Understanding the diverse voices of the Australian Jewish community

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.

The groups covered in this article are those that either claim to speak on behalf of the community or are frequently treated as doing so. There are, of course, many other Jewish organisations that represent segments of the community and are sometimes quoted as Jewish voices.

We aim to help you understand who you are really listening to, ranking significant Jewish media players according to their representativeness.