Jumping castle business slammed for 'outrageous' act after Jewish school's request
NSW Premier Chris Minns has even waded into the ugly controversy.
An Australian business owner has come under fire after publicly rejecting a Jewish high school's application to lease a jumping castle in what critics branded as a "shocking act of discrimination against innocent children".
Western Sydney Jump, run by founder Tanya Issa, allegedly refused to do business with St Ives’ Masada College — located on the city's Upper North Shore — due to its Jewish heritage.
In an Instagram post, which was shared by the Australian Jewish Association (AJA), Issa uploaded a screenshot of an email she received from the school asking to loan a jumping castle. Alongside it she shared her defiant response: “There’s no way I’m taking a Zionist booking”.
“I don’t want your blood money. Free Palestine,” Issa wrote on a story posted to her business's Instagram page, adding that: “I have owned my business for 10 years. I have the right to decline any booking at anytime”.
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Sydney business owner's act slammed by Jewish community
The Sydney woman's act comes amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which has now entered its sixth week since the militant organisation's surprise attack on Israel on October 7, killing some 1200 people.
Israel's response has reportedly resulted in the killing of over 11,000 Palestinians — the majority of which civilians, including over 4000 children — and some 30,000 injured. An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced.
Speaking to Yahoo News, the Australian Jewish Association's (AJA) President Dave Adler encouraged the jumping castle business owner to seek legal advice in the wake of her decision.
"The Australian Jewish Association (AJA) unreservedly condemns this antisemitic discrimination against the Jewish school. There is no place for this ugly racism which is contrary to Australian values," Adler said.
"There are laws against discrimination of the basis of ethnicity, race or religion both Federally and at NSW State levels. We are encouraging the school to use these laws as there must be appropriate consequences."
He added that "we have seen a substantial widespread surge of antisemitism" in Australia since "the barbaric Hamas terrorism in Israel on 7 October".
"There have also been dozens of threats, often referred to police, and some physical assaults. We need our political leadership and indeed all good Australians to help us call out and combat any and all antisemitism," he said.
Yahoo News Australia has contacted the jumping castle business for comment.
Premier claims saga 'not in keeping with multicultural values'
Weighing in on the matter NSW Premier Chris Minns branded the ordeal “outrageous”.
“It’s not in keeping with any part of our multicultural community. I condemn it completely. This must be investigated by federal and state authorities,” he said, The Daily Telegraph reported.
Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher, whose electorate covers the St Ives school, also revealed his "disappointment" in the business owner's decision.
“I am extremely disappointed by the way this business has responded,” he said. “Masada College is a remarkable school who contribute immensely to my local community. Racism has no place in our country."
Western Sydney Jump's Instagram page was taken offline on Tuesday afternoon.
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