Published: 27 November 2025
Last updated: 27 November 2025
Canberra’s small Jewish community has voted to allow a new National Holocaust Memorial and Education Centre (NHMEC) to be built partly within the territory’s main synagogue and community centre.
The matter had been dividing the community for months – albeit gently, in a Canberra sort of way. At issue is whether the Holocaust, and its various forms of remembrance, belong at the centre of Jewish life.
The federal government has promised to fund the new Holocaust centre, which will serve the whole of Australia and keep alive memories of the tragic period.
Many members, however, have wondered at the wisdom of integrating Holocaust images and memories into the daily life of the community centre. Some have asked whether kids will need to navigate past images of emaciated children in striped pyjamas en route to their weekly cheder. Others are concerned about security risks – for example, how the physical separation between a public museum and the community centre will function.
I fear I may hesitate to bring my son to the community centre one day because of the heavy Holocaust content it will now showcase
The plan that has been accepted will put Holocaust remembrance areas partly adjacent to, but also partly overlapping with, the ACT Jewish Community’s existing buildings, the National Jewish Memorial Centre. A Memorial Hall will be shared in common, available for use either by the community or by visiting school groups.
A vocal minority has opposed this model for some time. Some have barracked for another option that would set Holocaust remembrance areas in a separate building, though still on the same grounds.
Comments7
Stevensteven@enjoi.com.hk Horton13 December at 07:27 am
As an original member and builder of the community as far back as 1970 we talked in my home, earl Hoffman’s and amongst the. Shabbos crowd the importance of the centre to the broader community. We have a prestigious piece of land and we should build a larger memorial/educational testimonial to the public of our past accomplishments and what we hope our future community is capable of doing!
Iam absolute sure John Gandel of Melbourne & the Sidney John Saunders team have enough Judaica to make the exhibition a remarkable testimony to the visitors on how we have blended into the Australian fabric and shared our expertise whether by writing legal text, medicine like my son and genetics my daughter, by cultural buildings like the Mark Besen art collection at Tarrawarra in the Yarra valley and the many identifiable achievements in NSW , Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane & soon Darwin. Wake up and be proud of your heritage & like it or not the tremendous gifts israel has given the world & australia.
Judy4 December at 01:17 pm
As a member of ACT’s Jewish community, I never saw any information about public consultations, conversations, or convocations about the National Holocaust Memorial and Education Centre (NHMEC). The last I heard was in the dying days of the Morrison administration, as pandering to Jewish voters (or so it seemed to me).
A decision was made, apparently, by some members of the ACT Jewish Community (ACTJC), to locate the NHMEC inside its own community centre. ***
I challenge the Australian Government and the Australian Jewish community to identify any other, Government-funded, *national* museum that is located inside a religious group’s building, adjacent to a place of worship. This is mixing religion and state in practice and in funding.
*** The ACTJC comprises merely 240 adults [ACTJC.org.au] and about 1,500 self-identified Jewish people [various sources]. There are approximately 100,000 Jews in Australia [various sources]. As Australians and Jews, why were they not polled about the museum’s location?!
Ron29 November at 09:48 am
Dear Athol – The Commonwealth government stated this year that it expects school children will indeed attend the memorial centre, but in addition: “The National Centre in Canberra will also be available to the more than five million Australians who visit Canberra each year and will include access to exhibits and information explaining Jewish culture.”
Alan Shroot29 November at 08:51 am
There are several inaccuracies in the report. There was a good debate but around 2/3 of those attending the meeting of around 100 people (present and online) voted for the proposal. I agree with Athol’s assessment of the situation.
Peter Wise27 November at 10:03 pm
As a member of the ACTJC present at the meeting, I think this is a balanced and perceptive summary of the various viewpoints expressed. Kol hakavod!
Amelia27 November at 09:59 pm
Well put Ron. The biggest issue in all of this, is that the museum was not an idea that sprang from the community, it is was not a gap that was identified that needed to be filled. Rather it was thrust upon us in the dying days of the Morrison government with a promise and then again before the most recent election with another promise of money, again for political purposes. The community was never given the choice to vote if they actually wanted it full stop. Concerned community members called an SGM in February to ensure community consultation, however the horse had already bolted in regard being able to stop it from being built on community grounds. Even now that the SGM ensured community consultation, it is still minimal with the board making decisions and steam rolling ahead.
Athol Morris27 November at 10:57 am
Professor Levy omits that the vote after discussion was some 64 to 30 in favour of the integration option. And the community was clearly and repeatedly told that there would be no holocaust pictures artefacts or materials in public spaces. The museum will be locked off from the public areas and only accessible by appointment.