By Phil Jay,

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Jono David, a freelance photographer based in Osaka, Japan, well known throughout the world for his documentation of synagogues and Jewish cemeteries, has been prevented from organising a Jewish photo tour in Australia this summer.

Mr David spent considerable time arranging the photo tour and initially had the approval of Australia's Jewish communities. Around 80 emails were sent informing the communities and covering a wide range of topics and issues for chronicling in photos, the institutions and Jewish life in general “Down Under”.

The responses then became “no thank yous” – Australia's Community Security Group (CSG), an organisation that oversees matters of security, ultimately decided the photo tour was inappropriate, sighting security issues.

“Whilst the CSG does not consider Mr David himself to be a security concern,” emailed Gavin Queit of CSG Victoria to all Jewish communities, “the subsequent publishing of such photographs does not pose a risk to the Jewish community.

As such, it is our recommendation that Jono David be denied permission to photograph Victorian Jewish institutions.” Mr David points out in his emails to the CSG, to challenge anyone to name a single incident – worldwide – where photographs played an integral part in an attack on a synagogue or a Jewish institution.

Mr David is passionate about his work. “I am a stranger in every community I document. Naturally, verifying and vetting outsiders is necessary. Jewish community security concerns worldwide are justified and do not need explaining.

I do not “map out” synagogues or other Jewish institutions. Nor do I not make images available if an institution has issues with said images. No exceptions,” he explains.