A member of the staff at the University of Sydney interrupted a Sukkot celebration on campus.
By Rachel Avraham
On a quiet afternoon at University of Sydney’s Gadigal Green, an event meant to celebrate the Jewish festival of Sukkot was violently disrupted—not by external protestors, but by a staff member shouting direct abuse. A viral video later captured the moment a female employee approached a modest stall set up by the Australian Union of Jewish Students, and unleashed a barrage of slurs. Among them: “parasites,” “filthy Zionists,” and “the lowest form of rubbish.”
The incident occurred on October 9, 2025, during what organizers describe as a peaceful gathering of students, staff and the university rabbi. According to witnesses, there were no Israeli flags, no political slogans and no connection to the Gaza conflict. In fact, the biology lecturer present, Dr Sarah Aamidor, emphasized: “This is a Jewish religious event, not a political rally.” Yet as the gathering began to wind down, the staff member returned, identifying herself as an “Indigenous Palestinian,” and launched into an antisemitic outburst that lasted around five minutes.
The university acted swiftly. Within hours, the employee was suspended pending investigation under the institution’s code of conduct. “Hate speech, antisemitism and verbal harassment have no place on campus, online or in our wider community,” the university’s spokesperson declared. But for those present that afternoon, the damage was already done.
The event raises troubling questions about campus culture, inclusivity and safety. The Jewish students present paid for extra security out of concern, yet still found themselves face to face with vitriolic abuse. “We’ve had incidents ignored or dismissed before,” said Australian Union of Jewish Students president Dror Liraz. Security footage showed the staffer approaching the stall, shouting “Free Palestine,” then turning to the gathered group: “Are you Zionists?” she demanded, before launching into insults and threatening behavior.
The broader context cannot be ignored. Australia has seen a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents since October 2023, when the war between Israel and Hamas escalated. According to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the number of reported incidents jumped dramatically—from around 495 in the previous year to over 2,000 in 2023–24. Physical assaults rose from 11 to 65. This latest episode on campus is symptomatic of a broader deterioration of safety for Jewish communities across the country.
In the wake of the incident, the university’s vice-chancellor, Mark Scott, issued an apology to the affected students and staff. He described the behavior as “distressing” and reiterated that the institution would review its support systems and disciplinary procedures. But many students remain skeptical. They point to previous episodes in which complaints were not acted upon—or investigations stalled.
The implications stretch beyond one institution. Australian universities, traditionally seen as bastions of free expression and academic inquiry, are increasingly caught between protecting open dialogue and safeguarding vulnerable groups. The Sukkot celebration, meant to bring together students of different backgrounds, quietly turned into a stark reminder: when identity becomes the target, the protections are no longer symbolic.
For Jewish students, the moment reinforced a chilling truth: being visibly Jewish on campus in 2025 can come with risk. The staffer’s remarks, captured on camera, reflect more than a moment of anger—they point to an environment where silence and fear are becoming the new norms. The university’s promise of swift action offers some solace, but trust must be earned by continued transparency and meaningful change.
In the end, this incident is more than a disturbance at a festival—it is a test of whether institutions can uphold their values under pressure. If the University of Sydney cannot ensure the safety and dignity of all students, then the ideals of diversity, inclusion and free expression begin to ring hollow. The question now is not only who will be disciplined, but how the university will work to prevent the next “parasites” outcry before it ever begins.
Photo from Jason Tong: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Sydney#/media/File:University_of_Sydney’s_Main_Quadrangle.jpg
