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The recent antiracism seminar at the Queensland University of Technology, which featured a number of pro-Palestinian speakers, an anti-Israel Jewish speaker, and Senator Lidia Thorpe, who conflates the Aboriginal sovereignty movement with the pro-Palestinian movement, is a cause for huge concern.

Universities have become a breeding ground for antisemitism, and we have a Teachers for Palestine movement aggressively introducing antisemitism into schools.

Numerous famous Jewish Australians have contributed greatly to our nation—parliamentarians, philanthropists, business people, sportspeople, artists, and those serving in many professions, including the legal profession.

A few examples are Sir John Monash, a distinguished General in the Australian Army during World War I; Sir Isaac Isaacs, judge and politician, Chief Justice of Australia; and Sir Zelman Cowen, politician and Governor-General of Australia.

From Haven to Hatred

Many Jewish refugees came to Australia after the Holocaust with nothing and had the trauma of having lost many family members. They overcame being the victims of Nazism, which killed 6 million Jews and millions of others. They rebuilt their lives and helped build Australia.

They found a safe haven here, but now the tables have turned, especially since October 7, the worst slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust. Jewish Australians are experiencing a crisis of antisemitism. The genie of antisemitism has been unleashed by the indifference and slow response of the government and law enforcement, and it is hard to put back in.

Jews are now living in fear, and some are deciding it’s safer in Israel in a war zone than in Australia. There has been firebombing and vandalism of synagogues, firebombing of a childcare centre, cars and the office of a Jewish parliamentarian, plus over one hundred incidents, including at Jewish schools. Jewish businesses have been attacked, and Jewish creatives doxxed.

This led to the following video clip about why Jews should celebrate Australia Day:

Restoring Education

To address this, Indigenous Friends of Israel International has a public education program that involves monthly Zoom seminars, regular press releases and articles, daily social media posts, liaising with the Jewish community, and attending pro-Israel rallies.

We are also developing a school antisemitism education program that aligns with the national curriculum. We are working with Shoshana Linnane, a curriculum writer, and Jill and Eli Rabinowitz, Jewish educators, who have been running a successful program in schools based on In My Pocket, written by one of the Jewish children saved from Germany by the Kindertransport in the 1930s. It is relatable to schoolchildren who have experienced various kinds of displacement.

We have a Zoom seminar on this project in February with Shoshana, Jill and Eli as speakers. You can find out more and register for free on our website.

Shoshana says,

“As antisemitic voices and acts of hatred emerge in a daily torrent competing for a central stage position, it is imperative now, more than ever, to provide Australian teachers and school leaders with an alternative voice and potential for acts filled with compassion, respect for diversity and reaching out to connect with and understand our Jewish neighbours.

It is of utmost importance and urgency to develop these teaching units on antisemitism for Australian schools in conjunction with the national curriculum, and together with teams from Indigenous Friends of Israel International and WE ARE HERE! Foundation.

These units will guide teachers in how to discuss concepts of antisemitism, displacement of people groups, ethics and justice through quality literature such as the inspirational story, In My Pocket. It is a privilege to be involved in the writing of these units which have the potential to be a catalyst for change in our communities.”

IFI International plans to have the units ready for a pilot program in schools mid-year, so if you know a school that might be interested, please let us know.

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Republished with thanks to Indigenous Friends of Israel. Image courtesy of Unsplash.