Jewish Council of Australia news & media
We aim to work with media personnel, politicians, and policymakers to provide expert Jewish voices on issues of antisemitism in Australia
Sarah Schwartz speaks to ABC about the Government’s announcement of a national antisemitic crime database
Sarah Schwartz recently responded to the Government’s announcement of a national antisemitic crime database. Click here to listen to the segment on the ABC website.
Max Kaiser speaks to Crikey and Pedestrian about the limited effects of a law and order approach in addressing racism in Australia
Max Kaiser recently to Crikey and Pedestrian about the limited effects of a law and order approach that doesn’t get to the heart of addressing racism in Australia. An excerpt from Max’s quotes in the Pedestrian article: “The Jewish community is not a monolith and we refuse to be used as political footballs”. Click here…
Sarah Schwartz speaks to ABC Mornings about ensuring that people can protest
Sarah Schwartz recently spoke to ABC Mornings about the recent protests and the right to protest. Click here to listen to an excerpt from ABC Melbourne’s Facebook page.
Max Kaiser speaks to the Daily Mail about the recent antisemitic attacks
Max Kaiser recently spoke to the Daily Mail about the recent antisemitic attacks. An excerpt of Max’s statements quoted in the article: “Now, more than ever, we remain committed to advocating for a society where diversity is celebrated, and all individuals and communities can live without fear of discrimination or violence.” Click here to read…
Max Kaiser speaks to Al Jazeera calling out Elon Musk’s unambiguous Nazi-salute
Max Kaiser recently spoke to Al Jazeera, calling out Elon Musk’s unambiguous Nazi-salute at Trump’s inauguration celebration, cautioning about the rise of the far right. An excerpt from Max being quoted in the article: “It was a clear signal to his rabid white nationalist and neo-Nazi followers that he aligns with their values.” Click here…
Joint statement on recent hate crimes in Australia
[Image credit] Human Rights Watch, Jewish Council of Australia, Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Australian National Imams Council, Human Rights Law Centre and Amnesty International condemn a recent spate of antisemitic hate crimes in Australia. The antisemitic attacks include the January 21 arson attack and spray-painting of antisemitic graffiti of a childcare centre in Maroubra…
Antisemitic arson attack on childcare centre in Maroubra
This morning, a childcare centre was set alight and graffitied with antisemitic words. This is only the latest in a string of violent antisemitic incidents, which include attacks on synagogues and on the former home of a Jewish community leader. The Jewish Council strongly condemns all of these incidents. These reprehensible acts of violence are…
Jewish Council speaks to the Guardian, 6 News and AAP about the ceasefire
Sarah Schwartz and Max Kaiser have recently spoken to a range of news outlets about the ceasefire. Click here to read the article in the Guardian. The AAP article is no longer online but is available at Internet Archive here. The interview with 6 News can be seen on YouTube here or by using the…
Advisory Member Antony Lowenstein speaks to CNN about the ceasefire deal
Antony Loewenstein recently spoke to CNN about the ceasefire deal and its implications for Gaza’s future. Click here to watch the segment on YouTube or use the embedded player below:
Ceasefire deal: relief, mourning and hope for a future of peace, justice and accountability
[Image credit] Yesterday we woke to news that Israel had agreed to a ceasefire deal with Hamas, many details of which are still unknown. The Jewish Council welcomes this ceasefire, and sends our solidarity to all who have suffered, and to those who have lost, and continue to lose, loved ones to this senseless violence.…
Sarah Schwartz speaks to ABC about the recent attack on Allawah synagogue
Sarah Schwartz recently spoke to ABC about the recent attack on Allawah synagogue. Click here to read the article.
Jewish Council condemns graffiti attack on Synagogue
The Jewish Council of Australia strongly condemns the antisemitic graffiti vandalism at the Allawah synagogue in southern Sydney which uses Nazi references and symbols. Sarah Schwartz, Executive Officer "Acts of antisemitism like this are attacks on all Jews, as well as on our collective values of inclusivity and diversity." "Now, more than ever, we remain…
Executive Member Ohad Kozminsky speaks to SBS about the proposed changes to protest laws in Victoria
Executive Member Ohad Kozminsky recently spoke to SBS about the proposed changes to protest laws in Victoria. From the episode’s description on the SBS website: “Being a law-abiding protester in Australia has become more difficult year-on-year with experts fearing the democratic right is slowly being chipped away. Over the past two decades, at least 49…
Sarah Schwartz appearance on The Briefing podcast
Sarah Schwartz recently appeared on The Briefing podcast on an episode called “The politics of a Jewish synagogue fire attack: Part One”. Click here to listen to the episode on Listnr. Click here for Spotify.
Sarah Schwartz appears on ABC Radio National to discuss the fallout from the arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue
Sarah Schwartz recently appeared on ABC Radio National in a segment titled Need to address “festering racism” in Australia says Jewish leader. Click here to listen to the segment on the ABC’s website.
Sarah Schwartz opinion piece in SMH: “Sydney Uni’s ‘enforced civility’ is an assault on free speech – and likely unlawful”
Sarah Schwartz has recently had an opinion piece published in Sydney Morning Herald titled Sydney Uni’s ‘enforced civility’ is an assault on free speech – and likely unlawful. Click here to read the piece (requires SMH subscription).
Sarah Schwartz speaks to The Guardian about the firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue
Sarah Schwartz recently spoke to The Guardian for an article titled “Security at Australian synagogues stepped up as Netanyahu links Melbourne attack to Labor stance”. An excerpt from her comments quoted in the article: Sarah Schwartz, an executive officer of the Jewish Council of Australia, said the arson attack was “a hateful and violent act,…
Sara Dowse piece in Inside Story: “Resisting resolution”
Advisory Committee member Sara Dowse has recently had a piece published in Inside Story: “Resisting resolution”. It is a review of Isabella Hammad’s essay-length book Recognising the Stranger: On Palestine and Narrative. Click here to read the piece.
Firebombing of Melbourne synagogue is an attack on all of us
[Image credit] We are alarmed by reports of an attack on Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne’s South East this morning involving windows being smashed and molotov cocktails being thrown into the synagogue. We understand this occurred while congregants were inside. The Jewish Council strongly condemns this violent attack. This reprehensible act of violence is an…
Executive Member Aviva Tuffield participates in initiative to send all Australian MPs 5 books to deepen their understanding of Israel and Palestine
Executive Member Aviva Tuffield has joined several other authors to send all Australian MPs 5 books to deepen their understanding of Israel and Palestine. The choice of books was endorsed by Jewish Council and the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network. Click here to read Aviva’s piece in The Jewish Independent outlining which books were chosen and…
