‘Vulnerable and frightened’: Rising anti-Semitism in Australia requires a sensitive media

We are two Jewish women and the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, living and raising our families in Caulfield. Despite our age difference of more than a decade, we connect through our shared experiences as mothers, Orthodox Jewish feminists, and individuals who actively participate in the local charities and synagogues in our neighbourhood.

With the war raging since October 7 between Hamas and Israel, there is no denying that tensions in Australia have been extremely high. There has been a stark rise in anti-Semitism in our country — and Jewish people, like ourselves, are feeling vulnerable and frightened. 

Since the war broke out more than two months ago, we are more vigilant and on edge when attending Jewish communal events, taking our families to synagogue, or being openly Jewish in public. The security at our children’s schools has been tightened, and being openly Jewish online can be challenging. Things feel tense and cause us to think twice before living our regular lives as Jews.

Within this context, we have read the coverage from Crikey last week about a video showing protesters at the Sydney Opera House, which was shared by the Australian Jewish Association on X (formerly Twitter) and captioned as protesters saying “gas the Jews”. The video was viewed millions of times and prompted a rapid change to New South Wales’ hate speech legislation. 

Crikey reported that there are serious doubts about the specific chant referencing the Holocaust captured in the footage, and cites interviews with forensic audio experts, new unedited footage and an independent audio report.

However, when Crikey’s article was posted on X, comments soon appeared under other users’ posts such as “Zionists lie through their teeth. It was always a falsehood from the outset”, “Why do they love to gaslight and play as victim (again) sssseeeshhh”, and “No wonder they never provide any evidence of all the claims they make about the Oct 7 attack”. 

We are Australian Jews, not Israelis, but we have friends and family who live in Israel and are following the news closely. The conflict does not feel far from us, and we both know people who have been murdered or displaced since the war broke out. 

We believe it’s important to call out misinformation. We acknowledge Crikey’s vital role as an independent media outlet that actively publishes stories that other media organisations might avoid due to lobbying, fear of upsetting advertisers, or political considerations. Supporting independent media is essential.

We’re also acutely aware of the power of misinformation. A brief Google search reveals the prevalence of pre-existing conspiracy theories about Jews, with websites featuring anti-Semitic tropes and hate, much of it predating the onset of the current war. There are thousands of websites dedicated to downplaying the Holocaust, questioning the number of casualties, whether the gas chambers existed, or claiming that Jews make things up for sympathy. 

However, in this climate of heightened anti-Semitism, and at a time of deep distress for Australian Jews, to draw a line between “fuck the Jews” and “gas the Jews” — even if there is a criminal distinction — downplays the experience of anti-Semitism that Jews are genuinely navigating, granting permission for others to doubt the gravity of Jews’ current lived experiences and fears in Australia.

As progressive women, we strongly oppose violence, and advocate for equal opportunities for Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace without the constant threat of attacks and violence.

The rally in Sydney took place on October 9, just two days after the Hamas attacks against Israel. Israel’s ground campaign had not yet begun in Gaza, and Israelis were still counting their dead. Against this backdrop, our Jewish community here was in shock and mourning. 

Consider that Australia’s Jewish community possesses the highest number of Holocaust survivors per capita outside of Israel. This community carries intergenerational trauma that significantly influences our lived experience. 

Hearing people chant “fuck the Jews” and appear to burn an Israeli flag on the steps of the Opera House was terrifying. We know people who decided not to send their children to their Jewish schools the next day, and security at all our communal institutions was tightened. 

While we support the right of pro-Palestine protesters to express their opinions through peaceful activism, it is important to emphasise that engaging in vilification or violence is never acceptable. 

We are concerned that Crikey, with its article focusing on potential misinformation, unintentionally empowered those who deny the pressing reality of rising anti-Semitism in Australia. This alone is a source of apprehension for us.