From safe haven to target: Australia sees 'the worst times for Jews' with a 700% spike in hate crimes

Antisemitic shockwaves have been felt worldwide following the Hamas-led atrocities and massacre on Oct. 7, 2023. Australia, in particular, has witnessed a staggering rise in antisemitic incidents, including a synagogue being set on fire last December in Melbourne, reminiscent of the Shoah (Holocaust).

Australia has witnessed an astonishing 700% increase in antisemitic hate crimes, with Melbourne being particularly affected. Jeremy Leibler, president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, has criticized the lack of political response to these events.

Leibler, like many members of the Jewish community in Australia, is a descendant of Holocaust survivors who fled there seeking safety and a fresh start away from a Europe that had betrayed them.

A country known for its pristine beaches, vibrant surfing culture, and postcard-perfect weather, Australia offered the Jewish community a refuge from the conflict-ridden regions torn apart by ethnic disputes and the relentless judgments and attacks over their religious beliefs and practices. For Jewish immigrants, Australia seemed like a paradise – until it wasn’t.

The distressing turn of events for the nearly 120,000 Jewish citizens of what was once a paradise-like land down under has now exposed them to the global wave of hate that so many have faced since Oct. 7 – more than a year and a half ago.

Leibler said it bluntly: "There have never been worse times for Jews in Australia," according to Ynet News.

"The synagogue fire was another escalation in the wave of hate we’ve seen on Melbourne’s streets every day this past year. This attack proves that words turn into actions. It’s a stain on our nation and it’s time for political leaders at every level to take real action to eradicate this antisemitism from our lives.

Most of Australia’s Jewish community lives in Sydney or Melbourne, and half of its Jewish residents send their children to Jewish schools. They have long been known for the strength of their Zionist identity and activism. 

The majority of Australian Jews have been able to trace their heritage to European countries that were all too familiar with the Holocaust, Leibler explained.

"In some ways, the arrival of Holocaust survivors after the war significantly shaped the local Jewish community, making it more Zionist and deeply connected to Israel.” The events of Oct. 7, 2023, has only deepened the bond and made the reality that much more sobering.

The brutality of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel has raised not only national security concerns but also intensified fears around “self-defense and personal safety,” Leibler said.

He noted that antisemitism in Australia had never reached the levels seen in Europe or the United States but added that everything changed after the Oct. 7 tragedy in Israel. He expressed a strong sense of 'betrayal' by the media, which he feels has championed a more liberal stance on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while overlooking the atrocities committed by Hamas against Israelis, internationals, and members of the Arab community that triggered the war in the first place.

“When an Australian Jew can be labeled a ‘genocide supporter’ simply for being Zionist, that’s just another form of antisemitism. The reality is that in today’s Australia, being openly Jewish and Zionist comes with a social cost. Some prefer to hide or downplay their identity, which is deeply troubling and will shape the future of Jewish life here,” Leibler commented. 

Australia is home to some 800,000 Muslims, and Leibler noted that “not a single Muslim leader here has condemned the October 7 massacre or the rapes and murders committed that day.” 

“That speaks volumes. These numbers carry political weight, and with elections approaching, views on the Middle East are increasingly factoring into Australian politics,” Leibler pointed out, stating that leaders are increasingly aligning themselves with a Muslim agenda for the purpose of gaining voters and political support.

While these events are concerning, it has not broken the spirit of the Jewish people, nor has fear sent them into hiding. In fact, Australia has seen “a surge in Jewish communal engagement.”

"We’re seeing an explosion in attendance at Jewish events and a dramatic rise in membership and activism," Leibler said. "In some cases, participation has doubled. We’re seeing an explosion in attendance at Jewish events... It’s reminiscent of the [1967] post-Six-Day War era."

There are about 10,000-12,000 expatriated Israelis living in Australia – known as “Aussraelis.” Leibler admits there wasn’t really an attempt to better integrate Israelis living among them before the Gaza War, but now a camaraderie has formed between the Australian Jews and Israeli Jews who have moved into their community.

In a place that was once a safe and open society for Jews to live their lives in freedom, the times have changed in Australia – at least for now.

“When you have a strong, Zionist Jewish community facing that kind of uncertainty, it creates a profound sense of insecurity. This could change, but it depends on what actions the government chooses to take,” Leibler said.