Our allies, our shared fight

With all that our community has endured over the last two years, it is perhaps unsurprising that 56 per cent who responded to The AJN‘s social media poll this week believe non-Jewish Australians are apathetic or perhaps even hostile to us.

But we must not overlook that 36 per cent of respondents believe there’s a “silent majority” who support us. And last weekend, across 15 Australian cities, that silence was broken.

The “Australians Against Antisemitism” rallies, organised by Never Again Is Now (NAIN), weren’t Jewish community events with a smattering of allies. In many locations, 90 per cent of attendees were Christian. In Sydney and Melbourne, the split was roughly even.

These rallies represent a groundswell of ordinary Australians refusing to stay silent while hatred festers. They came because they believe antisemitism has no place in Australia. They see the threat as not just our problem, but as a challenge to the values that define this country.

So too, the speakers at the events, representing the tapestry of our nation from First Nations Australians to those of European descent, to Lebanese and Iranian Australians, from all walks of life, were further proof that that tapestry includes us too. Our sincerest appreciation goes out to NAIN, its founder Mark Leach, his team, and their supporters. Their voices are a light, a beacon of truth and moral clarity.