Job applicant targeted with antisemitic hate

A young Israeli woman was surprised to be the target of a nasty antisemitic message after being rejected for a job by The Garden of Eden nursery in Albert Park.

She was told to “leave Melbourne” and was accused of being “complicit” in genocide by the employer in a text message, after revealing she was Israeli.

The victim, who is aged 24, has been in Australia for less than a month. She was stunned when she received the hateful text message from Brett Dahan, co-owner of the plant nursery. She appears to have been rejected for the job because of her nationality. Dahan told her that she lacked “humanity” and then added “Free Palestine”.

Dahan texted, “Unfortunately, the position has been filled by someone with a semblance of humanity and who cares for plants, animals, and the environment…Good luck on your journey and I hope you leave Melbourne soon!”

“Free Palestine and end genocide NOW.”

“You’re complicit in IT.”

Naomi Levin, CEO, Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) told J-Wire, “Antisemitism in any form is unacceptable and must be stopped Victoria. Any Victorian who witnesses or experiences antisemitism should report it to the Community Security Group (CSG) and can contact the JCCV Antisemitism Support Service for guidance and support if needed.”

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has condemned the incident as “a disturbing example of antisemitism.” Allan said the government fully supports the Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission’s investigation, which began today, and announced $500,000 of new funding programs to address hate crimes affecting Jewish and Muslim communities.

There have been calls for the antisemitic incident to be investigated by authorities, as the incident could well breach antidiscrimination laws. Dr Dvir Abramovich, Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) Chair called the incident a “cowardly act of discrimination” and said it reflects normalisation in the broader community of prejudice towards Jews and Israelis.

David Southwick MP, Member for Caulfield, told J-Wire, “This vile and cowardly act of antisemitic discrimination is a stain on Victoria. No person should ever be told to ‘leave Melbourne’ because they are Israeli or Jewish. This goes far beyond a job rejection. It is hate and potentially against the law.”

The victim, whose identity is being kept private, said, “I was shocked and deeply disappointed… I came to Australia believing it was a fair and welcoming country but reading those words – so full of hostility – was heartbreaking. I was judged, not as a person, but as an Israeli.”

Abramovich said, “It’s hard to read that message without feeling a chill.”

“It tells us that Jewish and Israeli people can no longer rely on fairness, dignity, or safety.”

On Monday, the business, which is owned by Brett Dahan and his twin brother Scott, issued a statement of apology to the community via social media, saying they were taking the matter “very seriously”. It appears that the apology may have been issued by Scott Dahan. It is not apparent that there has been an apology to the young Israeli woman involved.

The statement reads, “The Garden of Eden Nursery would like to express its regret and extend its sincere apologies to the community in regards to the recent message sent to a member of the public by a staff member.”

“The message was sent via a personal account and we were unaware of it until it became public. We are deeply upset and disappointed by the content of the message, which in no way reflects the values, standards, or spirit of our business or team.”

“We take this matter very seriously and are addressing it internally. Our commitment has always been to foster a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive environment for our customers, staff, and all communities.”

Alex Ryvchin, Co-Chief Executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the statement “fails to grasp how serious an instance of discrimination and dehumanisation this is and the impact it would have on the victim and wider society. To be treated in such a way severely affects a person’s wellbeing and their sense of worth.”

“If a job applicant from any other country had been vilified, mocked and discriminated against in such a way, the individual responsible would be gone before the end of the day. It is the lack of meaningful consequences and a willingness to find benefit of doubt in such cases that has made this conduct prevalent in our society.”

Later today, emotions escalated outside the nursery as about 30 pro-Palestine protesters confronted a group of around 20 Jewish community members organised by the Australian Jewish Association. Victoria Police prevented further escalation by getting involved at around 2.30pm today.