Published: 11 February 2026
Last updated: 17 February 2026
This article is part of a debate. Read There is no such thing as an ‘anti-Jew’ Jew by Nomi Kaltmann.
I know how it feels to have your Jewish belonging questioned over politics.
I've been called "self-hating" for refusing to align with Netanyahu's government, told that criticising Israeli policy makes me a traitor to my people, and called a kapo for thinking Peter Dutton was not, in fact, the saviour of Australian Jews.
So, I understand why Nomi Kaltmann reacted so strongly when Lillian Kline called Sarah Schwartz an “anti-Jew” Jew on ABC Radio.
Schwartz is Executive Officer of the Jewish Council of Australia, an organisation that describes itself as “an independent expert Jewish voice supporting human rights and opposing antisemitism and racism” but whose public statements focus overwhelmingly on criticising Israel and opposing actions against antisemitism supported by the mainstream community.
She has opposed the visit of Israel’s president to Australia, called for new hate speech laws to be paused, and argued against the implementation of the recommendations of the Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism.
Her Jewish identity lends legitimacy to positions that, coming from non-Jews, would more readily be recognised as dismissive of Jewish safety concerns
Comments10
Deborah Stone, Editor-in-chief19 February at 02:39 am
Thank you to those who have made comments on this article. A campaign has been launched to encourage people to write to TJI supporting Sarah Schwartz. In order to prevent our feed being distorted by a campaign we are now closing comments.
Brenda Dobia19 February at 12:09 am
Is this really what TJI imagines to be legitimate debate? On what basis of evidence and analysis? First we have Lillian Kline on national radio loudly accusing another Jewish woman in deeply offensive terms, and then we have Hannah Chester doubling down on the language of abuse and on the person targeted. But, hey, because Hannah has herself been called a self-hating Jew she must know an anti-Jew when she sees one. The fact that someone would be so diligent to dredge up names of kapos to attack and deride over 1000 Jewish people who in all conscience did not feel Herzog’s visit was a good thing for Australia or its Jews at this time just proves how awful JCA is, right? Sorry – Sarah. After all Sarah is the arch anti-Jew. If the whole community is in fear, it must be her fault.
Let’s be clear: To call someone an anti-Jew is not tochacha, it’s loshon hora. For a community forum to repeat it without bothering to verify the many egregious accusations made, and without offering a right of reply, is to justify and encourage gross lateral violence which is already rife in this community. TJI, LIFT YOUR GAME!
Deborah Stone18 February at 05:40 pm
Your information is incorrect. This is the response I sent to Sarah.
I acknowledge receipt of your letter responding to this article. Your response fails completely to take into account that the article was published as part of a debate, or to refer to this linked article which offered the opposing point of view. As was clearly explained, we published this debate in response to a comment made by Lillian Kline in a conversation with you on ABC Radio.
The debate sought to interrogate the language used and whether the term “anti-Jew”, is meaningful or appropriate. To characterise the article as personal abuse is to misunderstand completely the nature of the issues, somewhat ironically in a conversation about the relationship of individual opinion, communal responsibility and belonging.
We will continue to provide platforms for ideas-based analysis, discussion and debate.
Lana18 February at 08:01 am
Deborah, I am a little confused. How is a debate about whether it’s ok to call someone an “anti-Jew ” the same as “conversation about the relationship of individual opinion, communal responsibility and belonging”? I am not sure exactly what the second part means and I would be curious to know what that conversation looks like. I feel sure it doesn’t look like the current debate about the “anti-Jew”.
Ad hominem attacks are a way of casting someone out of conversation; the anti-Jew cannot be trusted in conversation, so they shouldn’t have a voice.
Similarly, some protestors call Palestinians (such as Ahmed al-Khatib) that disagree with APAN positions, a coconut, to cast him out.
One can be critical of Jewish Council, of their positions, who they share a platform with and choose to align with politically. One can demand more transparency from them, since they have a public presence. We can’t have that discussion while personal attacks are acceptable.
In trying to appear balanced, I fear TJI have allowed ethics to slip.
There is never, ever, any reason to call a Jewish person an “anti-Jew”.
TJI, please do better.
Corinne18 February at 07:23 am
So The Jewish Independent decides to publish a debate about whether or not Sarah Schwartz is an anti-Jew – bravo, the choice of your stories is truly outstanding. Seriously? With all that s going on in Israel/Palestine, and indeed in Australia, this is what this news outlet chooses to publish? This begs the question: why?
I suggest you leave Sarah Schwartz alone and focus on something more important and useful than the assassination of her character. It is truly undignified. Apologise and don’t do it again.
Janet Kossy18 February at 05:14 am
So many things to say against this appalling article that discusses a real person as though she’s an object, that glides over assumptions, and that piles on further to a view too prevalent in this publication—that to oppose the current political positions of the establishment Jewish institutions and those who support them is ipso facto to endanger the Jewish community.
The framing as a debate is ridiculous and offensive—a debate about whether a person is an “Anti-Jew”. Why not “an Anti-Christ”?
The “debate” isn’t with the JCA or about a substantive issue such as whether the annihilation of Gaza is in the interests of world Jewry. And I believe Sarah Schwartz was not invited to participate, nor had a response to her messages after the fact. If true, this is shameful.
Airing opposing comments here isn’t enough. The editor needs to know how irresponsible it is to encourage this kind of nasty ad hominem discussion. The editorial policy seems now to take the Murdoch press as its moral model. I would have expected better from TJI.
Judy16 February at 06:20 am
Please please please … let us communicate with and about each other honourably and respectfully! Let us address issues, and not accuse individuals / organisations of ill-intent, especially when such assertions can*NOT* be proven. And let us remember that the words we publish reflect / mirror the person who we are.
And please let us embrace what Senator McCarthy implored us all, after somebody tossed an incendiary device into a gathering of Indigenous people at an Invasion Day event:
“We need to look out for one another. We need to care for one another. We need to be kinder to one another.”
So … please: Disagree with JCA positions or Sarah Schwartz’s words; please do not engage in character assassination: It is un-Jewish (“lashon hara”), and it does nothing other than exacerbate hard feelings and mis-understandings. There is more than enough of that already; we do not need to add to it.
Thank you for “listening,”
Peace,
Judy
philip mendes15 February at 07:18 am
Hannah, agree with you 100 per cent. Nothing against any particular individuals. But the JCOA was established organisationally to provide a Jewish alibi for anti-Jewish bigots. It has chosen to align with the most ethnocentric factions in the diverse Australian Arab community, and the most fundamentalist factions in the diverse Australian muslim community. It is nothing more than a 2026 version of the Jewish Communists who defended Stalin’s Slansky Trial and Doctors Plot in 1952/53.
Doodie Ringelblum14 February at 11:43 pm
“Judaism also contains the principle of tochacha (rebuke)”
Yes it does. You are rebuking Schwartz, and she she is rebuking you.
The problem with calls for unity is that few people are willing to modify their own views to unify with those they disagree with. The call for unity is a call for other people to do what I want.
Veronica sumegi12 February at 06:12 am
“As a Jew…” is now how antizionist Jews always start their comments.