Antisemitism in Australia: Were We Ever Truly in Splendid Isolation?
My friend Adina made Aliyah as soon as we graduated from school, right after her Seminary year in Israel. For her, there was no turning back.
A few years later, my friend Sara did the same.
I was waiting for my turn too.
But my life didn’t follow the same trajectory as my friends.
After finishing my incredible gap year learning in Tzfat, I returned home to Melbourne to do a year of Shlichut – a year of giving back to my community. Then, like the stereotypical Chabad girl ‘in the system’ (though I do not consider myself one), I got married (and thank G-d very grateful).
Once married, we settled in Sydney so my husband could finish his nursing degree. Then he did his graduate year, and then this and that, and well, yes, you guessed it – we are still here.
My dream of making Aliyah was pushed aside and was no longer a priority. Instead, my priority became, as the Lubavitcher Rebbe said, “Make Eretz Yisrael here.” I went straight into education, feeling that my mission and purpose was to teach my students Judaism (which I do) and try to be an example. Education has always been a passion of mine and fast forward nearly five years later, I am still in the same position, which I love, and now the Founder of The Empowered Jew (read my previous article to hear more about that).
But then October 7 happened.
And life was never the same. Never.
And ever so slowly but surely, antisemitism started to rear its ugly head – yet again.
Not that it didn’t exist; it has always been around. Let’s face it – it is a law of nature and is the oldest conspiracy theory that exists. But let’s just say – we (Aussie Jews) started to feel it. And feel it we did. From social media to the terrorist organisation Hamas being graffitied all over Bondi Road, to ‘Israel is evil,’ and ‘The IDF is committing genocide’ stickers plastered in Bondi Junction, to encampments on university campuses, protests in the city, to everything in between.
Australia was no longer the Australia that I grew up in.
I love when people romanticise the ‘good old days,’ as if everything was better back then. After interviewing Dr. Ron Weiser AM for The Empowered Jew Podcast, he brought to my attention that Australia does, unfortunately, have a long history of antisemitism. Yet, I can say that in my 20+ years of life, I cannot remember such a rise. From perhaps hearing about the occasional “F*** you Jew” to some graffiti here and there, these instances felt few and far between.
Now, they are spreading like wildfire and becoming the norm.
Late November 2024, my brother’s home was vandalised with “Free Gaza” and “Jews kill babies” scrawled across his car window.
When my sister-in-law sent me the photos, I felt sick to my stomach. This wasn’t just an attack on them – it was an attack on all Jews. Whether it was targeted or random, the messages screamed loud and clear. What some disturbingly label as “freedom of speech,” which was clearly hate speech, had escalated into an act of hate. My sister-in-law was genuinely terrified and decided to move out, especially since my brother was away at the time.
It always starts with words, but it never ends there.
The next morning after my brother’s home was vandalised, I wrote this on my social media:
I am sickened and disgusted by what happened to my brother and sister-in-law’s home yesterday morning. Their home was vandalised with graffiti reading “Free Gaza,” and their car was defaced with the words “Jews kill babies.”
For anyone still claiming that anti-Zionism is separate from antisemitism, this is yet another stark reminder that facts consistently prove otherwise. The rise of anti-Zionism directly impacts Jewish people – not that it ever should. What’s happening in Israel should not be leading to acts of hate against Jews in Australia.
For those dismissing this as the actions of a “bunch of stupid cowards” that mean nothing – you could not be more wrong.
This is how antisemitism works:
- Demonisation: It begins with hateful tropes, eg: “Jews kill babies.”
- Isolation: Jews are made to feel ashamed, embarrassed, or scared to display their Jewish identity publicly, eg: covering up their Star of David necklace or removing their Kippah when they are “out of the area.”
- Violence: This isolation escalates to physical attacks, eg: Jews being assaulted on the streets of Amsterdam, or the death of Chabad Shliach Rabbi Zvi Kogan A”H, HY”D.
This is why I started The Empowered Jew.
