Vorchheimer to take on Mashni

Melbourne Jewish community advocate Menachem Vorchheimer has filed Federal Court proceedings against Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni over social media posts from February and March 2025 in which Mashni referred to Israel, Zionism and Judaism as the “Unholy Trinity”.

The claim, supported by the Jewish Centre for Law and Justice (JCLJ), is brought under section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975.

“We know that the Holy Trinity in Christianity has a particular religious significance,” Vorchheimer told The AJN.

“So to create the opposite of that, that Judaism, Israel and Zionism [are] unholy, we say, is a form of racial and religious discrimination.”

The Statement of Claim alleges the posts associate Judaism with white supremacy and racism, imply that Jewish people deceitfully weaponise antisemitism to stifle debate in defence of an “evil ideology”, and suggest Jews are demonic or evil because of their belief in Zionism, described in the claim as central to Jewish culture and identity.

Vorchheimer rejected the argument that the posts were protected political speech.

“Freedom of speech or political speech is related to criticism of political ideology, but it does not give you the right at law to vilify the adherents of belief,” he said.

He expects the case to run for 18 months to two years.

“Without the support of the Jewish Centre for Law and Justice, this case wouldn’t be possible,” he said. “It’s not just a financial effort, it’s also an emotional journey, and to know that I’m not alone in that is significant.”

Asked why a private individual rather than a communal organisation had brought the action, he said, “When the laws aren’t being enforced, someone’s got to step into the void. I’ve done that before and I’m not afraid to do it now.”

Citing evidence to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion about the policing of the Sydney Opera House rally, Vorchheimer said, “We can’t rely on the police to enforce the law and set those boundaries,” leaving enforcement to community members.

JCLJ CEO Ally Steele said the claim built on Vorchheimer’s earlier state case.

“Following the Hash Tayeh case in VCAT, where the chant ‘All Zionists are terrorists’ was found to be racial vilification, this Federal Court claim marks an important next step in setting a legal precedent on antizionist rhetoric.

“It also raises broader questions about the balance between

political speech, antisemitism, and the protections available to minorities when political rhetoric collapses their identity into an ‘evil’ ideology.”