Housing insecurity hits home in Jewish community

When Melbourne Jews gathered to talk about crises facing the community at a Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) event in May, the organisers expected that terrorism would be the focus. But when asked to share the crisis that concerns them most, many members of the audience identified the housing crisis. 

It is new for the problem of Jewish housing insecurity and homelessness to make it into mainstream communal discussion, but it should not be surprising. The change is reflective of the growing problem across Australia: the last census found 122,000 people were homeless, 28 per cent higher than 20 years earlier.  Government and charity estimates suggest the problem has worsened in the past five years.

Personal crises such as domestic violence, health problems or unemployment can drive previously stable lives into a tailspin that ends with people losing their homes.

For Sally Goldner, an unfair dismissal from a toxic workplace triggered mental health struggles and complex PTSD that left her unable to work and facing homelessness late in life.

“I was given 60 days’ notice by the private rental property manager to vacate in mid-November. So, before the end of the calendar year shutdown of services, I was facing housing insecurity at 60.”

Malki Rose, from the food support organisation Pekelach, says many women come to the service after family breakdown. “The most common thing that we've seen at Pekelach is when somebody comes in with domestic violence experience, at the risk of losing their home,” she said.