International panel to discuss surge in antisemitism since October 7

The explosion of antisemitism in Australia and around the world since Hamas’s brutal attack on Israel, and the subsequent war in Gaza, has made many Jews question the way of life they took for granted. Jews here and overseas are grappling with a new sense of anxiety in their everyday lives.

To help people navigate this landscape, The Jewish Independent will host a video panel discussion on May 6 featuring world-renowned experts who will explore the surge in global antisemitism and its ramifications for the Jewish community. The online event is being held at the end of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day), in acknowledgement of the subject’s historical significance. It is free to attend.

The panel discussion, entitled Antisemitism since October 7 - Australia and beyond, will bring together Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, Dr Andre Oboler, CEO of the Online Hate Prevention Institute, and Noah Loven, President of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS). The discussion will be moderated by TJI editor Deborah Stone.

It will address aspects of antisemitism specific to certain countries as well as global trends, and offers a rare opportunity to hear insights from advocates with both granular and international knowledge.

Katharina von Schnurbein has been European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life since 2015. She has drafted, and is now implementing, the recently adopted EU strategy on combatting antisemitism.

Dr Andre Oboler is a social media and online public diplomacy expert. He is CEO of the Online Hate Prevention Institute, a not-for-profit organisation that seeks to prevent harm that results from various forms of online hate, including racism and cyberbullying. He served on the Executive of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) and as a Councillor on the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ). He recently authored a report on the fivefold increase in online antisemitism in multiple platforms since October 7 last year.