Adelaide Home Vandalized with Antisemitic Messages, Jewish Community Council Condemns Act

The Jewish Community Council of South Australia has condemned the vandalism of an Adelaide home on Saturday morning.

The response came after Rosti Sverdlov’s Camden Park door and fence was graffitied with antisemitic messages and symbols on Saturday.

Council president Annetay Henderson-Sapir said the Jewish community had a proud history in the state.

"This shocking, cowardly act of damaging a family's home and spreading antisemitic vitriol is unacceptable and un-Australian," she said.

"Every Australian deserves to live safely and in peace in their home.

"We will not allow hateful actions or fear rule our lives."

Ms Henderson-Sapir thanked SA Police for the “swift commencement of an investigation and "unequivocal statements that antisemitism will not be tolerated in South Australia".

“We look forward to those responsible being held accountable," she said.

Mr Sverdlov said he did not want to clean up the offensive graffiti because he wanted the public to see that his family had been targeted.

A community in shock

Advocate Shai Wittles said the incident left the Jewish community in "a lot of shock" and "a lot of fear".

"It’s never an easy thing," they said.

"At the same time, there’s almost a sense of detachment that you force yourself into."

Mx Wittles, a member of Adelaide's Jewish community, had a message of solidarity.

"We are here, we will always be here, we are welcome here," they said.

"There are people who love us — not just our own community but other people and other Australians … we are not alone, no matter what they want to make us feel."

Mx Wittles encouraged Australians to actively challenge all forms of discrimination.

"Really loud, outspoken allyship is really important," they said.

"It’s really important that you show up for Jewish people in your life when they face attacks like this.

"I think it’s also important to call things out as you see them, because a lot of things, a lot of jokes seem minor, but they escalate, so it’s really important that when you come across any kind of bigotry you speak up.

"I don’t think we live in fear. I think most of the time we are here, we are safe, we are proud to be who we are, and we won’t let people like these make us live in fear."

Royal commission continues

Jewish university staff and students gave evidence at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion on Monday, its first day in Melbourne in its fourth block of hearings.

"Things have definitely been scary after Bondi but it’s really important that we continue to be here, we continue to be loud and proud, and we continue to be connected. Being connected is what keeps us safe," Mx Wittles said.

They said the Bondi terror attack in December last year was "scary for my community, it was scary for most people, but especially for Jewish Australians".

"I think that there are a certain group that want us to feel afraid, that want us to feel like we can’t be ourselves, like we can’t be out, we can’t be proud, we don’t belong here — but that’s not true," Mx Wittles said.

"I think a majority of Australians are accepting and loving and I think that it’s really important, not just for Jewish people, but for all marginalised people, to know that we are welcome here and that we belong here, and that we can be safe and connected with each other."

Caught on CCTV

Acting Premier Kyam Maher said police were investigating two individuals in relation to the incident on Saturday morning.

"They've [police] made it very clear this type of behaviour has no place in SA or Australia,” he said.

“We are a tolerant multicultural community in SA and deliberately targeting someone with this antisemitic hate has no place.

"It is a standalone crime, now, to use Nazi symbols, so I hope police are able to identify the people responsible and absolutely throw the book at them."

SA Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Scott Fitzgerald said CCTV from a neighbouring property showed a dark-coloured Sedan arriving at the property.

"Two people get out and approach the house."

"We want to speak to those people."