When incidents like these happen it makes us want to hide, to feel ashamed or afraid, that’s exactly when we need to stand tall. Now is the time to be loud and proud about who we are. No one can diminish our pride or identity. We are proud Jews and proud Zionists, unapologetic about who we are & what we stand for!
For those who want to know more about what happened to my brother’s home, here are the details. It’s terrifying to see how close they came to their front door. Thank G-d we live in Australia and not in a country where such hooligans have easy access to guns.
https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/crime/shocking-vandal-attack-on-chabad-st-kilda-synagogue-leaves-rabbis-wife-shaken-and-shocked/news-story/7ff56328ddaff03c1e2060bcae29e9bc
Praying for peace for my people & the rest of the world. Always.
Little did I know that a mere 9 days later the Adass Israel Shule in Melbourne would be firebombed, this is what I posted on my social media:
Today’s stories are horrifying.
Shocking – actually, not.
I have a few thoughts:
I hate the “I told you so,” but I can almost hear my great-grandparents, who escaped Europe and the horrors of the Holocaust, saying, “Leave when you can.”
I can picture my friends who’ve made Aliyah asking, “What more of a wake-up call do you need?”
Our ancestors would have given anything to have Israel.
We have it – not just as Eretz Hakodesh but as a safe haven, a refuge.
This is what Herzl dreamed of.
I’d rather be surrounded by enemies in my own country than surrounded by enemies in a foreign land.
As for governments, I have so much to say – and yet, nothing.
I don’t trust you.
I never have.
Call it intergenerational trauma, but how can I believe you have my safety in mind when you allow public protests to spiral into chaos?
You call it freedom of speech.
I call it freedom to hate.
These protests don’t just make me feel uncomfortable, they make me feel unsafe.
We’ve seen, time and again, how these demonstrations lead to violence.
I don’t need to remind you.
The police?
Useless. They stand there, allowing hate and havoc to take over.
They do nothing, say nothing.
They’re too intimidated by the bullies and instead deal with the underdog.
Move the busker along.
Arrest the Jew “for his own safety.”
In Australia specifically, the response has been weak.
Graffiti inciting Jewish hatred should lead to consequences, holding a terrorist flag, should lead to consequences, screaming anti-Jewish slurs, should lead to consequences.
Fines, jail time, deportations if necessary.
If you don’t enforce these measures, you let bad behaviour repeat.
Again.
And again.
And again.
You need to take these so-called “minor” incidents seriously because they’re not minor.
Nazi Germany didn’t appear overnight.
Evil creeps in slowly, until one day, even as a Jew, you don’t realise what’s happening – until it’s too late.
This isn’t about hurting Jewish feelings.
This is about something far bigger:
The demonisation, isolation, and violence against Jews.
We have seen the violence.
Antisemitism isn’t ordinary bigotry.
It’s unique – an anomaly, just like the Jewish people.
It doesn’t matter how privileged some Jews may appear.
A Jew is a Jew is a Jew.
One day, we’re in the highest echelons of society.
The next, we’re sent to the dogs.
Hasidic, secular, Zionist, anti-Zionist – the antisemites don’t care.
In this way, they don’t discriminate.
Antisemitism is a law of nature.
A conspiracy theory that never dies.
We, as Jews, need to stay empowered and strong.
We are strong – we are the People of the Book.
We’ve endured this time and time again.
We will be okay. But we also need to wake up.
Keep your eyes open.
Stay vigilant.
Take these incidents seriously.
Don’t trust me—trust history.
Call me Negative Nancy, Realist Randy, or Pragmatic Penny, whatever you like, but what’s happening in this country is not okay.
Now, I don’t want to get too political (though I suppose I already have), but I want to share a story I originally heard from Esther Barber, whose son Yitzchak Barber was present, and later confirmed by one of the most principled rabbis I have ever encountered – Rabbi David Freedman himself.
