Jewish community in support of Christian community
Sydney’s Jewish community has voiced support to the Maronite community in the city’s west whose church was targeted with death threats from a passing car flying the Islamic State flag.
Church interior
A priest told media that passengers in the car driving past the Our Lady of Lebanon church in Harris Park called out “kill the Christians”.
In a statement The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies – the representative body of the New South Wales Jewish community – said it “is shocked and appalled by reports that students from the Maronite College of the Holy Family in Harris Park were subjected to religiously motivated abuse and threats of violence by people reported to be ISIS sympathisers.
The Jewish community is no stranger to such incidents and we are acutely aware of the profound impact that they have on children subjected to such abuse, on their parents and to the sense of security of members of the affected community. The incident further demonstrates that extremist ideologies pose a threat to all Australians and emphasise the need to counter violent extremism and restore social cohesion to our society.
At this difficult time, the NSW Jewish community stands in solidarity with students, parents and staff at the Maronite College of the Holy Family.”
