Sydney Israeli restaurant Shaffa vandalised, police investigating

Police have commenced investigations after a popular Sydney Israeli restaurant was spray-painted with “child murder” and “steal our identity”.

A popular Israeli restaurant in Sydney has been vandalised and spray-painted with “child murder” and “steal our identity,” with police investigating the “malicious damage”.

Officers were called to Shaffa – an eatery in Surry Hills – at about 12.15am on Sunday, which had been plastered with confronting images of injured children and violent protests.

Another black and white sign read: “You cannot build a Holy Land on the mass graves of children”.

Police were called to the restaurant at 12.15am on Sunday.

Opening in 2021, Shaffa is billed as a “Middle Eastern restaurant inspired by Tel Aviv’s markets,” and is owned by Israeli Australian chef Erez Nahum.

The act has been condemned by Jewish community groups.

Shaffa opened in 2021. Picture: Instagram @shaffasydney

Australian Jewish Association head Robert Gregory said he was aware of “multiple attacks on Jews and vandalism of property across Australia”.

“The ‘Pro-Palestine’ movement has long since departed from acceptable behaviour,” he said.

“It’s beginning to feel like the 1930s in Australia. Governments and the police need to take much stronger action against anti Semitic incitement in order to protect the Jewish community.”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive officer Alex Ryvchin said the “low act” targeted the livelihood of Jewish Australians.

“How does vandalising a Sydney business with old racist slogans about Jews being child-killers and frauds, advance the cause of peace or help Palestinian civilians caught in Hamas’s war?”