Tapestries-64 | Australia’s Jews

Discussing the community's future in the context of rising threats and intimidation.

Photo by Victor on Unsplash

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Is the surge of anti-Semitism in Australia bad enough to call into question the community's future there? It may strike some Australians, and Jewish Australians for that matter, as an obscene question. But it’s impossible not to ask it as we watch the threats directed at Australia’s Jewish community — both the physical and more insidious — grow in number and seriousness.

I just returned to New York after spending the summer with family and friends in Australia. The Jewish community there is (in parts) agitated, isolated and even afraid. I’ve written a lot about global anti-Semitism over the years, and it’s impossible not to write about its ugly and very real threat in Australia today. This isn’t a piece about where anti-Semitism, and Australia’s particular brand of it, comes from. If you’d like that analysis, I recommend you read this. Instead, this piece concerns itself with where we are headed, not how we got here.

My perspective may be an unusual one given I live in New York, and have grown up in, and regularly return to, Australia. The questions I ask may come as a surprise to Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike. I just struggle to see how we can avoid talking about Jewish continuity given the escalating events of the last few months. Only through asking tough questions can we hope to proceed more organized and more resolute.

When I refer to a question around Jewish continuity in Australia, I’m not asking whether murder and persecution are lying in wait. I’m simply asking whether the Australian Jewish community can expect to enjoy the safety, security, opportunities and prosperity it has enjoyed in the past. Unfortunately this has become a legitimate question we have to ask ourselves as Australians, Jewish Australians, and supporters of pluralistic societies. And while I’m optimistic we can secure a prosperous future for the community, we clearly should not take it for granted. To understand why, we need to ask more questions, and that’s where we’ll start.

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#1 Why are we asking this question in the first place? Why now?

Jewish Australians have been subjected to a variety of threats and intimidation in the wake of Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack in Israel, and the ensuing death and destruction from the war in Gaza. This is why it’s an important question to ask today, and here are some examples that explain the experience behind the question:

• The well-publicized incident at the Sydney Opera House where a group of pro-Hamas protestors chanted “Fuck the Jews”, with a serious debate that followed from unserious people inquiring whether they also said “Gas the Jews” or “Where’s the Jews”.

• The jumping castle company in Sydney that told a Jewish school, in response to a request for a quote for hire, that there’s no way they’d be taking their “blood money” (and proudly shared their conversation online).

• The online campaigns targeting businesses with Jewish owners, subjecting them and their families to vitriol and abuse in campaigns on social media. I don’t want to call attention to these campaigns, but they involved dedicated videos “investigating” the owners’ ties to Israel.

• The local Melbourne councils that passed motions to end contracts with companies with links to Israel, whatever that means, and the non-Jewish councilor who received death threats for daring to oppose the motion.

• The fabricated claim that Jews were behind a suspicious fire at a Palestinian-owned burger shop, and the violent riots as a result outside a synagogue, where “protestors” fought with Jews outside their homes, and intimated Friday night worshippers who were forced to evacuate.

• The doxxing of 600 Jewish artists and academics who were members of a private group chat for Jewish creatives, who as a result had “received death threats, had their families harassed, been sent swastikas… had anti-Semitic stickers plastered outside their workplace, received hate mail – one from a convicted stalker – and had business partners told they were working with a “genocidal maniac”. Others said they had gone into hiding.”

• And to top it off, the recent and shocking incident where a “prominent advocate for victims in the Middle East [was] accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and torture of a man because he worked for a Jewish employer.”

It’s a long but incomplete list of the events, actions and sentiments that have led Jewish Australians to feel threatened and isolated, and have led me to ask about the community’s future. I understand there’s also been a spike in attacks targeted at Muslim Australians. I am less familiar with these incidents, and they’re outside the scope of this piece, but I mention it to acknowledge that the Jewish Australian experience is one of many that’s worthy of greater attention today.

#2 What is motivating the people behind these examples of intimidating behaviour?

While chanting “[Fuck/Gas/Where’s] the Jew’s” at the Sydney Opera House, the alleged kidnapping and torturing of someone who works for a Jew, and violent riots outside synagogues are scary, they’re not my biggest concern. I’m more concerned with targeting Jewish business owners, doxxing Jewish individuals, and demonizing supporters of Israel.

