Published: 20 March 2024
Last updated: 18 April 2024
Government, media, or other communities seeking to understand the Australian “Jewish community view” on any given issue soon learn that there is no such thing.
The Jewish community is diverse, opinionated and disproportionately articulate. The 100,000 Jews who make up less than 0.4% of Australia’s population run the gamut of opinion on virtually any topic.
The number of organisations who are described as speaking on behalf of Australian Jews is growing and contemporary public space makes it increasingly easy for varied groups to find a soapbox.
Call yourself a “Council”, an “Institute” or an “Association” and the opinions of any dozen randoms can be broadcast with a veneer of officialdom.
Journalists can make easy work out of “dial-a-quote” spokesmen (they are almost always men) who can be relied on to express undifferentiated outrage at the smallest hint of antisemitism or to cheerlead Israel, whatever the context.
Social media favours simplification over moderation, amplifying exponentially those who are good at grabbing attention.
Official bodies and anyone inclined to caveats or the honest expression of ambivalence must compete with stentorian voices that make better headlines.
Comments16
Simon Krite30 April at 04:00 am
The argument that “no Jewish organisation is truly representative” is a convenient deflection used by fringe activists to legitimise their own outsized influence. Let’s be clear – the Jewish Council of Australia and similar fringe collectives like the “Loud Jew” do not merely fail to represent the broad spectrum of Jewish Australians — they deliberately distort it.
These groups are not elected, not transparent, not representative and not accountable. Their membership is ideological, not communal. They exist to promote a specific anti-Zionist agenda, often indistinguishable from the rhetoric of APAN, the Greens and others who openly demonise Israel and its right to exist. Worse still, they seek validation through media stunts and “solidarity seders” that mock thousands of years of Jewish continuity.
Supporters of these groups complaining they are not represented by the “majority supported” Jewish bodies are high on slogans, light on substance, and completely disconnected from the day-to-day reality of Australian Jewish life.
Hinayni23 March at 08:00 pm
why doesn’t the Australia Jewish Association actually answer email enquiries?
Jonathon (Jon) ROSE8 September at 07:02 am
Thank you Deborah for your concise & informative overview of the landscape of key Australian Jewish organizations (I like the icons & your categorizations).
Considering your audience, regarding the Jewish Council of Australia, I feel it’s important to make clear they are not just critical of Israel, they strongly view Israel/Zionism as a settler, colonialist venture, singularly responsible for the displacement of Palestinians, oppose Israel as a Jewish state, and support the right of return for those who identify as Palestinians.