Encouraging Royal Commission submissions

The National Council of Jewish Women Australia (NCJWA) is encouraging submissions to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion prior to the deadline of May 30, 2026.

It has held at least five Royal Commission submission writing workshops across the country with over 200 people, its website provides helpful resources, and it has launched a “Women of NCJWA talk about making their submissions” social media campaign. The writing workshops were initiated by NCJWA NSW president Nathalie Samia.

NCJWA’s free submission-writing workshops are run in conjunction with its state sections.

“They provide a safe, supportive space to prepare your submission, with legal, writing and wellbeing assistance available,” NCJWA stated. There are options to be anonymous and at the writing workshops, NCJWA explain any issues around privacy, confidentiality and testimony. The workshops are open to Jewish women, men and allies.

“If you have any anxieties about writing a submission to the Royal Commission on antisemitism, I found that the best fix was to attend the submission writing workshop run by the NCJWA,” participant Jackie stated. “Not only was there advice demystifying the machinations of the Royal Commission process but we were also briefed by a crack team of legal folk who advised on the range of privacy options (including anonymity) that we could submit under. We also had the opportunity to be briefed and supported by a seasoned therapist and ultimately, I found it productive, busting through my blank page jitters in the context of some loving peer pressure.”

NCJWA president Lynda Ben-Menashe commented to The AJN, “As women, we are super pragmatic and know that just telling people ‘to make submissions’ isn’t enough. We need to support them through the ‘how’ and also offer practical legal and emotional support. That’s what our workshops do, as well as build community in a very concrete way. Putting people in a room together engenders and deepens our ties with each other. In each workshop up to 50 people learn together, laugh together, cry together and write together, all with the aim of making our country safer for everyone.”

NCJWA (Vic) president Anna Serry added, “These workshops have been a powerful reminder that behind every submission is a lived experience that deserves to be heard. By creating a supportive space for people to reflect, write and share, we are helping ensure that the Royal Commission captures not just incidents, but the real human impact of antisemitism and that Jewish women’s voices are part of the national record.”

For more information and workshop dates visit ncjwa.org.au/rc