On Friday, February 20, in Downing Centre Local Court, Magistrate William Brydon said he was satisfied that Hoffenberg, 19, from Dover Heights, was repentant for his actions in the early morning of January 29 when he urinated on the Oxford Street store door and threw a brick through its window, causing about $3000 worth in damage.

The incident was captured on CCTV.

Weighing the defendant’s remorse and age against the attack’s “anti-Semitic flavor”, however, he found Hoffenberg guilty of one charge of malicious damage to property with conviction and placed him on a one-year good behavior bond.

Hoffenberg was also found guilty of offensive behavior and willful and obscene exposure in public.

No conviction was recorded and Hoffenberg was given a two-year good behavior bond.

Separately, Terence Abrams, 19, from Dover Heights, who was arrested with Hoffenberg on the night and charged with one count of malicious damage to property, has had his case delayed by request until March 18.

Brydon said: “There’s no doubt [Hoffenberg] is remorseful and contrite for his behavior."

“I accept that alcohol was a part of this, but people have to be responsible for themselves.”

Hoffenberg's lawyer, Richard Shakenovsky, had earlier argued before the court that the vandalism attack was “alcohol induced” and “out of character” for the University of Sydney engineering student who had no prior history of arrests.

He also noted that Hoffenberg had apologized for his actions and paid for the damage to property.

Jews for Jesus national director Bob Mendelsohn told The AJN that he had accepted Hoffenberg’s apology and payment.

“I’m not vindictive. He’s sorry. No need to keep shaming him,” said Mendelsohn.

It is not the first time Jews for Jesus, which opened the shop on Oxford Street in October 2004, has been the target of such attacks.

In 2005 there was a spurt of attacks in which the shop was vandalized on three separate occasions.

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