Antisemitic graffiti found at Sydney Jewish school, homes and shopping centre

Multiple sites in Sydney's eastern suburbs have been vandalised in what has been labelled as an "appalling and shameful" attack by NSW Premier Chris Minns and "heartbreaking" by the education industry.

Police are this morning responding after a Jewish school, two homes and a shopping centre were defaced with antisemitic graffiti.

The latest spate of vandalism occurred in Maroubra at Mt Sinai College, an adjacent home to the school, the Eastgardens shopping centre and a house in Eastlakes.

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The school's principal Noelene Bellingham sent out an email to the community this morning reassuring parents that students were safe.

"I regret to inform you that last night, our school was targeted by antisemitic graffiti on the exterior walls of our property, as well as neighbouring areas," the email read.

"We are taking immediate steps to enhance security measures, including speaking to the government about providing 24/7 protection.

"While these are challenging times, I want to reassure you that we are a strong community, and we will get through this together."

Federal member for Kingsford Smith Matt Thistlewaite confirmed the police presence will be beefed up for the first day back at school tomorrow.

"We'll do all we can to make sure there's extra patrols and there's security in place," he said.

"The Jewish community are ordinary Australians just going about their lives, going to work, bringing their kids to school.

"They do not deserve to be targeted like this with antisemitic un-Australian attacks."

Meanwhile, the NSW branch of the Independent Education Union of Australia (IEUA) called the attack "heartbreaking."

"It is heartbreaking that on the first day back at school, staff, students and parents should be faced with antisemitic hate speech," IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Carol Matthews said.

"This is especially confronting in the midst of a wave of attacks and threats against the Jewish community in Sydney."

The acts add to escalating concerns after a caravan filled with explosives was discovered in the city's north-west, which is being investigated by the counter-terrorism team. 

NSW Police were called to sites in Maroubra about 6.45am to find that antisemitic comments were spray painted at the front of the school and on the front fence of the property. 

Minns said the acts of vandalism went against everything that Australia believes in 2025.

"It is utterly appalling and shameful that an individual would spray racist hate-filled messages on a school," Minns said.

"It tells you everything you need to know about how appalling these bastards are that they would rip apart a school on one of the first days of school with a racist antisemitic attack."

President of the Jewish Board of Deputies David Ossip told ABC Radio the graffiti found at Mount Sinai College was "pretty vile and hateful".

"It seems to be another act of antisemitic vandalism, this time targeting a school and a property adjacent to the school," he said.

"[It] is just grotesque and absolutely sickening that school children on their first day of school are going to have to walk past this ... hate speech as they make their way into school."

The vandalised home in Maroubra just metres from the Only About Children childcare centre, which was firebombed in a suspected antisemitic incident earlier this month.

So far, 10 people have been charged under Strike Force Pearl, which is investigating the antisemitic attacks in Sydney.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said police believed some of the attacks may have been "orchestrated" by other individuals.

"We have identified links between certain jobs, which gives us some indication there is a level of coordination above those perpetrating the offences," he said.

Hudson also confirmed the caravan owner was arrested in early January for alleged offences investigated by Strike Force Pearl.

The public is being urged by police and Minns to report what they know.

"To those who may have information about racist hate attacks in our community ... if you know of anybody who's committed these offences, or you know of anyone who potentially could commit these offences, it's your duty to come forward," Minns said.