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A Jewish woman wounded in the Bondi Beach terror attack last month says hospital staff altered her identity in medical records without asking her permission, raising serious concerns about patient rights and Jewish safety in Australian hospitals.
Rosalia Shikhberg revealed the incident this week in an interview with Sky News Australia. She said administrative staff at a West Sydney hospital replaced her name with the alias “Karen Jones” and removed her religion from her patient file. Medical prescriptions also listed the false name.
Hospital staff reportedly told her they made the change to deter media attention. Shikhberg said she did not believe that explanation. Instead, she felt staff feared their own colleagues. “They were afraid of staff, not media,” she said.
She described intense fear during her hospitalization. Her husband and relatives stayed with her at all times. “I was so scared and so upset,” she said.
Prior Antisemitic Incident Intensified Fear
Shikhberg said a previous antisemitic incident in the same health system deepened her distress. Last spring, two nurses at Bankstown Hospital publicly claimed they had killed Israeli patients and threatened to kill Jews admitted to the hospital.
That episode made her fear remaining hospitalized after the Bondi attack. “I knew I had to be discharged very quickly,” she said. “I couldn’t drink. I couldn’t eat. I cried all the time.”
Jewish leaders reacted with alarm. Alex Ryvchin, Co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the account raised disturbing questions. “What exactly was hospital staff trying to protect a Jewish woman who had just survived a massacre from?” Ryvchin asked. “Who posed the threat?”
At a press conference, New South Wales Health Minister Ryan Park said hospital staff acted with protective intent. He acknowledged, however, that staff failed to explain the decision to Shikhberg. Park said he would meet with hospital leadership to address the issue.
Another Victim Describes a Different Experience
Another survivor described a contrasting reaction. Arsen Ostrovsky, who suffered severe injuries in the same attack, said staff also gave him an alias.
Due to the seriousness of his condition, including a gunshot wound to the head, staff did not consult him beforehand. He noticed the altered details after admission. Doctors later explained the change served security and privacy needs.
Ostrovsky said he accepted the measure. “I took absolutely no offense,” he said. He praised hospital staff for their care and professionalism. While he said communication with Shikhberg should have been clearer, he did not believe staff acted maliciously.
Policy Allows Aliases — With Clear Requirements
NSW Health policy permits aliases when patients face risks such as violence or intense media exposure. However, the policy requires staff to inform patients before changing their name and before treatment begins.
Shikhberg’s case highlights the consequences when that safeguard fails. For Jewish patients already navigating trauma amid rising antisemitism, the issue extends beyond procedure. It touches identity, trust, and safety.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