The brave heroes depriving Jewish preschoolers in Sydney of a jumping castle were quick to clarify in their online tirade: “Just to be clear, this is about Zionists. Not Jews. I have zero issue with the Jewish community.” Their fellow doxxers oftentimes seek to make the same distinction. This inevitably leads us to the question as to whether one can be anti-Zionist without being anti-Semitic. Once upon a time this may have been a useful and legitimate debate, but I now find it pretty academic, because to me it’s pretty clear: to target and ostracize people for their Zionism is to in (in most cases) target and ostracize them on the basis of their Jewish identity.

Israel — the modern country and the ancient idea — forms a fundamental part of most Australian Jews’ identity, with almost 80% of Australian Jews identifying as Zionist. To many of these Jews, Israel is not some faraway place, but somewhere that looms large as the ancestral and spiritual home of the Jewish people. Modern Israel’s existence has had negative consequences for Palestinians today and in the past, and I have no desire to belittle the tragedies that have befallen them. But I’m not really interested in engaging with a characterization that seeks to cast Israel — the entire country or project — or people who support either, as evil. It’s a bad faith and childish approach.

When an Australian Jew sits at a dinner table, or university lecture, or a workplace, and is made to feel threatened because a core part of their identity is considered evil, it doesn’t matter whether the instigators don’t actually hate Jews. The practical effect is the same, regardless of whatever distinction the more virulent “anti-Zionists” think they’re making.

#3 Are these specific incidents sufficiently bad or systemic to raise the question of the community’s continuity?

The premise of this piece is that recent events may call into question the Jewish community’s future in Australia, or at least make its future look different to its past. If you disagree with this premise, you may still say that it’s reprehensible for any member of Australian society to be vilified, intimidated or discriminated against on the basis of their identity and beliefs, and that any such incidents should be condemned in the strongest possible terms where appropriate.

But you may also say that it’s a long bow to draw between these ugly incidents, and the community’s continuity. You’d potentially say that the attack of October 7, and subsequent war in Gaza, have had an enormous emotional impact on a broad segment of Australian society, Jews and Muslims alike. And you would hope that as we arrive at a resolution in the conflict, emotions will subside, and these incidents will take their place as undeniably ugly memories, but fleeting ones in the context of the Jewish community’s long and prosperous relationship with Australia.

My counter to this line of reasoning, and why I think recent months are sufficiently bad and/or systemic to raise the question of the community’s long-term continuity, or the nature of its future, is based on the following: even if the characterization above is true, and emotions do subside, my contention from spending time with the Jewish community in Australia is that significant and lasting damage has already been done. While the current moment will probably move on, its memory will not.

The events described above, and the incredibly successful negative global campaign around “Zionism”, have created a sense of fear in the minds of Jewish Australians, who must now rationally ask themselves the following questions: If I start a business in Australia, am I simply waiting for the day I get targeted because of my background and beliefs? If I’m a member of a Jewish group or organization, is there a chance we’ll be declined services in the future, or that my details will be leaked to the public, where me or my family or business may be cast as some sort of villain and subject to violent threats? Will my children be told not to wear any Jewish identifiers when they leave school at the end of the day, or when they get to university?

These are all real, rational questions being asked today. While their immediacy and rawness may subside as the conflict and attention move on, these questions cannot be unseen and will not be forgotten. As a post-Holocaust Jewish community, we have been raised to be vigilant to the dangerous trajectory of insidious hatred. The last few months have been the Jewish community’s red-pill moment, and my sense is there’s no going back.

#4 Why is an Australia with a question about Jewish continuity a problem for non-Jewish Australians?

The global Jewish community is tiny, perhaps ~16 million people, or 0.2% of the global population. Israel has ~7 million of the world’s Jews, and the US has ~6 million of them. There’s about ~120,000 Jews in Australia, which is less than 1% of the global Jewish population, and maybe 0.5% of the Australian population. We’re a rounding error in Australia that could be replaced in three months at current rates of net migration. So why should Australians care about this small group of people? I’ll cover three reasons briefly here.

