ECAJ lodges misconduct complaint against Sydney lawyers over antisemitic slurs
Australia’s peak Jewish organisation has lodged a formal complaint of professional misconduct against former BlackBay Lawyers partners Justin Carroll and Yianni van Gelder, following revelations of shocking antisemitic WhatsApp messages between the pair.
Yom Hashoah 2025 Marks 80 Years Since Liberation
April 30, 2025 by Rob Klein
A solemn crowd of over 1,000 filled Sydney’s City Recital Hall on Sunday, 27 April, for the 2025 Yom Hashoah Commemoration, honouring the memory of the six million murdered Jews and marking 80 years since the liberation of the Nazi death camps.
Listen to the lost voices of Mizrachi and Sephardi Jewry in Sydney
April 29, 2025 by Rob Klein
Coinciding with this year’s Vivid Sydney festival will be a powerful and moving “Recollections”, a new immersive exhibition by internationally acclaimed Israeli multimedia artist Dor Zlekha Levy.
Bradfield candidates share personal stakes and policy depth
April 23, 2025 by Rob Klein
In a Federal Electoral Forum defined by civility and depth, but marked by moments of powerful personal testimony, Bradfield candidates Gisele Kapterian and Nicolette Boele addressed a packed crowd at Sydney’s North Shore Synagogue on Tuesday night. Read more
Josh Burns joins others in in Labor over Greens preference deals
April 23, 2025 by Rob Klein
With less than two weeks until the federal election, Labor MP Josh Burns has taken a stance that sets him apart from most of his colleagues. Read more
ECAJ president urges dignity and respect at the polls
As pre-polling opens across Australia today, Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) president Daniel Aghion KC has called on the Jewish community to uphold dignity and civility during the federal election campaign.
Pope Francis: a legacy of Jewish outreach and Israel dialogue
April 22, 2025 by Rob Klein
Pope Francis, spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church for more than a decade, died today at the age of 88. Read more
Jewish leaders condemn Dreyfus for preferencing Greens in Isaacs
April 22, 2025 by Rob Klein
Australia’s peak Jewish representative body has written to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC MP expressing “deep disappointment” over Labor’s decision to recommend preferences to the Greens in the federal seat of Isaacs, which Dreyfus currently holds.
Former hostage Noa Argamani one of TIME’s 100 most influential people
April 18, 2025 by Rob Klein
It’s been less than a year since Noa Argamani was pulled from the chaos of captivity, freed in a high-risk operation by Israeli forces after eight months in the clutches of Hamas. Read more
A torch across oceans: Maccabiah flame unites continents on its journey to Israel
April 16, 2025 by Rob Klein
This month, the Maccabiah torch arrived in Australia, marking a significant moment in its international journey toward the 2025 Maccabiah Games in Israel. The flame, a symbol of Jewish unity and pride, touched down at Sydney’s Bondi Beach after travelling more than 15,000 kilometres from Jerusalem.
Sharp policy divides on Israel and antisemitism revealed in pre-election survey
A new election survey conducted by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) has revealed significant differences between the Labor Party and the Coalition on key issues affecting the Jewish community, particularly on matters of foreign policy, community security, and antisemitism.
Pro-Palestinian candidate’s sermon alarms ahead of Blaxland election battle
April 15, 2025 by Rob Klein
A pro-Palestinian candidate mounting a serious challenge in the federal seat of Blaxland has sparked outrage after telling worshippers during a sermon, “I felt like I was dead, and 7th of October gave me life.” Read more
Dutton announces federal crackdown on antisemitism, including visa cancellations
April 14, 2025 by Rob Klein
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced a sweeping new policy to combat antisemitic hate crimes in Australia, promising to reopen cold cases, direct federal police to prioritise investigations, and cancel visas for foreign nationals involved in such conduct.
WhatsApp leak exposes deep antisemitism among Sydney lawyers
April 11, 2025 by Rob Klein
Two former lawyers from Sydney’s BlackBay Lawyers, Justin Carroll and Yianni van Gelder, are at the centre of a professional and ethical crisis following the exposure of private WhatsApp messages containing antisemitic slurs, conspiracy theories, and coordinated plans to extract confidential firm data ahead of launching a rival legal practice.
Matt Thistlethwaite defends Labor’s record amid rising hate
When antisemitic graffiti was found at a childcare centre next to Maroubra synagogue earlier this year, Matt Thistlethwaite, the Federal MP for Kingsford Smith, was on the ground within the hour. Read more
Sydney woman charged as antisemitic graffiti probe expands under Strike Force Pearl
April 9, 2025 by Rob Klein
A 27-year-old woman was arrested and charged yesterday in connection with a string of antisemitic graffiti attacks that have shaken communities across Sydney’s eastern and southern suburbs as police expand their investigation under Strike Force Pearl. Read more
Millie Phillips’ executor unaware of University’s plan to drop “Jewish” from Centre name
April 8, 2025 by Rob Klein
Peter Phillippsohn, executor of Millie Phillips’ estate and a trustee of the Northfield Foundation, has queried a report published this week in The Australian relating to controversy surrounding the Australian Catholic University’s (ACU) alleged decision to drop the word “Jewish” from a planned academic centre.
