Melbourne Holocaust Museum reveals toll of hate

The Melbourne Holocaust Museum (MHM) has laid bare the daily strain of antisemitic abuse on its staff and volunteers in its submission to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion.

Lodged in May, the submission reports that staff field one to two antisemitic or hateful comments daily on Facebook, on top of abusive emails, letters and phone calls.

After the Bondi terror attack, the museum brought counsellors onsite through an employee assistance program, who recorded “acute distress, intrusive thoughts and flashbacks, heightened anxiety, and emotional overwhelm” among staff.

The climate has also made recruitment harder, with prospective employees seeking reassurance over their physical and emotional safety. In 2024, one newly appointed employee resigned after a single day, while a volunteer was unable to finish a shift after reading a hateful comment left in the Memorial Room guest book.

MHM CEO Breann Fallon confirmed the toll was a constant.