First, Australia’s story is one of immigration and multiculturalism. The Jewish experience is an exemplar of this story. In a multicultural society, we can find many areas of disagreement with the views and politics of our neighbours. In this case, support for Israel — both the idea and its people — is being used by bad actors as a disqualifier in Australian society. But what happens if we took the same approach with the Australian diasporas of other communities? Should we doxx Chinese Australians because we don’t like Xi’s authoritarianism? Should we refuse to serve Sudanese Australians because hundreds of thousands have died in the country’s civil war? Should Turkish Australian business owners think twice about the sustainability of their businesses because of the decades-long and ongoing conflict between Turkey and Kurdish insurgents?

The answer to all of these is obviously no, and to not make clear to the rest of Australia that targeting Jews — because they’re supporters of Israel — sets a very dangerous precedent for social cohesion. Everyone is permitted to maintain their own views and opinions about whatever conflict floats their boat. In this case, Australians are absolutely entitled to their own range of emotions watching the war in Gaza. But those views cannot spill over into the type of behaviour the Jewish community has been subjected to. Not that it needs re-stating, but one can support Israel, its people, and it’s right to exist without supporting all of its actions. Those attacking, doxxing and denouncing Jews in Australia never have been, and never will be, interested in that type of nuance. It’s an approach that’s inconsistent with living in a pluralistic society, and I assure you, the Jews won’t be the last to bear its brunt.

Second is the Jewish community’s contribution to Australian society. Australia’s Jewish community is largely a post-WWII community, one that experienced its greatest growth in the years between 1946 and 1961, the vast majority being Holocaust survivors… between 1938 and 1961 Australian Jewry almost trebled in size”. Like many other migrants, these Jews came to work, and collectively built incredible businesses and legacies in Australia. On the back of this success, they are behind some of Australia’s leading philanthropies, and have become incredible contributors to fields as broad as the arts, indigenous affairs and healthcare. It is an indictment on our society if we don’t find a way to make the Jewish community feel safe, especially one that has contributed so much to the wonderful country Australia is today.

And finally, and perhaps most importantly, Australians should care about what’s happening to the Jewish community because the targeting of Jews is potentially a dangerous foreshadowing of more intolerance to come. I wrote the following almost three years ago, and it remains true for Australians today: “The way we all respond to anti-Semitism is a test for the health of our societies. The message of this piece is therefore equally important for non-Jews: anti-Semitism is the canary in the coal mine. It is the sign of a sick society; one that accepts conspiracy over reason, and has a willingness to tolerate hatred, as long as it's directed against the "right" group as determined by the loudest voices. And when the world is defined in terms of the "right" and "wrong" binary, I promise you it's a lot easier to find yourself on the side of the "wrong" than the "right," whether you can see it today or not.” It was true then, and it’s even more true now.

#5 Is there something unique about Australia in this regard? How does the experience compare to other Jewish communities?

Jewish communities around the world are reeling. Australia is not unique in this regard, as anti-Semitism and Jewish intimidation have exploded in recent months (from already record levels). But there is something different about the Australian Jewish community’s experience to the experience of Jews in the US, a community I’m familiar with (especially in New York and Los Angeles). It’s worth discussing why, and here’s three suggestions.

The first is that the Australian Jewish community is small in number, both in absolute and relative terms (see #4 above). We feel that we’re in the extreme minority, which exacerbates the fear when members of the community come under attack. It also means that the average Australian probably doesn’t know many Jews. There are over 500,000 Jews in LA, and over 1.6 million in NY (almost 18% of the population). With populations this large, one feels a greater safety in number, and also feels comforted by the idea that the random person they’re sharing a workplace or subway with, is probably pretty familiar with Jews and Jewish culture. As a result of these numbers and the familiarity it breeds, Jews probably feel less isolated, more seen, and perhaps more empowered.

The second relates to the Australian public’s response. My sense is that the average Australian would condemn the conduct listed in #1 above. But the average Australian is also part of a very silent majority in the face of a loud and violent minority. Americans are as good at anybody at vehemently disagreeing with each other. But I honestly can’t imagine the US public accepting this type of behavior in their communities. New York has been filled with enormous, vocal pro-Palestinian demonstrations, as well as it’s share of clearly anti-Semitic incidents. But this has not led to the types of insidious ostracism and intimidation that we’re seeing in Australia (at least outside of US college campuses).

