JCCV: Jews feel ‘excluded, less safe’ Since October 7

Jewish Victorians have experienced a significant downturn in their quality of life since the Hamas atrocities of October 7, 2023, according to a new report by the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV).

Jews have felt more isolated within workplaces and organisations, have experienced a decline in mental and emotional health, feel less safe, and are spending a lot more time on media and social media relating to events in the Middle East and issues impacting the local Jewish community.

“Jewish Victorians have been excluded – or have felt the need to retreat – from diverse areas of public life, workplaces, education and queer spaces due to rising antisemitism. This has been most acutely felt in the creative industries,” the report stated.

Turning Point: The Victorian Jewish Community After October 7 detailed the doxxing of 600 Jews as “genocidal Zionists”, which led to exclusion and contract cancellations in the arts world. Jewish tertiary students were exposed to “assaults, threats and verbal abuse”, overwhelmingly by individuals not connected to their university.

Jews in Victoria have reported post-traumatic symptoms, have accessed mental health services and have found difficulty attending school or work. Elders “have suffered heightened anxiety” as they revisited memories of horrific antisemitism in the 20th century.

These findings support alarming statistics on the steep rise in antisemitism in the JCCV’s 2023 and 2024 Antisemitism Reports and Defining Antisemitism: The Victorian Experience.

On the upside, the new report found stronger levels of Jewish communal engagement, as Jews seek mutual support and solidarity.

A key aspect of the report are 17 interviews with Jewish organisations, including religious, youth and cultural leaders, and service providers, who were asked for confidential firsthand accounts. Conducted late last year and early this year, the interviews complement research from organisations including Jewish Care Victoria, the Community Security Group, Australasian Union of Jewish Students and the Online Hate Prevention Institute.

“This report captures a pivotal moment in our Victorian Jewish community,” said JCCV president Philip Zajac. While there are no formal recommendations, the JCCV “has been considering the findings carefully”, said Zajac, and they have helped shape its strategic plan.

JCCV CEO Naomi Levin told The AJN the roof body has begun responding to the report through enhanced antisemitism support, facilitating stronger community engagement through volunteering, and a renewed focus on building stronger ties between Jews and non-Jews in Victoria. “There is no doubt our community has undergone seismic shakes since October 7, 2023. This report documents where we have landed.”