Special Envoy launches antisemitism handbook
Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal AO, launched the handbook “Understanding Antisemitism in Australia” on Thursday morning at the Jewish Museum of Australia in St Kilda, Melbourne.
The publication is the first academically grounded, Australian-focused guide to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism, which is the Australian Government’s official definition.
Jillian Segal launching the handbook. Photo: David Marlow
While widely adopted globally, the definition has often been misunderstood or misrepresented. The handbook is intended for use across sectors including education, business, sport, the arts and community organisations.
Segal said the handbook was designed to cut through confusion and provide practical guidance.
“This handbook is about people, not politics. It draws on real experiences to help our community understand antisemitism in its modern forms and gives every sector the tools to stand against it, consistent with the values of fairness and respect that define us as Australians.”
The launch drew Jewish community leaders and non-Jewish supporters, with a wide range of communal organisations represented.
In the foreword to the handbook, former governor-general Peter Cosgrove said antisemitism runs counter to core Australian values and warned of a growing trend of hatred and exclusion.
“Australia is built on respect, fairness and the dignity of every person. Antisemitism stands in direct opposition to those Australian values.”
“Jewish Australians have experienced a deeply concerning rise in hatred, intimidation and exclusion.”
“The tragedy in Bondi brought this reality into sharp focus.”
“Australia must respond with clarity, unity and resolve.”
Daniel Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the handbook addresses a critical gap, giving Australians practical guidance on how to respond to antisemitism.
“The Special Envoy’s handbook is a critical document in the fight against antisemitism… Australians need a tool to show them the ‘how’ as well as the ‘what’. The handbook is that tool and will prove extremely useful in the fight we have ahead of us.”
Lynda Ben Menashe, president of the National Council of Jewish Women of Australia, said the organisation’s contribution of lived experience to the handbook, particularly from Jewish women, would help shape understanding and inform future policy.
Breann Fallon, chief executive officer of the Melbourne Holocaust Museum, said the handbook strikes a necessary balance between clarity and nuance.
“The Melbourne Holocaust Museum welcomes the Antisemitism Handbook as a vital step towards addressing a complex and evolving form of hatred, recognising the need for both clarity in definition and sensitivity to context.”
Andre Oboler, Jillian Segal and Lynda Ben-Menashe at the launch (photo: David Marlow)
Andre Oboler, chief executive officer of the Online Hate Prevention Institute and an expert member of Australia’s delegation to IHRA, said the handbook would help translate the definition into practical use.
“The launch of the handbook is an important step… It is a vital resource with background on antisemitism, Australian examples of antisemitism, explanations of how it manifests, and responses debunking misinformation. It will help people better understand the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism and how to use it as a diagnostic tool in real world situations.”
Alon Cassuto, president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, said the challenge had shifted from awareness to action.
“The issue with antisemitism has not been awareness, it has been a lack of clarity and action… Antisemitism today hides behind distortion, double standards and coded language. This handbook draws clear lines and gives leaders and institutions the confidence to act.”
“We’ve had an official definition since October 2021. Now we have a way to apply it.”
“A definition, on its own, is not enough… abstractions do not protect people. Leadership and decisive action do.”
“Antisemitism is not abstract; it is the lived reality for many Jewish Australians.”
Leon Mann, co-founder of the Australian Academic Alliance Against Antisemitism (5A), reflected on the launch and broader message.
He highlighted remarks about the Jewish community’s contribution to Australian society and concerns about hostility in the arts sector, and pointed to Cassuto’s “80/20 rule” in balancing community life with responding to antisemitism.
“I pray for a time when he can follow a 99/1 rule.”
A pdf copy of the handbook is available via the Special Envoy’s website: https://www.aseca.gov.au/resources/understanding-antisemitism-australia
