The National Council of Jewish Women has launched a series of free national workshops to assist individuals in preparing submissions for the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion.

Led by the national body alongside its sections in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia, the sessions will be held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth to provide formal guidance on the submission process.

NCJWA workshop

NCJWA is a voluntary Jewish women’s organisation that promotes social justice and the status of women through advocacy, education, and community service.

The workshops offer access to legal expertise and writing support to ensure that personal accounts are documented clearly and effectively. Participants will have the opportunity to draft their submissions on site with immediate assistance from professional writers and legal specialists.

Lynda Ben-Menashe

As one of the six peak Jewish organisations represented collectively before the commission, NCJWA is coordinating these sessions with pro bono legal support from ABL and the Jewish Centre for Law and Justice. This collaboration also involves the Royal Commission’s independent Legal Assistance Service, led by Judith Levitan, alongside other peak and grassroots bodies.

Recognising that recounting incidents of antisemitism can be distressing, the organisers have arranged for mental health professionals to be available at every session. This includes specialists such as Amanda Gordon, who led the community response following the Bondi attacks, and other mental health practitioners in each state.

Lynda Ben-Menashe said the workshops “provide a secure environment for women and their allies to share their experiences and propose future improvements,” adding that the initiative is designed to ensure a diverse range of voices inform the commission’s final findings.

The organisers emphasise that individual stories remain essential, even for those who have previously contributed to group reports or other organisational filings.

The first workshop is this Sunday, April 12. Registration for all sessions is open now on the NCJWA website for those wishing to participate in the inquiry.