Bondi victims: ‘We won’t change our lives’
VICTIMS of last Friday night’s alleged anti-Semitic attack in Sydney insist they’re not going to let the broken bones and bruises they suffered affect their proud and public Jewish way of life.
VICTIMS of last Friday night’s alleged anti-Semitic attack in Sydney insist they’re not going to let the broken bones and bruises they suffered affect their proud and public Jewish way of life.
Members of the Behar family were walking home with friends from a Shabbat dinner at around midnight when a group of eight men allegedly abused them verbally for being Jewish on the corner of Glenayr Avenue and Blair Street in Bondi.
The incident escalated into a physical confrontation that left Eli Behar unconscious with internal bleeding in his head, his son Shlomo with a broken finger and stitches to his head, his son-in-law Zeev with a broken nose and JNF NSW shaliach Shlomo Ben-Haim with a broken nose and an injury to his eye.
Eli’s wife Lea was also allegedly attacked and suffered scratches and bruises.
Despite the incident, Eli insisted he’s not going to conceal his Jewishness.
Speaking exclusively to The AJN this week, he said, “I am not going to take off my kippah.
“I don’t want to go and hide or feel threatened or scared of being Jewish in Sydney.”
The sentiment was echoed by Lea, who said that she is also not going to let the incident intimidate her
“The same family invited us again this Friday,” she noted.
“I don’t want to change my life and I don’t want people to change their lives.
“I hope that it will never happen again. It should not happen again!”
Lea added that the main thing the family wants to come out of the incident is for the public to be educated, and learn about tolerance for all religions and races.
“There are different minorities and everyone is allowed to live the way they want,” she said. “We should not have any abuse or hatred towards one another.
“Australia is a multicultural country and there is no need for this.”
Eli’s son Issar shed a tear as he spoke about the reality of returning to the site of the attack this week where one local resident recalled seeing Eli lying in the gutter being kicked.
“That’s imagery that really sickens me. I don’t like to hear that,” Issar said.
Superintendent Paul Pisanos, the Eastern Suburbs Local Area Commander, said the incident is being treated as a major crime.
“We have a team of dedicated detectives on this case and there is a possibility of further charges because the investigation is ongoing,” he said.
Pisanos said his team still has witnesses to speak to and closed-circuit television footage to look at.
“The police involved, particularly the ones that responded, have been outraged by this incident.
“This was a serious assault and the whole police force, from the commissioner down, is watching the progress of this case because of the seriousness of it,” Pisanos said.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president Yair Miller said the efforts by the police have been exemplary. “Our community owes them a debt of gratitude for the seriousness and sensitivity with which they have dealt with this issue at all levels of their organisation.”
Miller added the community should be assured that authorities and communal leaders are taking the matter very seriously and the welfare of the community is their foremost concern. “It is important, however, to keep matters in perspective.
“We are blessed to live in a country where racially motivated violence is extremely rare. As is demonstrated by the many responses to this incident, the great majority of our fellow Australians support our right to practise our faith and Jewish way of life openly and with pride.”
Two 17-year-old youths have been charged with affray and breach of bail. A 23-year-old man has been charged with affray and granted bail to appear at Waverley Local Court on Tuesday, December 3, 2013.
For full coverage, see this week’s AJN.
JOSHUA LEVI
Members of the Behar family attacked last Friday night, from left, Zeev Aronstam, Shlomo Behar, Lea Behar, Eli Behar and Issar Ben Behar.
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