Australia’s Slide into Antisemitic Darkness

It happened again. And again, I’m stunned—not by surprise, but by sorrow. Another Jewish synagogue torched. Another Israeli-owned restaurant vandalized. Another angry mob shouting “Death to the IDF.” But this time, not in some hostile war zone. Not in Tehran. Not in Beirut. This was Melbourne, Australia.

Yes, Australia, a land of golden beaches, multicultural harmony, and “fair go” mateship, has once again allowed antisemitism to rear its ugly head.

It was Friday evening. While families gathered in prayer at the historic East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, a man who was later described as white, in his 30s, poured accelerant on the synagogue door and set it alight. Inside, 20 worshippers. By the grace of God and swift evacuation, no one was injured. But the message was unmistakable: Jewish presence is no longer safe, even here in East Melbourne.

And just minutes later, just blocks away, a mob of anti-Israel protesters stormed Miznon, an Israeli-owned restaurant. They hurled furniture, smashed windows, screamed hate. All while diners, staff, and passersby looked on in horror. The chant “Death to the IDF” echoed through the air, a twisted irony given the IDF’s role in saving civilian lives, all lives including Palestinians, every single day.

What is going on in Australia?

This is not an isolated outburst. Since October 7, Australia has witnessed a frightening escalation of anti-Jewish violence. More than 2,000 antisemitic incidents were recorded between October 2023 and September 2024—quadruple the number from the previous year. Synagogues and schools have been firebombed. Jewish patients have been threatened by nurses. A trailer loaded with explosives, allegedly meant for a Sydney synagogue, was found. This is not protest. This is terror.

And yet, Australia’s leadership continues to send mixed signals at best, and betrayal at worst.

Let us not forget: not long ago, Australia’s Foreign Minister floated unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, ignoring the brutal massacre of October 7 that triggered the ongoing conflict. Somehow, amid the global mourning for 1,200 Israelis slaughtered in their homes and at a music festival, Canberra still found time to weigh in, not with empathy, but with geopolitics.

If anything, Australia’s moral compass is wobbling dangerously. When antisemitism becomes so normalized that it reaches the gates of prayer houses and restaurants in major cities, we are no longer talking about isolated hate, we are talking about a cultural failure. And no amount of polished statements or symbolic candlelight vigils can fix it unless action follows.

To its credit, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did condemn the synagogue arson as “cowardly” and antisemitic. But curiously, no mention of the attack on Miznon. Why not both? Are attacks on Jewish places of worship somehow more condemnable than attacks on Jewish-owned businesses?

Selective outrage does not build trust. It erodes it.

Let me be clear: This is not about foreign policy disagreements. Criticizing Israeli government policies is fair game in any democracy. But throwing Molotov cocktails, shouting genocidal chants, and targeting Jewish civilians is not criticism; it is hate, plain and simple.

Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel called it for what it is: terrorism. “There is no justification whatsoever for violence and hatred directed at Jews, Israelis, or any minority,” she wrote. And she’s right. These are not acts of protest; they are acts of fearmongering and intimidation, aimed at silencing and isolating the Jewish community.

What’s even more worrying is how normalized this has become. It was just days ago that a rap duo at Glastonbury in the UK shouted “Death to the IDF” to applause, broadcast live by the BBC, no less. That chant travelled from a stage in England to a street in Melbourne. Hate has become globalized.

But so too must our courage.

In the face of such darkness, we must cling tightly to light—resilience and renewal. Australia, like every democracy, has a chance to rise above its worst instincts. To say: we are better than this. And to prove it—not just with statements, but with real consequences for those who incite violence, torch synagogues, and target Jewish life.

Israel, for its part, continues to demonstrate the very values being threatened abroad. It remains the only democracy in the Middle East. It defends its people while treating its enemies. It builds while being bombed. It sends aid while being slandered. In short, it keeps innovating a future not just for itself, but for the world.

To every Jew in Australia watching this unfold: You are not alone. We see you. So do millions of decent people around the world. You belong. You matter. And your peace should not be negotiable.

To the Australian government: You cannot afford to be silent. You cannot treat antisemitism as a sidebar to multicultural policy. If you stand for anything—decency, democracy, dignity—then stand now.

And to those who say, “This is not who we are,” I offer a gentle correction: This is who we are, unless we make a different choice.

Let that choice begin today. Let it begin with justice. Let it begin with truth.

Because resilience is not just for the Jewish people. It is a responsibility we all share.

Because renewal starts with saying: No more.

And because the future we all deserve is one built not on hate, but on hope.