Two Young Men Threaten Sydney Chabad Synagogue Security with Gun in Antisemitic Incident

In a disturbing antisemitic incident in Sydney, Australia, two young men drove past the Chabad synagogue in the Double Bay neighborhood during the Saturday Musaf prayer and threatened the synagogue's security guards with a gun. The security team, composed of Jewish community volunteers, and the New South Wales Police responded quickly. Officers arrived at the scene, identified the suspects, and arrested them, swiftly neutralizing the threat.

Initial reports indicated the gun was fake, later identified as a water gun, though conflicting reports emerged as the weapon was sent for forensic testing. The Jewish community noted the gun was 3D-printed. Rabbi Yanki Berger revealed the suspects are French citizens working as delivery drivers for Uber Eats and face multiple charges.

Worshipper Yanki Sofer, himself a survivor of the deadly 2019 Bondi Beach attack, expressed how the incident triggered painful memories. He stated, "They probably wanted to scare us," and emphasized the community's resilience, saying, "Our community is very strong and resilient, and we will not bow or let such incidents take away our Jewish pride."