Celebrity chef Ed Halmagyi calls out antisemitism after restaurant vandalism
Following the vandalism of popular European bakery Avner’s in Surry Hills, owner and former TV chef Ed Halmagyi has called out growing antisemitism in Australia.
The well-known Jewish chef left the graffitied Hamas symbols on the bakery window on Sunday morning as an act of defiance.
Vandals painted large red inverted triangles on Avner’s windows between 10pm Saturday and 1.30am Sunday and left a note under the door that read: “Be Careful”.
The vandalism galvanised community support, as customers flocked to enjoy Avner’s baked goods.
“I thought about (taking the symbols down this morning), but I thought, that’s a very silly thing to do because people should know that this stuff happens,” the former Better Homes and Gardens personality told The Australian.
“The reaction of wanting to scrub it off immediately and pretend like it’s not there. That implies two things. One, that it was effective, and made me feel somehow vulnerable. And it simultaneously says you’re a victim of your circumstances. I’m not a victim,” he said defiantly.
Eyal Wolstin travelled from Maroubra to “show solidarity and support” to Halmagyi.
“The last thing that he needs to face at the moment is stupid behaviour like that ... All the Israelis on our WhatsApp group are saying come and share your support. So we are here, enjoying a coffee,” Wolstin said.
Halmagyi said Australia was still generally a tolerant country.
“One of things that’s very clear is that here in Australia, as opposed to other places, we don’t support the vitriol and hate that is tolerated elsewhere in the world. Australia is a very peaceful place. Which is why when people take their own time to try and create division, that’s why it stands out, because it is unusual. And it’s largely ineffective.
“The main thing for me. People want to spray paint the shop, go for it, can’t stop you. Want to leave you notes under the door, go ahead I can’t stop you. But I do get to choose my reaction … Spray paint doesn’t affect me,” he told The Australian.
Halmayagi, whose grandmother Alice survived Auschwitz in 1944 called the incident antisemitic.
“I’m very proudly Jewish. But I’m also Australian. I’m not Israeli. If you’ve got a problem with what’s happening with internal Israeli politics, you’ve got a problem with Israeli military politics, a problem with Israeli foreign policy, there’s a very good way to deal with that. You go down the hill and you talk to the Israeli consul,” he said.
“If you’re getting to me, it’s not because it’s an Israel problem, it’s because it's a Jewish problem. And we have a word for that, it’s called anti-Semitism.”
NSW police are investigating the incident.
Jonathan Jackson, 17th October 2024
