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Thursday 31 October 2013

Aussie Jews defiant after attack


The victims of the alleged anti-Semitic attacks in the Sydney suburb of Bondi last weekend say the incident will not affect their Jewish way of life.

Four members of the Behar family and Jewish National Fund emissary Shlomo Ben-Haim were injured when a group of eight males allegedly assaulted them after they were returning home from a Jewish Sabbath dinner last Friday.

VICTIM OF THE ATTACK: The group released a statement saying they don't want to "hide or feel threatened".Bondi attack victim

The victims suffered injuries including a fractured cheekbone, broken nose, concussion, lacerations and bruising after being attacked while walking along Blair Steet.

Despite the attacks, 66 year-old victim Eli Behar told the Australian Jewish News he will not respond by concealing "his Jewishness."

“I am not going to take off my kippah [skull-cap]," he told the newspaper. “I don't want to go and hide or feel threatened or scared of being Jewish in Sydney.”

The attack left Behar unconscious with serious head injuries, his son Shlomo Behar with a broken finger and stitches to his head and his son-in-law Zeev Aronstam with a broken nose, the Australian Jewish News reported. Ben-Haim suffered a broken nose and an injury to his eye.

They were all treated at St Vincent's Hospital.

Behar's wife, Lea, who was also injured, said: “I don't want to change my life and I don't want people to change their lives...There are different minorities and everyone is allowed to live the way they want. We should not have any abuse or hatred towards one another."

On Monday, the victims called for "justice, education and tolerance."

"People should be free to walk the streets in safety, without fear of being attacked because of the colour of their skin or the race to which they belong," they said in a joint statement.

Two minors, both 17, were arrested and charged with affray and breach of bail.

A 23-year-old man was charged with affray and granted bail to appear at Waverley Local Court on December 3.

On Monday, Fairfax Media reported that both teenage boys broke court-ordered curfews over another alleged assault.

One boy was ordered to be home between 8pm and 6am, and the other had a 9pm-6am curfew, as part of bail conditions imposed for an alleged attack on a police officer.

On Monday, police renewed their appeal for information and urged witnesses to come forward.

“Although three males have already been charged over this incident we believe that there are other offenders still to be identified and spoken to,” Acting Superintendent Paul Pisanos said.

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