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BUILDING STRONGER ALLIES AGAINST ANTISEMITISM
How our community is working with leaders and friends to fight hate.
WHEN HATE TARGETS OUR CHILDREN
I share your disgust about the incident at the Melbourne Museum, where a group of Mount Scopus primary schools students were harassed by older students from another school.
Immediately upon hearing of this incident, the JCCV contacted the Department of Education to alert them of the incident and request their support, which they provided. We also reached out to Education Minister Ben Carroll.
There is a serious sickness in our society when children are being taught that it is OK to vilify one another. In the recent plan published by Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal, she released research that shows heightened levels of antisemitic sentiment in Australians under the age of 35. Jillian goes on to say:
“Education is essential to preventing and tackling antisemitism.”
I couldn’t agree more. It is the only way forward.
MEETING OUR STRONGEST ALLIES
This week, I caught up with two of our community’s strongest allies.
On Shabbat, I attended St Kilda Shule where Tim Wilson, the Member for Goldstein, was guest of honour. I believe that Tim’s own Armenian ancestry and his lived experience as a LGBTQI+ man help him to empathise with and understand our own community and the impact of bigotry and hatred.
During the week, I caught up with Michael Scott. Scott, a career officer in the Australian Defence Forces, has established The 2023 Foundation to help fight antisemitism by sharing Israel’s story. Scott, who is not Jewish, spent time in Israel and across the Middle East, during his 30-year army service. He is an inspirational ally and we wish him all the best with his new organisation.
SPEAKING UP FOR OUR COMMUNITY
Together with researcher and young leader Paris Enten, I also met with Lorraine Finlay, Australian Human Rights Commissioner, to update her on antisemitism in the local community and the impact this is having on individuals, families and organisations.
The Commissioner asked important questions about the JCCV’s Turning Point: The Victorian Jewish Community After October 7 report. I also used the opportunity to provide the Commissioner with feedback on the AHRC’s Seen and Heard project and its preliminary work. I appreciate the time the Commissioner took to come and meet with the JCCV.
GROWING UNDERSTANDING THROUGH IMMERSION
The JCCV’s Jewish Immersion Program continues to help employees and public figures to better understand and support the needs of the local Jewish community.
JCCV Community Engagement Manager Josh Goodman, in partnership with Brighton Hebrew Congregation, led a program for the councillors, CEO and senior leaders at the City of Bayside.
The visit, supported by Councillor Robert Irlich, introduced the council representatives to the local Jewish community, explained our community’s origins and diversity, showed them a working synagogue and presented on local antisemitism.
The JCCV continues to expand the Jewish Immersion Program to new audiences, if you know of an organisation or workplace that would benefit from the experience, please email community@jccv.org.au.
SUPPORTING THOSE FACING ANTISEMITISM
Since launching the JCCV Antisemitism Support Service last week, the JCCV has assisted four community members with diverse experiences of discrimination and antisemitism. We acknowledge the courage of those who have stepped forward to ask for help.
We thank our community partners, CSG Victoria, Jewish Care and the Jewish Centre for Law and Justice, for their support and our key partner, the Besen Foundation.
