Jewish community leaders warn NSW inquiry of ‘terrifying’ rise in antisemitism

The NSW Jewish community has issued a powerful call for urgent and sustained action against antisemitism, warning a parliamentary inquiry that the state is experiencing the worst wave of anti-Jewish hate in living memory—across schools, universities, online platforms, and public spaces.

Appearing before the Legislative Council’s inquiry into antisemitism, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip described the last 20 months as “unprecedented and shocking,” citing a 339 per cent surge in reported antisemitic incidents. He said the community had been left “overwhelmed” by the volume and severity of threats and harassment.

“For the first time, the Jewish community of Australia and NSW has felt unsafe and at risk—not because of anything it has done, but because of who we are,” Ossip told the committee.

The inquiry comes in the wake of a disturbing discovery: a caravan filled with explosives was found in northwest Sydney, initially feared to be linked to terrorism. Police later determined it was part of a bizarre criminal conspiracy by an overseas man trying to manipulate his own bail conditions. Nonetheless, Jewish community members told the inquiry the effect was no less terrifying.

“The ends were not to terrify Jews, but the means were to terrify Jews,” said Jack Pinczewski, a board member of Sydney’s Great Synagogue. “If it were the case that multiple car fire bombings, graffiti attacks, and attacks on synagogues were not sufficient—how much further would he have gone?”

The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies has welcomed new anti-hate laws passed earlier this year, which ban protests outside places of worship and criminalise hate incitement, but it warned that laws must be enforced consistently and decisively.

“What we really need now is deterrence,” said CEO Michelle Goldman. “There must be a clear message that this is not OK in our society. This is not for Australia.”

The Board also made it clear that most reported incidents are not linked to the Middle East conflict, but rather to deep-rooted antisemitism. “It’s a red herring to reduce this to Israel or Zionism,” Ossip said. “The overwhelming majority of incidents reported to us have nothing to do with political discourse. They’re classic antisemitism.”

The inquiry has also revealed the complexity and divisions within the Jewish community and beyond regarding how antisemitism is defined and responded to.

The Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) Co-President Danielle Tischmann, described Australian university campuses as “flashpoints for antisemitic activity.” She told the inquiry that Jewish students are regularly targeted for identifying as Zionist, a political and cultural affiliation that, she noted, the majority of Jewish Australians share. AUJS argued that dismissing threats or hostility toward Zionists as merely political overlooks how these attacks often intersect with racial and religious discrimination. “It is not credible to claim that threats or acts of hostility directed at ‘Zionists’ cannot also be acts of antisemitism,” AUJS said in its submission, urging greater protection for Jewish students and firmer recognition of the overlap between antisemitic rhetoric and anti-Zionist targeting.

The AJA’s claim that some Jewish groups represent “Jewish antisemitism” was met with sharp criticism. Gregory was asked whether such framing risked reinforcing monolithic stereotypes about Jewish identity, an accusation he denied.

The nature of the inquiry meant that small fringe groups were given the same attention as mainstream community organisations. Stephanie Cunio of Jewish Women 4 Peace argued that focusing solely on antisemitism could “fuel antisemitism” by isolating the Jewish experience from other forms of racism. Janice Leonie Caulfield of the Coalition of Women for Justice and Peace similarly questioned whether the inquiry was “exceptionalising one form of racism.”

Still, Jewish leaders stressed that recognising antisemitism does not come at the expense of addressing other forms of hatred. “No one is saying antisemitism is the only racism,” Ossip said. “But ignoring its specific rise or diluting it into broader categories does a disservice to every targeted minority.”

The inquiry also touched on growing concerns about the impact of antisemitism on youth. Kevin Sumption, CEO of the Sydney Jewish Museum, said online hate is increasingly targeting younger audiences, prompting the Museum to lower the age at which it delivers Holocaust and antisemitism education. “By the time we get to students at age 16 or 17, it’s already too late for many,” he said.

As the inquiry continues, debate is expected to intensify around the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. While it has been endorsed by Australia’s 39 universities, critics argue it could conflate political critique of Israel with hate speech. The Jewish Board of Deputies argued that such fears are overstated, and that the line is clearly crossed when criticism becomes dehumanisation.

Ossip warned against minimising subtle or indirect forms of antisemitism, which he called “subtle and pernicious,” and said the community cannot afford complacency. “This is not about silencing debate. This is about safety, dignity, and ensuring that Jewish Australians can live without fear.”

The inquiry is expected to deliver recommendations on legal reform, education, and institutional response later this year.