$5.2m for Sydney Jewish Museum education centre

The New South Wales and federal governments have committed a joint $5.2 million to the Sydney Jewish Museum for a new Centre for Education Against Antisemitism, to be established within the redeveloped museum’s new galleries.

The package, split evenly between the two levels of government, comprises a $2.6 million contribution from the NSW Government matched by the Federal Government. It will fund the additional construction required to create exhibition space dedicated to contemporary antisemitism and the response to the Bondi Beach terrorist attack.

The funding was announced after the six-month anniversary of the Bondi shooting and the closing of submissions to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion.

SJM president Greg Shand said he appreciated that both levels of government had responded to the museum’s request for funding.

“Given the Sydney Jewish Museum’s role as a leading educator on social cohesion and anti-racism, we have prioritised our focus on the rise in antisemitism in Australia since October 2023,” he said. “This is both through our offsite training programs as well as through the new galleries and exhibitions currently under redevelopment. Support of this nature by both levels of government reflects a strong endorsement of the national importance of our work.”