Knox and Spender clash on UNWRA, hate speech, and trust at Jewish election forum
April 7, 2025 by Rob Klein
Wentworth MP Allegra Spender has told Jewish voters that tackling antisemitism is her “top priority,” delivering an emotionally charged and defiant speech at Sunday night’s election forum in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Read more
J-Wire exclusive – Coogee Synagogue to receive $50,000 grant for community upgrades
April 7, 2025 by Rob Klein
In an exclusive reveal to J-Wire, Member for Kingsford Smith Matt Thistlethwaite has announced that Coogee Synagogue will receive a $50,000 federal grant to upgrade its community facilities. The funding will be officially announced this Thursday by Thistlethwaite and State Member for Coogee Marjorie O’Neill.
Albanese government pledges $2 million for Jewish House expansion
April 6, 2025 by Rob Klein
The Albanese Labor Government has announced a $2 million commitment to expand Jewish House, a well-established crisis response organisation in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. The funding will support the construction of 12 new self-contained transitional housing units, allowing the service to double its capacity to assist individuals and families in crisis.
Coalition matches ALP’s $18 million Jewish Arts Quarter pledge
April 4, 2025 by Rob Klein
The Coalition has followed the Albanese government in committing $18 million toward the development of a landmark Jewish Arts Quarter in Elsternwick, Melbourne, offering bipartisan support for a project seen as both culturally significant and politically unifying.
Sydney court cases expose organised campaign of antisemitic activity
April 3, 2025 by Rob Klein
A sprawling hoax campaign that terrorised Sydney’s Jewish community has reached the courts, with four key suspects facing charges linked to a coordinated series of antisemitic attacks, culminating in the discovery of a caravan loaded with explosives in the suburb of Dural.
University of Sydney issues formal warning over Gaza image
April 3, 2025 by Rob Klein
The University of Sydney has issued an official warning to the student association at its Conservatorium of Music following a controversial slide presented during an Orientation Week event that criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza and attributed rising global antisemitism to Israeli policy.
Sunshine Coast MP condemns Nazi vandalism amid worsening antisemitism crisis
April 3, 2025 by Rob Klein
Sunshine Coast Liberal MP Andrew Wallace has sounded the alarm over what he describes as an intensifying antisemitism crisis across Australia, after his election signage was defaced with Nazi symbols in a series of targeted acts over the weekend.
Ezra Hersch named inaugural conducting fellow by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs
April 2, 2025 by Rob Klein
Sydney-based conductor Ezra Hersch has been named one of two inaugural recipients of the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs Conducting Fellowship, a new initiative supporting the development of emerging choral music leaders in Australia.
“Don’t Just Be Jewish; Do Jewish”: Zack Bodner’s Bold Blueprint for the 21st Century
April 1, 2025 by Rob Klein
In an exclusive interview with J-Wire ahead of his visit to Australia for the Sydney Jewish Writers’ Festival, Zack Bodner speaks not just as an author, but as a man deeply embedded in the frontlines of Jewish life. “Judaism isn’t just what you believe; it’s what you do,” he says. “And that doing is how we build a bold Jewish future.”
StandWithUs Australia slams university letters as ‘defamatory and intimidating’
April 1, 2025 by Rob Klein
StandWithUs Australia has issued a strongly worded condemnation of open letters circulating at three of the country’s leading universities, accusing staff and activists of engaging in a “coordinated smear campaign” against its educational programs and warning university leaders that yielding to such pressure would damage the integrity of academic freedom.
Australian Multicultural Council member under scrutiny after anti-Israel posts
March 31, 2025 by Rob Klein
A recent appointee to the Australian Multicultural Council (AMC), is at the centre of a growing political and community backlash after a series of past social media posts labelling Israel a “terrorist” state resurfaced.
A Labor government promises $18million to Jewish Arts Quarter
March 31, 2025 by Rob Klein
In a significant pre-election announcement, the Albanese Government has pledged $18 million towards the creation of the Jewish Arts Quarter (JAQ) in Elsternwick, a visionary precinct that will fuse heritage, creativity, learning, and community into one of Australia’s most ambitious cultural infrastructure projects to date.
Read more
Man charged over antisemitic graffiti in Sydney’s east
March 27, 2025 by Rob Klein
A 23-year-old man has faced court after being charged over a wave of antisemitic graffiti attacks across Sydney’s eastern suburbs that occurred last month. NSW Police allege the man defaced multiple vehicles, garages, and walls with antisemitic messages in the areas of Kingsford and Randwick on Sunday, February 2, 2025. The graffiti, described as offensive and hateful, triggered widespread condemnation from both community leaders and local residents.
