NSW inquiry told Jewish school security like 'counter-terrorism' squad

Jewish school principals say their security teams resemble counter-terrorism squads in an effort to keep students safe after a rise in anti-Semitism.

Giving evidence to a NSW parliamentary inquiry examining anti-Semitism in the state, leaders revealed schools had dealt with a barrage of incidents including frequent verbal abuse laden with Nazi references.

The inquiry was set-up in February after a swathe of incidents in Sydney, including the firebombing of a non-religious childcare centre located near a synagogue and Jewish primary school in the city’s east.

That the centre was targeted for simply being near Jewish institutions highlighted the scope of the issue, Moriah College principal Miriam Hasofer said.

She said her school was spending $3.9 million a year on security, an 86 per cent increase compared with before October 7, 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel.

“We comfort students, call families, write reports, put together briefs, and then try attending to the teaching until (another anti-Semitic incident) happens again days later,” she told the inquiry.

“Education is constantly disrupted, our teachers are drained, our wellbeing team is overstretched, our leaders are operating like a counter-terrorism unit, and this has become our normal.”

Moriah College has dealt with one security incident per week in 2025, Ms Hasofer said.

Emanuel School principal Linda Emms, who started the school this year, said the childcare centre firebombing had created a heightened sense of tension among the community.

“My first communication to parents and staff should have been that of setting my vision for our school,” she told the inquiry.

“Instead, it was a communication outlining the steps being taken to ensure the safety of students and staff for term one, there was nothing normal in the measures to make our community feel safe.”

A spate of high-profile attacks over summer included the targeting of a Jewish community leader’s former home and the spray-painting of anti-Semitic slurs in various prominent locations.

At a previous hearing, Jewish Australians labelled the inquiry “troubling” because it risks exacerbating anti-Semitism by focusing on just one form of racism.

Those advocates said the inquiry itself and potential subsequent action could stoke the fires of anti-Semitism by treating one form of racism separately from others.