The Growing Concern of Antisemitism in Australia
A high-profile witness has described antisemitism as a “virus” that has evolved over time, with aggressors coming from both the far right and far left of the political spectrum. This alarming statement was made during the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion in Sydney, where dozens of individuals shared their experiences of antisemitism in schools, workplaces, and the broader community.
The inquiry was initiated following the tragic incident at a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi on December 14, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of 15 people. Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in Australia, Jillian Segal AO, emphasized that the fastest-growing form of antisemitism in the country is the conflation of criticism of the Israeli regime with the Jewish community. She highlighted that some individuals seem to view this perspective as “fashionable,” underscoring the need for education to combat such views.
“We have to move the thinking and the culture of the country,” Ms. Segal stated. She noted a shift since the Bondi attack, with greater recognition of concerns raised by the Jewish community since October 2023. “What the Jewish community was experiencing and complaining about wasn’t a collection of isolated incidents,” she said. “It was very real and very dangerous to the country.”
A Health Worker’s Fearful Experience
A Jewish NSW Health worker, known as AAV, shared her harrowing experience of feeling “paralysed” with fear after two nurses made threats against Israeli patients. As a midwife and nurse manager, she gave evidence to the commission using a pseudonym to protect her identity. She described being subjected to “under the breath” insults and offensive comments from colleagues following the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, which claimed the lives of 1,200 people.
The hostage situation for Jewish people was deeply personal for AAV, as one of her cousins was captured in Gaza during the attack and later returned to Israel. She recounted how her manager asked her to remove posters calling for the freeing of Israeli hostages, citing concerns about upsetting others in the workplace.
People would pass her in the clinic corridor and say “shame on you” and “you must be really ashamed to belong to a group of child killers.” AAV described the worst 24 hours of her life after two NSW nurses were accused of making a video threatening Israeli patients in February 2025. She had been waiting 15 months for knee surgery and seriously considered canceling it due to her fears of being killed while in hospital.
“I was paralysed with fear,” she said. She requested precautions, including the presence of a family member during her surgery, the removal of her religion from her health record, and the presence of a Jewish doctor during the procedure. Her sons brought her kosher meals instead of requesting them from the hospital, in an effort to disguise her religion.
Devastating Loss of a Jewish Cafe
Judith Lewis, a grandmother and owner of Lewis’ Continental Kitchen, spoke about the “devastating” loss of her business to a fire allegedly caused by an attack. Established in 1970 alongside her husband, the Bondi cafe provided a kosher takeaway option for the Jewish community. The deli was destroyed in a fire in October 2024, with a man charged with property damage by fire/explosion.
Ms. Lewis described the deli as a “communal centre” for the Jewish community, noting that its closure restricted the flexibility for people to eat like normal, un-Jewish people. “For us it’s devastating because we’re not seeing all our friends. The customers very much became friends.”
Australia’s national security agency ASIO later suggested that the Iranian regime may have been behind the incident. The commission moved behind closed doors for part of Ms. Lewis’s evidence, with the material unable to be reported.
Preparing for Antisemitic Incidents
The commission also heard about the efforts of a Melbourne Jewish junior football club to prepare for antisemitic incidents. The Australian Jewish Amateur Association Football Club (AJAX) president, Daniel Onas, explained that the “unprecedented” number of incidents since October 7, 2023, had taken a toll on the club. Examples included opposition players refusing to shake hands at the end of games, another player removing an AJAX team member’s kippah on the field, and players being subjected to antisemitic slurs.
“It’s a very difficult thing for young kids to endure,” Mr. Onas said. “Do I want to play? Am I comfortable? Am I safe? These are all things our players have to consider.”
Mr. Onas noted that the South Metro Junior Football League had implemented a “more robust” anti-vilification policy, which had been welcomed.
Feeling Cancelled
Sydney woman Stephanie Cunio, who has worked in the trade union and climate justice sector for over three decades, shared her experience of feeling “cancelled” after the deaths in Israel on October 7, 2023. While she received support after the Bondi terror attack, she felt the lack of support for the victims in Israel was a double-edged sword.
“The word Israel is used as a demonised word,” she told the inquiry. “They’re talking about the regime but when I see the Israeli flag cancelled, I feel cancelled. When I think about Israel, I think about the beauty of the country … all the good people.”
Media Coverage of Antisemitism
Former newspaper editor of The Age, Michael Gawenda, expressed concern about how media outlets reported on antisemitism in Australia. He questioned why “the ABC and other outlets” did not adequately cover the impact of antisemitism on Jewish communities. “The excuse can’t be they didn’t have the staff to do it,” he said. “That’s why it’s so important that these stories are being told at the commission.”
While the hearings had largely proceeded without incident, a man was moved on from outside the tribunal yesterday after police said he was wearing clothing that allegedly displayed an offensive slogan. The 68-year-old was later charged with behaving in an offensive manner in/near public place/school and causing a prohibited Nazi symbol to be displayed in a public place.
