In the aftermath of the acts of terror perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, when more Jewish people were murdered than on any other single day since the Holocaust, emotions of outrage, anguish, and concern have dominated hearts, minds, and headlines. As a result of the actions of Hamas, the region is now engulfed in a war that is costing Palestinian and Israeli lives every day.
As events continue to unfold, and hate speech against Jewish Australians at the highest levels ever recorded, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies continues to mobilize to support and protect our community. On this portal is information about the conflict, access to emotional and other support, opportunities to take action and many other resources to meet the needs of our community.
On October 7th the internationally proscribed Islamist terror organisation Hamas perpetrated the most horrific attack on Jews since the Holocaust, massacring over 1,200 people in southern Israel in the most barbaric manner imaginable: torturing families, mutilating children and adults, raping hundreds of Jewish girls and women of all ages, setting fire to people and desecrating bodies after the orgy of killing. Over 4,000 people were wounded and over 240 people: Israeli Jews, Israeli Muslims and Israeli Christians, guest workers and visitors, aged from 9 months to over 80 years, were abducted to Gaza. As at April 1 2024, 134 are still being held hostage by Hamas (including 1-year old infant, Kfir Bibas, and 86 year old Arye Zalmanovich), and 32 of these are believed to be dead.
Israel is fighting this war against Hamas to free the hostages and bring them home, to eliminate Hamas and to restore Israeli security by removing the threat outlined by Hamas deputy foreign minister Ghazi Hamad on October 24, that Hamas will repeat October 7 “again and again until Israel is ‘annihilated”.
from Lebanon., Hezbollah, which has attacked Israelis for years, is continuing almost daily rocket barrages into the north of Israel causing the evacuation of tens of thousands of Israelis.
Israel and most Western governments regard this war as parallel to the wars against ISIS, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram and other Islamist terror organisations.
The IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism (adopted by the Australian government in 2021)
When does anti-Zionism become antisemitism? A Jewish historian’s perspective
Watch video: Hate speech against Jews across world following Oct 7
Watch Video: Recent hate speech against Jews across Australia
Parents of Jewish Children not feeling safe anymore
ECAJ Annual Antisemitism Reports
Watch: Never Again The Fight Against Antisemitism in Australia Documentary
Screams Before Silence documentary about the rape used as a weapon of war on Oct 7th
New York Times -‘Screams Without Words’: How Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence on Oct. 7
Released hostage Amit Soussana recounts sexual assault at hands of Hamas captor
Survived to Tell Testimony Project
Mothers speak about the hostages and the murdered
Seven10stories: testimonies from October 7 survivors
“I went through hell”: What the released hostages say about their captivity
Hamas, which is an acronym of its official name, the Islamic Resistance Movement, is an Iranian-backed Islamist Jihadist terror organisation founded in 1987 in the Gaza Strip by Sheik Ahmed Yassin. Its ideological roots lie in the Muslim Brotherhood, itself founded in Egypt in 1928. It is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Australia, USA, Canada, European Union, UK, Japan, and many other nations.
Hamas, whose philosophy and methodology combine those of the Nazis and ISIS, is similarly a threat to all people and societies. Its radical Islamist ideology rejects and punishes by death ‘unbelievers’, gay people, trans people and political opponents and allows none of the liberal Western values. The horrific attacks perpetrated by Hamas on October 7 align with those of Al Qaeda in the US on 9/11, London on 7/7 and Paris (Charlie Hebdo) in 2015; of Jama Islamiya in Bali in 2002; the Boko Haram kidnappings of Christian schoolgirls in Nigeria in 2014; and all the actions of ISIS. Australians remember well the image of the Australian boy in Rakka holding up a severed head – his father a member of Islamic State.
War is abhorrent, but the war currently being fought against Hamas by Israel is recognised by the US, Australia, the UK, India and most countries of Europe as one of the wars which simply has to be fought and won, just as the wars against the Nazis and ISIS were.
Hear about Hamas in their own words and in the words of Arab journalists, academics and other commentators.
View
View: Instagram content covering history and many key issues
Watch: ‘For Critical Thinkers’ series: 3-7 min clips covering all the issues from ancient times until today
Watch: Unpacked History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Watch: Unpacked Who is Hamas
Watch: Unpacked Hamas’ control over Gaza
Watch: MEMRI See what Arab leaders say to their own audiences, with English subtitles
Read
Upping your Israel IQ Toolkit.
Book: “The Arab-Israeli Conflict: A timeless struggle” by Professor Leanne Piggott, an impeccably balanced and documented textbook.
