International Jewish leaders call for urgent action on antisemitism

Leaders from major Jewish communities across the world concluded a significant visit to Australia last week, using their time in Sydney and Melbourne to voice growing concern about the sharp rise in antisemitism and the strain it has placed on Australian Jewry.

The J7 Task Force Against Antisemitism, which brings together representatives from the largest diaspora communities in North and South America, Europe and the United Kingdom, gathered in Australia for a series of meetings on safety, policy and community planning. After meetings in Sydney, the group moved to Melbourne.

Visiting the ruins of the Adass Israel Synagogue destroyed in last year’s arson attack, delegates spoke about the wider pattern they are observing in their own countries and how this now aligns with what is happening in Australia. They stressed that hostility towards Jews is no longer confined to fringe groups, with harassment and targeted threats emerging in settings as varied as universities, workplaces and cultural institutions.

The visit came as the Executive Council of Australian Jewry released its latest annual antisemitism report, recording 1654 incidents in the twelve months to the end of September.

Daniel Bottman, CEO of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said antisemitism has shifted into forms that draw support from very different parts of the political spectrum and that this trend has now appeared in Australia as well.

Mauro Berenstein of DAIA noted that Jewish communities in Argentina have faced their own difficult period and that the rise in anti-Jewish sentiment in Australia mirrors broader international developments.

Gérard Unger, vice-president of France’s CRIF, said consistent monitoring and clear reporting are essential, as the data shows a concerning increase not only in the volume of incidents but also in their severity.

Several delegates also raised the issue of online hostility, saying coordinated harassment campaigns on social platforms are fuelling real-world intimidation and threatening the safety of individuals who are visibly Jewish.

Members of the delegation were also briefed on security upgrades undertaken by synagogues and schools following the Adass fire, including increased patrols, reinforced entry points and the need for long-term funding for protection measures.

Other J7 delegates raised concerns about the pressures facing Jewish students in Australia, the atmosphere around ongoing protests near Jewish neighbourhoods and the spread of anti-Jewish hostility in institutional settings. They urged governments and public bodies to respond quickly and firmly, noting that hesitation in other countries had allowed intimidation to intensify.

The group also discussed the need for clearer guidelines for public institutions, including universities, after hearing accounts from Australian Jewish leaders about staff and students feeling isolated or unsafe during campus protest activity.

ECAJ President Daniel Aghion said the visit underlined the urgency of the moment. He repeated his call for a government response to the national antisemitism plan released five months ago by the Special Envoy and warned that continued silence would weaken public confidence.

During the visit, J7 members also held closed-door policy workshops focused on legal responses to hate crimes, community security models and approaches taken by governments overseas that may have relevance for Australia.

The delegation noted that several countries represented in the J7 have already adopted national anti-hate frameworks, and they encouraged Australia to move quickly so that gaps in protection do not widen further.

During their time in Australia, the J7 delegates also visited the Melbourne Holocaust Museum, took part in a discussion with Victorian community leaders and met with Jewish representatives in Sydney. Their visit closed with a renewed commitment to cooperative work on policies, security challenges and community resilience.