The eerie echoes of Nazi Germany's darkest era are sounding loud and clear Down Under, according to the president of the Australian Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants. George Foster's stark warning has been delivered before Australia's royal commission on antisemitism, which is currently investigating a surge in hate crimes targeting the country's Jewish community.
Foster, who was born in Hungary to parents who had narrowly escaped the Holocaust and later emigrated to Australia in 1947, drew a sombre comparison between the current social climate and that of pre-war Nazi Germany. While acknowledging the fundamental differences in Australia's democratic institutions, legal system, and civil society, he highlighted disturbing similarities in the exclusion of Jewish people from public life, normalisation of antisemitic language, dehumanising descriptions of Jews, and the resurgence of ancient tropes.
The royal commission's hearings have shed light on a wave of attacks, including assaults on Jewish schools, synagogues, and businesses. Community leaders testified about the devastating impact on their communities, with some considering or undertaking relocation to Israel due to fear for their safety. The Australian intelligence agency ASIO has alleged that an arson attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in south-east Melbourne was orchestrated by the Iranian government.
The financial burden on Jewish families is also a pressing concern, with several schools now charging parents security levies on top of regular fees. Mount Scopus Memorial College and Bialik College in Melbourne have reported a significant increase in antisemitic incidents since January 2022, including graffiti and verbal abuse targeting students and staff.
While some alleged attacks are being kept under wraps due to ongoing criminal proceedings, the commission's inquiry has sparked widespread concern about the state of Australia's social cohesion. As Foster noted, 'vilification of Jews to a point which shocked me' was witnessed during a protest outside the Sydney Opera House in October 2023, following Hamas's attacks on Israel.