A prominent synagogue in Sydney (which I will not name, as I don’t want to cause harm or embarrassment, Chas V’shalom) consistently hosts various dignitaries, politicians, ministers, philanthropists, celebrities, and activists – you get the gist; pretty much anyone in a position of power who has done good for the Jewish people and Israel
This is great, and I wholeheartedly believe in and agree with the notion of showing Hakarat Hatov to these righteous gentiles. In fact, The Empowered Jew just hosted an event on Sunday, 22 December, showcasing four regular, ‘everyday’ Aussies who have truly been upstanders for the Jewish community and Israel. Many refer to them as ‘the silent majority,’ and I felt it was crucial to platform these courageous Aussies – not just give thanks to the ‘rich and famous,’ as we say.
(Side note: Feel free to check it out on YouTube or Spotify – it was a hugely inspiring and empowering event to all those that attended, and absolutely worthwhile. Links: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PPhlZMvmioQ & https://open.spotify.com/episode/6xsEmXmvzE2IkW8ZtSAePl?si=i2udvoWVQmWMnMvmBJPzKg).
Returning to the story – this Shule hosted Chris Minns, the current Premier of New South Wales. Minns addressed the crowd and was received by a standing ovation.
After the service, Rabbi Freedman happened to bump into Mr. Minns on his way out (Barber was present too). He addressed Mr. Minns in the most respectful and polite way, yet was honest and authentic. Of course, I wasn’t there and cannot quote verbatim, but it went along the lines of:
“Mr. Minns, this is not personal, but I did not stand when everyone else gave you a standing ovation. You see, Mr. Minns, as a Jew, I do not feel safe or comfortable in your state. My son-in-law was at the Technion event at the Great Synagogue in the city of Sydney, and instead of enjoying the event, he, along with the other 80-odd people present, was forced into lockdown for hours.
Innocent Jews, simply enjoying an event about Israel’s technological achievements, felt like criminals, unable to leave because across the road there was a barrage of hooligans illegally protesting. Instead of the police moving these protestors aside, they stood by idly, allowing them to protest ‘Free Palestine,’ while Jews were locked down. (Author’s note: it was also at this exact protest where a Jew waved an Israeli flag and was violently and aggressively taken away by police. To add insult to injury, he was fined $550 for – you guessed it – ‘Breaching the peace.’ Meanwhile, those ‘innocent protestors’ were allowed to actually breach the peace and got away scot-free.)
Mr. Minns, you are in charge of the Minister for NSW Police, and you need to take responsibility. The police’s hopeless inaction in this situation – and in many others – is not okay and not acceptable. The police are here to protect; they are not royalty. They are answerable to the people – we pay their salaries. People should not be allowed to intimidate others in their place of worship.
Finally, after hours, when the people barricaded inside the Shule were allowed to leave, they had to do so in groups of 10 to not gain any major attention, they had to remove any Jewish paraphernalia they were wearing and they had to turn their bags from the Technion inside out. They left like thieves in the night. Yet, it was broad daylight in the city of Sydney, Australia.”
When speaking on the phone with Rabbi Freedman, a man of deep moral integrity, he mentioned a few things that really stuck with me:
- There are times when we should not cower before authority.
- We are angry, and we have every right to be angry.
- We should not and cannot remain silent.
Freedman ended by sharing how fortunate he was to hear former Prime Minister of Israel Menachem Begin speaking in England years ago. Begin, who was considered somewhat of a controversial figure and certainly not loved by the British, said something that stuck with Freedman forever: “…I should worry about them [the British], these people who put my parents and children into gas chambers…”
Indeed, how true.
Do not care what the world has to say about you.
If you can sleep at night knowing you are maintaining moral integrity, being a beacon of light, an ambassador for G-d, and simply a mensch, do what you have to do to make this world safer and brighter.
In the end, the only thing we truly have is each other.
P.S. I know this blog post may seem quite negative and despondent – I don’t want anyone to leave this read feeling depressed or down. There is so much more good in this world than there is bad. All we have to do is open our eyes and be grateful for the goodness of humanity and for the everyday miracles G-d performs. Notice the light, be the light, and stay empowered. It doesn’t mean you have to wrap yourself in a protective cocoon and ignore the negativity that exists, but remember to keep your energy and focus on the positive!
