Why Herzog’s Message Matters for Australia

As the Israeli presidential jet touches down in Australia this week, it brings with it more than just the weight of diplomacy. President Isaac Herzog arrives at a moment of profound vulnerability and historical reckoning for the Australian Jewish community. Coming just months after the horrific December massacre at Bondi Beach—an event that claimed 15 lives and shattered our collective sense of safety—Herzog’s visit is, fundamentally, an act of “Mishpacha.”

However, beneath the formal meetings with Prime Minister Albanese and the emotional vigils with grieving families, one specific theme from Herzog’s recent global addresses will likely echo through the halls of Sydney and Melbourne: the linguistic evolution of hate.

The New Slur for an Old Hatred

In late 2025, during the 39th World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem, President Herzog delivered a speech that has since become a cornerstone of his second term. Addressing the explosion of global antisemitism following October 7, he drew a stark, uncomfortable parallel between the past and the present.

“Those who once called us ‘Yids’ or ‘zhids’ now call us ‘Zios,’” Herzog remarked. “Well, these ‘Zios’ have now returned to their land.”