Antisemitism is a public health crisis
These troubling events fill the news feeds of Jewish Australians, they dominate our dining table conversations and they keep us awake at night.
I often reflect on what motivates my passion for the Australian Jewish community. It stems from a deeply personal place: My grandparents were Holocaust survivors who sought refuge in Australia, believing it to be a sanctuary where Jews would be safe and equal. They dreamed that their grandchildren would practise a Jewish way of life freely while integrating into broader Australian society. Their hope, forged in the ashes of despair, is why I stand strong as a Jew, a Zionist and an Australian.
But recent times have seen that strength waver.
In the space of just one week, a synagogue in Melbourne was firebombed, a Queensland man was arrested for plotting to attack the Jewish community centre I represent, cars were set alight in Sydney for the second time in as many months – just to name a few.
These troubling events fill the news feeds of Jewish Australians, they dominate our dining table conversations and they keep us awake at night. Yet many of my friends outside the community often tell me they first hear about these incidents from my Instagram stories.
Earlier this year, I attended Melbourne Pride with a Jewish group. We carried rainbow banners proclaiming “Jewish and Proud” and wore Stars of David around our necks. As I walked back to my car, a group of young people noticed our sign. One of them curled their fingers into the shape of a gun, raising it with a deliberate and chilling motion. They locked eyes with me, before pretending to pull the trigger with a sharp, jarring gesture. The group then turned and vanished into the crowd, leaving me frozen and shaken in the street.
They knew nothing about me – they simply hated me because I am a Jew.
I reported it to the authorities, but nothing eventuated. Some choose to report their experiences to the authorities, most do not bother. When we see antisemitic incidents play out on the public stage with no consequence, like Greens NSW MP Jenny Leong’s horrible speech, and Nazi symbols at Melbourne rallies, it is hard to believe that our leaders and the authorities will have any interest in pursuing these matters at all.
This lack of action reflects a broader issue: antisemitism is not being addressed as the public health crisis that it is. As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said, “The hate that begins with Jews never ends with Jews”.
Antisemitism should be treated like a pandemic – it transcends borders, spreading through populations with devastating impact. It is not new, but its resurgence is dangerous and insidious. It spreads through misinformation, through apathy, through silence.
During COVID-19, we saw how quickly governments could act: implementing new laws, launching prevention campaigns, and enforcing the law. Like a virus, antisemitism requires active and coordinated intervention – at prevention, response and recovery
levels – to stop its spread and address its harms. But the response we have seen from our governments has been too slow, reactive and makeshift, allowing the spread to reach dangerous levels quickly.
As vice-president of Zionism Victoria, I know all too well that government-funded security measures – cameras, guards, barriers – are essential. Yet even these measures often fall short of the community’s needs, with the funding provided frequently failing to meet the scale and urgency of the challenges we face.
And while critical, security funding is only a partial solution. Funding security alone is akin to investing in masks during a pandemic without developing vaccines. Antisemitism is not just a security issue; it is a public health crisis. And it’s time governments start treating it like one.
We need a bold and unflinching public awareness campaign that exposes the real and devastating consequences of antisemitism. Just as the National Cabinet during COVID worked tirelessly to protect lives, a similar coordinated effort is needed now to address the resurgence of antisemitism.
There is no one tick-box that will make me feel safe wearing my Star of David on the train to work again. Governments must invest not only in security but also in education, legislation, and most importantly enforcement. Victoria’s recently announced reforms to tackle the rise in antisemitism are welcome – but critically, all governments must ensure police forces are emboldened to apply hate crime laws – laws that our community spent decades advocating for.
The Federal government should be ashamed that Australia is now considered unsafe for Jewish people to visit. They must stand with Jewish Australians, listen to us and use all their powers to act with urgency and resolve to confront this escalating crisis. This must be a long-term commitment – guided by a national strategy to combat antisemitism – and it must start now.
My grandparents survived the Holocaust and came to Australia for a better future. They believed that Australia would be a safe haven for their descendants. It is heartbreaking to see that belief shaken, not just by rising antisemitism, but by the lack of action to combat it.
Australia can and must do better. Treating antisemitism as the public health crisis it is, is the only way forward. Our future depends on it.
Lexi Kowal is Vice President of Zionism Victoria and a recipient of the Marion & Kurt Lippmann Foundation Jewish Community Professional Scholarship.
comments