‘Jews not allowed’: antisemitism at unis, pub, wellness festival

Jewish students at Sydney University had to contend with activists who entered lecture halls chanting antisemitic slogans, while others carried banners saying “Jews not allowed”, a preliminary SafeWork NSW investigation into campus culture found.

It said that while the university had the authority, policies and procedures in place to eliminate antisemitism, it failed to act for 11 months and only did so when the safety watchdog began investigating and negative media stories started to pile up.

The report, obtained under freedom of information laws and first published by The Australian Financial Review, details how the investigator who visited the campus in September last year recommended SafeWork NSW carry out a full investigation following his preliminary report.

“Jewish workers and students experienced antisemitism daily whilst on campus, creating a workplace of fear, anxiousness and a fear of retribution towards Jewish workers and students because they were Jewish people,” the report said.

However, the watchdog ultimately ignored the recommendation of its own inspector and never carried out a full investigation of the university.

It noted how the safety of Jewish staff and students stemmed from the pro-Palestinian encampment, which sprang up in April 2024 and lasted for eight weeks.

NSW Police raised concerns about the encampment and requested the university take action to remove it, but the institution did not do anything for a further two months, it said.

Two University of Melbourne students who occupied the office of Jewish physics Professor Steven Prawer have been recommended for expulsion and two for suspension.

If the decisions are upheld, the students will become the first pro-Palestine student activists for whom suspension and expulsion have been enforced in Australia since the waves of student demonstrations against Israel’s assault on Gaza began in 2023.

The students were referred to the institution’s disciplinary committee after reports they were part of a group of about 20 who blocked Professor Prawer from his office because they believed he was integral to the university’s partnerships with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Footage of the occupation, distributed on social media at the time, showed protesters entering the office with their faces covered by keffiyehs, hoods and masks.

The university said the students had harassed and intimidated staff who worked in the office, damaged property by placing signs and stickers on some university-owned items including a monitor screen, and writing on and placing stickers on personal items, including a photo.

Melbourne’s flagship health and wellness festival has reinstated a Jewish practioner it dumped after pressure from anti-Israel activists.

Organisers of the MindBodySpirit Festival abruptly cancelled the participation of Jewish “soul alchemist” Sharon Tal on Monday after a pro-Palestinian smear campaign labelled her a “Zionist” and accused her of taking “part in a genocide”.

But following publicity, including an earlier form of this article, the Festival announced it was reinstating Tal.

Tal, a kinesiologist and counsellor who has run a healing clinic in Caulfield for 25 years, said she was shocked to learn she had been removed from this month’s festival at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre following pressure from anti-Israel activists.

“This feels not only like a personal attack, but also like an economic assault and character defamation based on antisemitic sentiment,” she told The Australian.

The site reported that Talitha Mitchell, an organiser of the Northern Rivers for Palestine” action group in NSW, had demanded organisers remove the Jewish healer over a brief mention of WIZO in her professional biography. Mitchell posted in the festival's Facebook group accusing the festival of “supporting genocide” by allowing Tal to attend, triggering a barrage of emails and phone calls to the organisers calling for Tal to be banned.

On Monday Exhibition and Events Australia managing director Jane Ford told Tal that her participation in the June festival had been cancelled due to the “significant public reaction” to her inclusion, warning it could pose a “risk to the safety and wellbeing” of staff and visitors.

But on Thursday the Festival reversed the decision and released a statement saying, "We greatly value our longstanding relationship with Sharon Tal and her significant contributions to our festivals, and we sincerely regret the distress caused by our prior decision to remove her from the program. We would emphasise this decision was made with the best of intentions and was not based on religion, ethnicity, or personal beliefs.

"We are confident, however, that the security precautions we have in place will allow us to stage a safe, harmonious and respectful experience for our staff, exhibitors and Festival attendees. We request that this commitment is shared by all those involved or who attend the Festival."

Workers at a popular Brisbane pub walked off the job on Saturday night to join a protest against a Zionist-booked event being held at the venue.

The State Zionist Council of Queensland booked space at The Wickham, a well-known Fortitude Valley LGBTIQ+ hotel, to host a “White Shavuot Party”.

It prompted a snap protest of about 150 people – including on-duty Wickham staff and performers – outside the venue. Staff who remained on the job supported their colleagues with free pizza and water bottles.

Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies president Jason Steinberg said the protest was a "new low in terms of antisemitism in Queensland".

“What we saw was a rabid mob intimidating Jewish people in a way that we have not seen before in Queensland – and it’s unacceptable.”

READ MORE

‘Jews not allowed’: SafeWork savages Sydney University over antisemitism on campus (SMH, paywall)

Student protesters face expulsion from University of Melbourne over pro-Palestine office occupation (Guardian)

Jewish healer cancelled from Melbourne wellness festival after anti-Israel smear campaign (The Australian, paywall)

Brisbane hotel workers walk off the job to protest over Zionist event (SMH, paywall)