Swastika Discovered on Jewish Bagel Shop Window in Paddington
Police are investigating an incident of malicious damage at a Jewish-owned bagel and sandwich shop in Sydney's Paddington, where a swastika was found etched into the window. The discovery was made at Lox in a Box on Oxford Street, with authorities receiving a report around 12pm on Thursday.
Shocking Discovery During Renovations
Business owner Candy Berger, granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, made the disturbing find earlier this week while removing brown paper that had covered the windows after painting. "I stood there in shock, thinking about what that symbol represents," Berger wrote in an Instagram post. "What it has meant to my people... today felt like a punch that landed deeper than most."
Police inquiries determined the vandalism actually occurred on Saturday, March 21st. The Paddington location had been undergoing renovations ahead of its scheduled opening on April 9th. Lox in a Box, which originated in Bondi and has additional locations in Coogee and Marrickville, represents a growing Jewish culinary presence in Sydney.
Pattern of Antisemitic Incidents in Sydney's East
This incident marks the latest in a troubling series of alleged antisemitic events in Sydney's eastern suburbs following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and Israel's subsequent war in Gaza. The area, home to many Jewish Australians, has witnessed:
- Cars set alight and houses vandalized
- The December terrorist shooting that killed 15 at a Bondi beach Hanukah event
- The permanent closure of popular Jewish baker Avner's in Surry Hills
Celebrity chef Ed Halmagyi, who operated Avner's, cited "almost ceaseless antisemitic harassment, vandalism and intimidation" over two years as contributing factors to the bakery's closure. A message posted on Avner's window stated: "It is no longer possible to make outwardly, publicly, proudly Jewish places and events safe in Australia."
Business Impact and Community Response
Following the Bondi shooting, Lox in a Box temporarily closed all its locations. Berger reported the business was subsequently bombarded with one-star reviews, which she characterized as antisemitic. "Antisemitism is not a joke," she wrote. "Posting negative antisemitic reviews can really harm a small business like ours."
In response to the recent vandalism, Berger praised police and the Community Security Group, a Jewish organization. She suggested the timing was particularly calculated, occurring as Jewish communities prepare for Passover, "a time where we remember that the Jewish people have been marked before."
Despite the incident, Berger remains defiant: "We will not let this break us. We will not let it close our doors or dim the light of something we've worked so hard to build."
The investigation continues as authorities work to identify those responsible for the antisemitic vandalism at the Paddington bagel shop.
