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
Dr Na’ama Carlin speaks to SBS Hebrew about participating in March for Humanity
Executive Member Dr Na’ama Carlin recently spoke to SBS Hebrew about her reasons for participating in March for Humanity, her encounters with other protests and her thoughts on inter-community dialogue. Click here to listen to the segment or read the transcript. (Both are in Hebrew.)
Media Release: Jewish Council backs march across Sydney Harbour Bridge
Tens of thousands of people will march across Sydney Harbour Bridge tomorrow afternoon in the momentous March for Humanity – a mass call to save Gaza. Today, the Supreme Court of NSW declined an application by NSW Police to block the march. The people of Gaza are experiencing an escalating genocide. Israel, emboldened by its…
Crikey covers independent review that vindicates Sarah Schwartz against allegations from The Australian
Crikey has recently published a story titled News Corp smear campaign against Sarah Schwartz demolished by independent review. An excerpt from the start of the story: An independent review has vindicated Sarah Schwartz, the Human Rights Law Centre’s legal director and Jewish Council of Australia executive officer, who was targeted by disgraceful claims of antisemitism…
MEDIA ALERT: Independent review finds no racist or antisemitic content at QUT Symposium
An independent review by The Honourable John Middleton AM KC into the National Symposium on Unifying Anti-Racist Research has found that no racist or antisemitic content was presented at the Symposium, despite smear campaigns by pro-Israel groups and the Australian Newspaper. The Review also found no breaches of the Code of Conduct and no racist…
Off White: The Truth about Antisemitism – a Jewish Council Conversation with Rachel Shabi
As authoritarian ‘antisemitism’ plans and envoys continue to distort our politics at home and abroad, it has become difficult to talk about antisemitism constructively. Instead, we find ourselves in a storm of misinformation, political mudslinging and bad-faith accusations. Rachel Shabi’s Off-White: The Truth about Antisemitism offers a comprehensive analysis of contemporary antisemitism while combating the pro-Israel lobby’s conflation of…
Sarah Schwartz on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing to speak about the antisemitism report
Sarah Schwartz recently spoke to Patricia Karvelas on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing about the Special Envoy’s report about combatting antisemitism. Click here to watch the episode on ABC iview (the link will highlight the relevant episode, “Wednesday 16/7/2005”.
Sarah Schwartz speaks to 7am Podcast about the Special Envoy’s plan to Combat Antisemitism in Australia
Executive Officer Sarah Schwartz recently spoke to 7am Podcast about the Special Envoy’s plan and “on the rise in antisemitism and what should be done to stop it”. Click here to listen to the episode.
Na’ama Carlin piece in Crikey: “How to silence academic speech on Palestine”
Executive Member Dr Na’ama Carlin has recently had a piece published in Crikey titled How to silence academic speech on Palestine. An excerpt from the opening: Jillian Segal’s proposal seeks to mobilise the IHRA definition of antisemitism and would have far-reaching implications for students and staff across Australian universities. Click here to read the full…
Louise Adler piece in The Guardian about the special envoy’s plan
Advisory Committee member Louise Adler has recently had a piece published in The Guardian titled The special envoy’s plan is the latest push to weaponise antisemitism in Australia, as a relentless campaign pays off. An excerpt from the piece’s opening: ne must acknowledge the remarkably effective Jewish community organisations in Australia behind the latest antisemitism…
Jewish Council petition against Victoria’s proposed anti-protest laws covered in The Guardian
A petition organised by the Jewish Council against Victoria’s proposed anti-protest laws was recently covered by The Guardian. An excerpt from the petition quoted in the story: We call on you to stop exploiting antisemitic incidents experienced by our communities, including the horrific arson attack on East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, and the firebombing of Adass…
Max Kaiser criticism of the antisemitism plan quoted in The Guardian
Executive Officer Dr Max Kaiser was recently quoted by The Guardian in a story titled Australian envoy’s antisemitism plan criticised as ‘Trumpian’ over concerns changes could be used to silence dissent. An excerpt from his comments: Tying public funding to vague and politically loaded criteria and definitions is not only undemocratic, it’s deeply dangerous. Click…
Max Kaiser quoted by SMH about the antisemitism report
Executive Officer Dr Max Kaiser was recently quoted by SMH for a story titled Jewish groups back antisemitism report, while critics warn of curbs on free speech. From his comment in the story: This document reads more like a blueprint for silencing dissent rather than a strategy to build inclusion. Click here to read the…
Ohad Kozminsky speaks to SMH: “Melbourne grapples with antisemitism and the blaming of weekly pro-Palestine protests”
Executive Member Ohad Kozminsky recently spoke to SMH for a story titled Melbourne grapples with antisemitism and the blaming of weekly pro-Palestine protests. An excerpt from his comments: [The protests] are important for demonstrating to the broader public that it is essential we keep talking about Israel’s genocide Click here to read the full story…
Max Kaiser speaks to SBS about the Special Envoy’s recommendations to combat antisemitism
Executive Officer Dr Max Kaiser recently spoke to SBS for a story titled Mixed reaction from Jewish groups to antisemitism recommendations. An excerpt from his comments in the story: [T]his is straight out of the Trump playbook. This is mislocating the problem of antisemitism as being a problem of migrants, cultural institutions, universities, and by…
Deepcut covers Jewish Council’s exclusion from anti-hate taskforce
Deepcut recently published a story about the Jewish Council’s exclusion from the anti-hate taskforce. An excerpt from the opening: The Jewish Council of Australia (JCA) was a notable absentee from the first meeting of Victoria’s new ‘anti-hate’ taskforce convened by the state Labor premier, Jacinta Allan. In a statement on Monday announcing the new taskforce,…
Max Kaiser quoted in Al Jazeera about the plan to combat antisemitism
Executive Officer Dr Max Kaiser was recently quoted in Al Jazeera in a story titled Defund universities that allow anti-Semitism, says Australia envoy. An excerpt of his comments quoted in the story: Consistent with her past statements erroneously linking antisemitic attacks with Palestine solidarity protests, Segal seems fixated on driving a pro-Israel narrative and repressing…
Max Kaiser speaks to the ABC about the plan to combat antisemitism
Executive Officer Dr Max Kaiser recently spoke to the ABC as part of a story titled Envoy calls for action on antisemitism. An excerpt from Max’s comments: We are unfortunately very disappointed in this plan. We think that it is a dangerous plan and we think that it does not get to the real heart…
Max Kaiser quoted in 9 News about the plan to combat antisemitism
Executive Officer Dr Max Kaiser was recently quoted by 9 News about the plan to combat antisemitism. Below is an excerpt from his quoted comments: The report’s vague language around ‘antisemitic narratives’ or ‘affiliations’, coupled with its emphasis on [a] discredited… definition of antisemitism, make the actions recommended dangerously unclear Click here to read the…
Jewish Independent covers Jewish Council’s objection to Special Envoy’s antisemitism report
Executive Officer Max Kaiser was recently quoted in the Jewish Independent about the Special Envoy’s antisemitism report. An excerpt from his quoted comments is below: The report is riddled with misinformation and claims about nefarious funding sources for protests and universities that verge on conspiracy theory Click here to read the full article.
CNN piece on the Special Envoy’s report on antisemitism featuring Max Kaiser
Max Kaiser’s comments on the Special Envoy’s report on antisemitism have also been covered by CNN. From Max’s comments as quoted in the article: Any response that treats antisemitism as exceptional, while ignoring Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism, and other forms of hate, is doomed to fail Click here to read the piece.
