Australia needs to find its Sammy Cohen

So, who was Sammy Cohen

The government school in Johannesburg where I was growing up had an almost 90% Jewish student body, with many Jewish staff members as well. The predominance was so marked that the school was closed for most of the regular Jewish holidays.

In the mid-1950s, there was an influx of Lebanese Christian “refugees” into South Africa. The new students that were settled in school’s catchment area were all held back for a year, so they were bigger, older, stronger and more aggressive than their schoolmates, and had brought with them the same prejudices that they learned in their ruptured country. Quickly, there was a surge of bullying, intimidation of younger kids, and domination of the playground, both by the bigger boys and their older brothers. Complaints to the teachers helped nothing, because they were as afraid of the new families as we were, and the “nice” behavior that was requested was a totally foreign concept to the students as well as to their families.

Sammy Cohen was the “stage name” of a young Jewish professional wrestler, who made it a mark of his public performances to proudly strut in the ring wearing a magen david, and to jump out of the ring to “hunt” the audience members who shouted out “moor die blerrie Yood!” (Kill the bloody Jew!). It was all staged and pre-arranged – who would win, what the moves were – all like an orchestrated ballet. But he was fit, and strong, and had presence – someone we admired because he wasn’t afraid to be “in their face”. When he heard about the frightened kids at our school (he was an alumnus of the school, and a member of the community), he put together a small group of his fellow fighters – both Jewish and not – and the next time the bullies set on the school kids, they got back much more than they expected, from Sammy Cohen and his friends. The message was clear – you mess with us, we do more than “mess” with you! It was the end of the time of fear, and we never heard another peep out of the bullies or their families.

Australia – the “lucky country”

First, I have to express my lack of surprise at today’s horrible outcome at the Bondi Hanukkah party. When it comes to self-protection, Australian Jews play “by the rules” and then get surprised when they get kicked in the balls by an enemy who knows no bounds, and has only one rule – “kill Jews”.

The Community Security Group (CSG) is tasked with protecting Jewish buildings and people. It boasts that it has the “full backing” of the federal police. Sure – you can put that one into your pipe and smoke it, because the Albino federal government LOVES the right Jews – the dead ones!

Australia has suffered more antisemitic attacks than any other Western country, size-for-size. The very first outburst of antisemitic chanting after October 7th occurred on the steps of the Sydney Opera House while the fires were still burning in Sderot and bodies lay bleeding at the music festival. “From the river to the sea” started there! Since then, there have been uncountable bombings, assaults, burnings and every day, Jews are being instructed not to go out in public with any visible signs of their “ethnicity” so that they don’t “cause trouble.”

It hurts me to say that as well intentioned as the CSG is, they are amateurs, and they’re not up to the task of fighting dedicated terrorists whose path to 72 virgins is coated with Jewish blood. I experienced it at the beginning of this year on a visit to Perth, my former home town, when I showed up at the suburban shul just before sunset on a Friday. The two young men guarding the entrance had absolutely no idea who I was, and why I was coming there. Friendly chatter allowed me to get into the building in just a few minutes. If they expect the next terrorist to come dressed in a burqa with pockets bulging with explosives, then they are sadly misinformed!

But the community continues to play the “gentleman’s game” and as long as they do, they will get exactly the same result, along with the expressions of “deep regret, and our heartfelt sympathies that go out to the poor victims of these attacks” that we heard endlessly from state and Canberra politicians.

The idea of a “Sammy Cohen” is to deliver to the wider Australian community the message that when the police and the government fail, as they have repeatedly done in Australia, then the Jewish community has to take their defense onto the same level as our enemies. It’s no longer a time for asking politely for help. 

לִ֤י נָקָם֙ וְשִׁלֵּ֔ם לְעֵ֖ת תָּמ֣וּט רַגְלָ֑ם כִּ֤י קָרֹוב֙ יֹ֣ום אֵידָ֔ם וְחָ֖שׁ עֲתִדֹ֥ת לָֽמֹו׃

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense when their foot shall falter. For the day of their calamity is at hand, And future events are rushing toward them (Devarim 23:35, Parshat Ha’Azinu).