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STANDING STRONG: REMEMBRANCE, ACTION AND COMMUNITY
From Yom Hashoah to new protections against hate, a week of reflection, advocacy and Jewish pride.
Dear friends,
I have been a Carlton supporter since I was a boy. I have memories of riding my bike from my home in Brunswick to Princes Park and I still love going to the footy each week. It is the one place I can sit, put aside the challenges of the world, and just cheer on my team.
I know that I am not alone. Millions of Australians watch the footy each week – including many in our Jewish community. But the AFL is not just an organisation that puts on football matches. It has been an influential community voice on key issues of our time: reconciliation, LGBTQI+ rights and gender equality.
I was grateful therefore, to speak again with Andrew Dillon, AFL CEO, this week. We discussed practical ways that the AFL could help address local antisemitism. Andrew, for his part, was really receptive to our message and we look forward to continuing to work with the AFL to ensure our Victorian Jewish community feels safe and a strong sense of belonging in all arenas, including the football one.
Nearly 1000 people gathered for the annual JCCV Yom Hashoah Commemoration on Monday night.
As always, it was an incredibly moving event. It is our duty to listen to the first-hand testimony of those who survived the Shoah and, 81 years on, still live strong Jewish lives today, surrounded by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
I would like to thank Josh Pila, born in Sosnowiec, the same town in Poland as my father Max Zajac. Mr Pila spoke powerfully to the audience of being in hiding with his beloved sister Rachel. They miraculously both survived to see liberation, but young Rachel passed away later in 1945 from illness. The story came full circle when Mr Pila revealed he was joined on stage by his eldest granddaughter, whose name was Rachel, in honour of her aunt who never lived beyond childhood.
These commemorations are the work of dozens of volunteers. I would like to thank our candlelighters: Josh Pila, Andre Dubrowin, Celia Grant, Netty Tepe-Schoemaker, Jiri Svenger, and Diana Zelig.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to our host Rachelle Unreich, and organising committee: Nina Bassat AM, Amanda Castelan-Starr, Joshua Goodman, Natalie Gunn, Dr Simon Holloway, Sebastian Inwentarz, Sidra Moshinsky, Pauline Rockman OAM and Gary Samowitz.
Finally, thank you to our Yom Hashoah sponsors: Bendigo Bank Community Bank Caulfield Park and Monash University, as well as Ann and Henry Fajerman, Glenda and Sam Recht, Nina Bassat AM and Robert Bassat, Julie Borensztajn and Joey Borensztajn AM, Diane and Dr Mervyn Cass, Judy Carman and Amir Harel, Sherene Hambur AM and Sam Hambur, Mira and David Kolieb, Tali Lavi, Ian Pamensky, Pauline Rockman OAM and Tammy Roth.
We are hearing of so many Jewish organisations and individuals preparing submissions for the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion on their lived experience in the past two and half years. To all of you, thank you.
For those who have not yet done so, I urge you to visit Share Your Story for information on what to write, FAQs and guidance on how to send your submission off so that your experience counts.
Today, the JCCV will be out and about across Jewish Melbourne handing out fliers with information on how to make a submission and answering questions. If you see our staff and volunteers today, please say hello!
We also learned this week that the Commissioner will begin public hearings on May 4 in Sydney. The first hearings will last for two weeks and focus on defining antisemitism; the nature of antisemitism, in its historical and contemporary manifestations; lived experiences of antisemitism, and its impacts on Jewish Australians in various domains and metrics for assessing the prevalence of antisemitism in institutions and society, including through incident reporting and survey data.
Counsel assisting the Commission has begun inviting parties to appear at those hearings. The hearings will also be broadcast on the Commission’s website.
On Wednesday, stronger civil anti-hate protections come into effect across Victoria.
The JCCV worked closely with Victorian legislators and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission in the development and roll out of these new laws.
These new laws will likely make it easier to take action against those who spread vilification and hate speech.
For our community, this matters. Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and able to live openly without fear of hatred or abuse. Importantly, these new laws extend to online conduct.
If you experience antisemitism, we urge you to report it to CSG via the JEAP app. But you can also make a formal complaint through the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. This complaint will be assessed and a remedy may be sought.
Learn more or you can now make a complaint (noting that the conduct must have taken place after the commencement of these laws on April 14 2026).
On Wednesday this week, we celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut, the 78th anniversary of the establishment of the modern state of Israel.
Our community will be celebrating with a big Israel-themed party on Tuesday night. You can still register for tickets.
Can’t make it on the big day? You could also celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut by listening to some new Israeli music, reading a book about Israel, re-creating the best Israeli cuisine at home or eating at one of Melbourne’s fabulous Israelis restaurants, or watching a great Israeli TV show.
