Community message
- Published May 9 2024
- Community Message
Community message from JCCV President, Philip Zajac.
SPECIAL UPDATE: LOCAL UNIVERSITIES
This is a special JCCV update to help the community understand what is happening at local universities.
The JCCV has been working closely with Australasian Union of Jewish Student (AUJS) leaders, AUJS campus heads, academics and families to protect the safety and wellbeing of all who study, work or visit universities.
The JCCV completely opposes the pro-Palestinian encampments at Victorian universities. They are attracting radical extremists to our universities. They are spreading anti-Jewish hate. They are preventing Jewish students and staff from feeling safe, welcome and included. The JCCV urges universities to put the safety and wellbeing of all students and staff ahead of everything else.
UNIVERSITY RESPONSE
AUJS leaders have held one or more meetings with the university leadership at Monash University, the University of Melbourne, La Trobe University and RMIT.
They are being backed by Jewish organisations, as well as many parents, alumni and concerned community members, who have also contacted university leaders.
The following universities have made statements on the encampments, click below to read:
We particularly welcome Monash’s announcement that it has deemed the oft-chanted slogan “Zionists are not welcome”, or similar, to likely constitute harassment and/or vilification.
We urge Monash to take action against protesters making this statement or similar, and urge other universities to follow suit.
REPORTING ANTI-JEWISH HATE OR INTIMIDATING CONDUCT ON CAMPUS
If you need help understanding how to report antisemitism or who to report it to, please contact the JCCV – community@jccv.org.au
VICTORIA POLICE
Earlier this week, the JCCV brought AUJS leaders to a meeting with Victoria Police Priority and Safer Communities Commander Jo Stafford.
Commander Stafford listened to students concerns for more than 1.5 hours. She took extensive notes and said Victoria Police would work to protect the safety of the public, including at universities.
We have seen Victoria Police positioned at universities since the start of the encampments, a strong contrast to the United States, where in some cases, police were only brought in after serious escalations.
Message from Commander Jo Stafford, Victoria Police
Victoria Police is very concerned about the experiences of Jewish students on university campuses across Melbourne. Everyone has the right to feel safe as they go about their life, particularly in a tertiary education setting. Victoria Police will continue to ensure the safety of all Jewish students so they are free to enjoy the full university experience and will respond to all reported offences and hold perpetrators to account where criminal offences have occurred. Victoria Police encourages anyone with information to report to either the CSG or to Victoria Police, so that it can be acted on. Victoria Police will continue to work with the Jewish community, including the CSG to provide support and assistance and ensure Jewish events can go ahead in a peaceful and safe manner.
RALLIES
The JCCV supports AUJS-led initiatives at universities. We are aware that there are a number of grassroots activists organising rallies at university campuses. We would urge the organisers to check with AUJS whether it is desirable and supported by Jewish students before going ahead. Our students need to be empowered to feel safe and supported.
US EXPERIENCE
JCCV CEO Naomi Levin this week met with the Aaron Keyak, the US Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.
Naomi, together with representatives from the Melbourne Holocaust Museum and Online Hate Prevention Institute, heard first-hand about the challenges being faced by Jewish students on US college campuses and the approaches that can be taken to protect Jewish students and staff.
The JCCV thanks DSEAS Keyak and his team for taking the time to meet local leaders.
THANK YOU
There has been a huge groundswell of support for our students. Our community is coming together like never before and we thank you for it. Every letter, petition and outreach makes a difference.