When I describe what’s happening in Australia to American Jewish friends, they’re shocked, because it crosses a line they believe their fellow Americans — with all their diverging views — just would not abide. There is a pervasive passivity in Australian culture that permits the growth of ugly pockets of behaviour. Non-Jewish Australians privately condemn this type of behaviour, but very few are willing to stick their necks out and do so publicly. The rot starts from the top. I’m not a huge fan of Labor’s shifting policy on Israel, but I understand it’s borne of political expediency, and is probably designed to appeal to their constituents (left-leaning with a growing Muslim population). I can accept that, but I can’t accept a gutless political class incapable of taking real steps to stamp out the anti-Semitic and anti-social behavior the Jewish community is being subjected to.

And the third is the progressive movement’s suspicion of success. The Australian Jewish community has built incredible businesses and enjoyed great financial successes. That’s not to say that the success is evenly distributed, or that all Jews do well (they don’t), but there are significant and visible success stories in the community. Extreme progressive dogma is suspicious of this type of success, because to them it implies some sort of unfairness or rigging of the system. It’s a repackaging of old anti-Semitic stereotypes in the fashionable garb of diversity, equity and inclusion, where unequal outcomes are considered evidence of malfeasance. Australia pours fuel on this fire with our tall poppy syndrome, and as a result, we have a generation of young Australian progressives, horny for fighting the evil Zionists, and for the self-aggrandizement this holy war provides them.

Bringing it together

When I talk about risks to Jewish continuity in Australia, as I stated at the beginning, I’m not referring to the prospect of the murder and persecution of Australia’s Jews. What I’m referring to is the much slower and more insidious rot that leads the community to feel that it’s no longer accepted in the country’s public spaces, or sufficiently protected in them. You don’t need a whole country to share these views to generate this outcome. All you need is a committed minority, and a silent majority. And so far, Australia’s majority — in politics and other areas of communal leadership — has been pretty silent in the face of the Jewish community’s legitimate and very real fear.

Australia has been an incredible place for the Jewish community. In many ways it’s been no less of a promised land to Jews in the second half of the 20th century than the US has been. We’re stupidly lucky to call it home. I believe the current moment will eventually pass, but it’s worth remembering two things. The first is the reason there’s a vibrant Jewish community of ~120,000 Jews in Australia today, far from our people’s historic centers (first the Middle East, and then Europe), is because Jews were forced to flee pogroms in Russia, and the horrors of the Holocaust. And second, while tempers will hopefully subside, the last few months will leave significant scars. Australian Jews know this, but the broader Australian community probably does not, and that’s one of the reasons I felt it was important to write this piece.

All of my family is in Australia. It’s where I grew up, and where I’ll eventually call home again. But despite all of this, if you asked me today where I would choose to live with my young family if Jewish continuity and security were the most important considerations (which they indeed may be), then Australia would not be at the top of the list, with New York (where I currently live) or Israel being the logical answers. I don’t know if all Jewish Australians are asking themselves this question yet, as it may be borne of my own personal living situation split across the US and Australia. But my guess is that if you asked them, some may have a similar response. Australia’s Jewish community isn’t the only one that feels intimidated today, but of all the communities I’m familiar with in the diaspora, it does feel the most under siege.

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This clearly was not a piece about the attacks in Israel or the war in Gaza. Others have written about that incredibly painful and dark human tragedy from a more thoughtful and informed perspective than I can. I left it out for the sake of brevity, but also because the entire point of this piece is that it can exist without discussing the faraway war.

If you believe Israel is a murderous terrorist state, then this whole piece will read like the whinings of a genocide apologist. If that’s you, thanks for reading, but I’m not trying to communicate with you. I’m trying to communicate with people who genuinely care about the future of Australia’s Jewish community, and by extension, the future of Australia as a pluralist society.

I know many in Australia’s Jewish community (and our friends) are working hard to improve the current situation. I’d like to contribute more to that discussion, but this piece is already long enough. So for now, I hope these questions have left you with a clearer picture of where we are, and that they hopefully facilitate better discussions about what we can do.