adler said he had spoken to members of the community who had family visiting from Israel who refused to eat at kosher restaurants in Sydney, deeming it “too risky”.
“Australia’s reputation as a safe place for Jewish people has been completely changed and crashed since October 7, 2023,” he said.
“This is extraordinary – people are changing their lives [here].”
NSW Police has increased its presence in at-risk locations. Under Operation Shelter, launched to address community tensions after the October 7 attack, there have been nearly 38,000 “taskings”, in which police patrol areas of concern such as synagogues, mosques or suburbs at risk. More than 5000 of those patrols took place in the past two weeks, with 397 undertaken in the past day.
As of Wednesday, 191 people have been charged with 476 offences under Operation Shelter.
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