Courage to Care forum calls for united stand against rising antisemitism

Courage to Care Victoria has brought together volunteers, faith leaders and community figures in Melbourne for a powerful evening of dialogue on combating antisemitism and strengthening social cohesion, as anti-Jewish incidents in Australia surge to nearly five times their pre-October 7 rate – the sharpest spike of any comparable country.

Every week, Courage to Care volunteers visit classrooms across Victoria to deliver Upstander education programs that challenge young people to rethink their role when they witness prejudice and injustice. This week, around 100 volunteers and community members gathered at an event proudly hosted by the Gandel Foundation, uniting some of Melbourne’s most prominent voices on social cohesion with those doing quiet, frontline work in schools.

The centrepiece of the evening was an in-depth conversation between Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann of ARK Centre and Melbourne Catholic Archbishop Peter Comensoli, two religious leaders who have each publicly refused to treat antisemitism as someone else’s problem. Archbishop Comensoli, who drew national attention in November 2023 when he visited a Melbourne synagogue and issued a letter condemning antisemitism that was read in Catholic churches across Victoria, spoke about the responsibility of faith communities to stand with their neighbours and the everyday actions that can begin to build bridges between communities.

Rabbi Kaltmann, a long-serving interfaith advocate and member of the Australian Multicultural Council, described education as the most enduring defence against hatred and underlined the urgency of that work in a post-October 7 environment. Audience members pressed both leaders on what genuine solidarity beyond statements and symbolism really demands in practice.

 

If the religious leaders set the tone, it was two Heritage College students who provided the night’s most arresting moments. Student Allegra recalled how hearing a Holocaust survivor’s testimony altered her sense of personal responsibility, while her classmate Iremide spoke with striking clarity about the barriers that stop young people from speaking up when they witness injustice, and what helps them overcome that reluctance. Principal Sonny Aiono reflected on a visible transformation within the school since adopting the program, noting the new “Upstander” language and the deeper, more open conversations students are now willing to have.

Courage to Care Victoria has been delivering free Upstander Programs to schools across the state for more than three decades. In 2026, the organisation is on track to reach more than 23,000 students, with more than 30 per cent of programs delivered in regional and rural Victoria. Post-program evaluations show that 91 per cent of participating students report improved awareness of safe and appropriate responses to discrimination, 89 per cent demonstrate a deeper understanding of bystander versus Upstander behaviour, and 93 per cent of teachers say they would recommend the program to colleagues.

Volunteer Custodian Speaker Leigh Fein, a retired educator, told the gathering about carrying her late father Walter’s story into classrooms as part of the program. She described it as a profound privilege to work alongside fellow volunteers at the grassroots level, helping equip the young people who will shape Australia’s future with the tools and courage to stand up against hatred in all its forms.

 

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