Antisemitism in Australia
Real antisemitism harms Jews. Political misuse of antisemitism claims harms justice.
Antisemitism is real and Jewish people deserve safety. But genuine concerns are being manipulated by the right wing pro-Israel lobby to silence criticism of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and annexation of the West Bank. This harms everyone: it diminishes real antisemitism and stifles pro-Palestinian advocacy.
Scroll down to see some recent articles, posts and media releases that cover antisemitism in Australia.
Media Release: Over 60,000 Australians call for unity as leaders politicise Bondi ahead of National Day of Mourning
Ahead of the National Day of Mourning, over 60,000 Australians have now signed the Jewish Council’s petition, “We Will Not Be Divided After Bondi,” calling on leaders to reject attempts to weaponise Jewish grief, erode civil liberties, or pit communities against one another in the aftermath of the antisemitic attack at Bondi. The Jewish Council…
Max Kaiser speaks to ABC Drive Sydney about the government’s hate speech bill
Executive Officer Max Kaiser recently spoke to ABC Drive Sydney about the government’s hate speech bill. Below is an excerpt from his appearance. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jewish Council of Australia (@jewishcouncil) Click here to listen to the excerpt directly on our Instagram page.
Media Release: Jewish Council urges pause on rushed and dangerous hate speech Bill
The Jewish Council is concerned by a number of the proposed measures in the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill that will be tabled this Monday, and urges the Government to undertake extensive consultation before moving forward. Lack of real consultation risks a bill that is both harmful to human rights and ineffective against the…
Jewish Council will work with Royal Commission to adopt an anti-racist approach and ensure diverse Jewish voices are heard
The Jewish Council of Australia is committed to working with the Royal Commission into the Bondi massacre, stressing that the inquiry must prioritise accountability, and understand antisemitism as an issue deeply intertwined with all forms of racism — rather than being derailed into a political battle that encourages more racism and division. The Council said…
Antony Loewenstein quoted by NBC about the government’s response to the Bondi attack
Advisory Committee member Antony Loewenstein was recently quoted by NBC for a story titled “‘It’ll never be the same again’: Bondi Beach attack shatters life for Australia’s Jewish residents”. Below is an excerpt from his comments in the story. I think [the laws are] an absolute abomination. They are rushed, not thought through, and they’re…
Ohad Kozminsky speaks to Canberra Times about the proposed laws in response to the Bondi massacre
Executive member Ohad Kozminsky recently spoke to Canberra Times for a story titled “Canberra’s pro-Palestine Jews want freedom of speech protected in new laws”. Below is an excerpt from his comments in the story. It is not a contradiction to be horrified by the massacre of Bondi and to be entirely against it and at…
Green Left covers Jewish Council Chanukah vigil
Green Left recently published a story about the Jewish Council-hosted Chanukah vigil titled “Naarm community unites for Chanukah vigil”. Below is an excerpt from the start of the story. More than 300 people gathered for a Chanukah vigil called by the Jewish Council of Australia (JCA) in Naarm/Melbourne on December 21 to commemorate the lives…
Dr Naama Blatman quoted in SBS and The Guardian about Minns’ protest ban
Executive Member Dr Naama Blatman was recently quoted by SBS and the Guardian. Below is an excerpt from her comments: We call on the Minns government and members of the NSW parliament not to politicise our grief and not to capitalise on our tragedy, not to pass laws that stifle our freedoms and punish us…
Sarah Schwartz speaks at the Bondi massacre community vigil
Executive Officer Sarah Schwartz spoke at the interfaith and intercommunity vigil on Sunday night to mourn the victims of the Bondi massacre. Below is an excerpt from her speech. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jewish Council of Australia (@jewishcouncil) Click here to watch the excerpt on Instagram.
Join the call for unity and sign our petition: We will not be divided after Bondi
Last night should have been a Chanukah celebration. Instead, hundreds of us gathered in Melbourne to mourn and say kaddish for our community members murdered at Bondi a week ago. After a week of sleepless nights, circling the same grief, I’ve been wondering how our community finds its way back after an act of such…
Mas Kaiser quoted by SBS about the rise of the far right in Australia
Executive Officer Max Kaiser was recently quoted in an SBS story titled “From fringe to frontline: How Australia’s far right gained mainstream attention in 2025”. Below is an excerpt from his comments in the story. The hate these fascists feel for Jews is the same hate they show for First Nations Australians, Muslims, queer people…
Max Kaiser speaks to The Guardian about NSW Labor’s response to the Bondi attack
Executive Officer Max Kaiser recently spoke to The Guardian for an article titled “‘Protests had nothing to do with the attacks’: activists condemn premier’s plan to restrict rallies after Bondi shooting”. An excerpt from his quoted comments is below: It’s disturbing that the media and politicians are maligning this movement when there exists very real…
