Recorded anti-Semitism in Australia rose by 10 percent over the past year, according to a new survey published by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ).
The annual Report on Anti-Semitism in Australia, which covers the period of October 2015 to September 2016, lists a total of 210 incidents, of which 84 involved abuse, harassment and intimidation. In the preceding 12 months, 190 incidents were recorded.
The report has detailed comments published in media especially in Facebook a rising problem being addressed by the ECAJ.
“There was a marked increase in the form of assault known as ‘egging’ – targeting and assaulting Jews by throwing eggs at them. Eggings occurred predominantly as Jews walked to and from synagogue on Friday evenings and Saturdays in Melbourne,” said the report’s author, ECAJ Research Officer, Julie Nathan.
The report also noted an increase in vandalism, graffiti, hate emails, and anti-Semitic leaflets. There was a decrease in face-to-face verbal abuse/harassment of Jews, although “the frequency of this type of incident tends to fluctuate from year to year,” said Nathan.
Although Australia remains a stable, vibrant and tolerant democracy, where Jews face no official discrimination, and are free to observe their faith and traditions, anti-Semitism persists. There are segments of Australian society which are not only hostile towards Jews, but actively and publicly express that hatred with words and threatened or actual violent acts. As a result, and by necessity, physical security remains a prime concern for the Jewish community.
