First steps towards a national strategy to combat antisemitism

Australians will be surveyed on their beliefs about Jews in an effort to understand whether the recent spike in antisemitism is reflected in the attitudes of the majority.

The survey will be one of the first actions of Australia’s inaugural Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal, and the results will provide data for a national strategy to fight increasing antisemitism.

“Everyone has said to me, the vast majority, the silent majority actually don't agree with what's going on. They are horrified. They don't support these demonstrations. Don't support what is being said. Well, I'd like some data on that,” Segal said.

Segal outlined her plans at her first public meeting in her new role, held last night in Melbourne. Although she is based in Sydney, she chose Melbourne for her first event, acknowledging that Victorians have faced the most antisemitism in the past year, with more than 800 incidents including threatening graffiti at Mount Scopus, a demonstration targeted at synagogue-goers, and denial of service at Officeworks.

Universities will be a key prong in her strategy. “I’ve been really surprised by the number of students and academics who have come forward and said ‘I'd like to tell you of my experience’. We've now collected over 50 stories, and they tell very, very troubling stories of difficulty, of lives that have been affected, of students that no longer want to go to campus, no longer want to be in university, or students who have been encouraged to stay away from campus.”

She hopes to bring universities together to create a consolidated response to antisemitism, using a model that has been successful in reducing sexual harassment.

“In some countries… universities have come together to agree in the collective rather than have one university stand out. But all agree on best practice. All agree on the policies that they are going to implement. All agree on safety for all students, but Jewish students in particular.

“The universities here in Australia did do that many years ago in relation to sexual harassment, not that it has eliminated the issue, but it's certainly ameliorated and given students mechanisms to cope. We need to create something similar.”

 Segal also wants businesses to step up and take a lead in training employees to understand antisemitism. “Business has grasped a great deal of training in relation to harassment and psychological safety and all of those things. We need to talk about [similar training for] race hatred and antisemitism. I've had some preliminary discussions with major businesses who have welcomed this, so I think that will be something that we can make great strides in.”

Segal said while she would consider making representations to government for law reform, it was first important to ensure the Jewish community was making use of the full possibilities of existing law. She cited the Executive Council of Australian Jewry case against two Muslim clerics as an important test case.

Segal told the audience it was important for Jews not to be cowed or to shelter within their own comfort zone.

“One of my great observations is that already so many of us have retreated. We're not going to go to this event, we're withdrawing from this board… we become more and more connected only to the Jewish community.

"Now, whilst that might be something of comfort and give one strength, I actually think what we need to do, in terms of reinvigorating the vibrancy of Jewish life, is we have to commit to participating in the life of the general community. We have to speak to non-Jews. We need to invite them to our homes. We need to talk to them.“

She emphasised that antisemitism posed a threat to all Australians, not just Jews. “The Jewish experience, including that of the Holocaust, tells us that we need to be vigilant to protect our tolerant and peaceful way of life… We are just the canary in the coal mine, but the rest of society is at risk, as you can see through history.”

Holocaust education to combat contemporary antisemitism

A new program to combat antisemitism through Holocaust education will launch this week at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum.

Critical thinking is critical: Educate, advocate and innovate against antisemitism is a three-year program funded by the Victorian Multicultural Commission. It focuses on the promotion of social cohesion and the reduction of antisemitism, vilification and hate speech in Victoria.

The program is primarily designed to help adults become champions for social change and cohesion but it will also develop resources for younger audiences.

The Melbourne Holocaust Museum, which relaunched in an impressive new building last year, already hosts about 25,000 students a year, offering two education programs, one designed for upper primary students and the other structured for the mandatory Holocaust education curriculum in Years 9 to 10.