Published: 20 October 2026
Last updated: 20 October 2026
When her teenage son could no longer remain at his Jewish school because it was unable to meet his needs, Talya Bassin was confronted with a difficult question: why should neurodivergent children have to leave Jewish education when the right support cannot be found?
The decision came at a particularly difficult time. In the wake of October 7 and rising antisemitism, Bassin was concerned about her son’s vulnerability as she considered alternatives to Jewish education. Reports of antisemitic incidents at non-Jewish schools added to her concerns.
“I was so paranoid about that, but also just really angry that he couldn’t stay at his school and that our community couldn’t protect him from this stuff,” she told The Jewish Independent.
“I can’t believe I have to make a decision to remove him from Jewish education because they’re not able to cater for him anymore.”
For Bassin, the experience underscored the need for a more coordinated approach to supporting neurodivergent and disabled students across Melbourne’s Jewish schools.
She recently launched Our Children Already Belong, a petition calling for an independent Jewish Inclusive Education Service.
The service would initially appoint a Jewish Inclusive Education Lead, with access to additional specialist expertise as needed. It would strengthen schools’ capacity to support students, provide early specialist consultation and offer an independent pathway for resolving disputes between families and schools. It would also identify patterns across schools, share good practice and help ensure agreed actions are followed through.