Book: “Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth” by advocate Noa Tishby, offering a fresh, 360-degree view, Tishby brings her “passion, humor, and deep intimacy” to the subject, creating an accessible and dynamic portrait of Israel.
Read the Times of Israel
7 October Statement
19 October Statement on Hamas and Islamic Jihad
20 October Statement responding to the NSW Teachers Federation
22 October Statement condemning the Mayor of Wollongong
30 November Statement responding to Greens MP Jenny Leong
1 December Statement supporting the strengthening of the Crimes Act
8 January Statement support in streamlining the Crimes Act
2 February Statement on the Opera House investigation
9 February Statement on reports of Doxxing
10 April Statement on the Unilateral Recognition of a Palestinian State
3 May Statement on the University protests
11 May Statement on the UN General Assembly resolution
21 May Statement on violent anti Israel protesters
Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney
Assyrian National Council of Australia
Dennis Richardson former Director-General of Security of Australia
Ethnic Communities’ Council NSW Inc.
Federal Parliamentary Friends of Israel
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
Josh Frydenberg former treasurer
NSW and Federal Australian Politicians
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton
Follow Debby Lechtman on Instagram and read her blog.
Follow the Persian Jewess on Instagram
Follow Hen Mazzig on Instagram
Follow Nate Buzz on Instagram
Follow Nova Peris on Instagram
Follow Daniel Ryan Spaulding on Instagram
Follow Montana Tucker on Instagram
Follow Lizzy Savetsky on Instagram
Follow Rudy Rochman on Instagram
Watch this YouTube channel
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, CALL 000
Report antisemitic incidents or hate speech to the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies here.
Report antisemitic incidents to CSG here.
Have you been a victim of doxxing? Read more here.
You can also report inflammatory social media content here. Note: this page is in Hebrew, but the submission form is in English.
Contact AUJS
Report on campus antisemitism HERE or email [email protected]
Request special consideration letters to assist with misadventure applications. Click HERE
NSW Universities antisemitism information sheet
UNSW
Harassment and bullying reporting portal HERE
Campus Security: 9385 6666
Urgent 24/7 counselling: 02 8905 0307
USYD
Harassment and bullying reporting: 1800 793 457
Campus security: 9351 3333
Urgent 24/7 counselling: 1300 474 065
University of Wollongong
Campus security: 4221 4900 or 0407 287 750 or [email protected]
24-hour student wellbeing: 1300 036 149 or text 0488 884 164
UTS
Harassment and bullying reporting: 02 9514 1048 or [email protected]
Campus security: 1800 249 559
UTS counselling: 02 9514 1177
Macquarie University
Wellbeing support: Care MQ Network (online portal) or 1800 2273 67 or (02) 9850 7497
Campus security: 02 9850 9999
University of Notre Dame
Campus security contact list HERE
Student Counselling Service HERE
Report antisemitic bullying at school here, or call (02) 9360 1600
Parents of Jewish Children not feeling safe anymore
Violent Threat Graffiti outside Mt Scopus College
JewishCare guide for parents on how to talk with children about the war.
For support from psychologists and social workers for Jewish students at non-Jewish day schools, call JewishCare during business hours on 1300 133 600
If you are a member of the Jewish community feeling distressed or anxious about the ongoing war or local antisemitism, you can access free counseling.
Call JewishCare during business hours on 1300 133 660 or during all other times to the 24/7 crisis hotline for Jewish House on 1300 544 357.
The Forum of Australian Services to Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT) has launched Witness to War, a free and confidential multilingual telephone hotline for people in Australia affected by overseas conflicts. You can access the Witness to War program HERE.
Click here to subscribe to the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies newsletter to be kept updated about current work and upcoming events.
Share ‘Those we are still missing’
Print hostage posters here.
Watch and share Screams Before Silence documentary
Follow the official social media account of the hostage families and share.
Press
The Australian [email protected]
Australian Financial Review https://www.afr.com/contact-us/letters-to-the-editor
The Canberra Times https://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/send-a-letter-to-the-editor/
Crikey https://www.crikey.com.au/contact-us/
Daily Mail Australia (via UK site) https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/contactus/article-3701148/Make-Formal-Complaint.html
Daily Telegraph
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/letter-to-the-editor
The Guardian Australia [email protected]
Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong) https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/comment/send-a-letter-to-the-editor/
J-Wire https://www.jwire.com.au/contact-j-wire/
Newcastle Herald https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/opinion/letters/send-a-letter-to-the-editor/
The Jewish Independent [email protected]
To discuss advertising, sponsorship or promotional
The Saturday Paper [email protected]
Sydney Morning Herald [email protected]
Sydney Morning Herald To submit an opinion piece email [email protected]
TV, Radio and online
These are trusted organisations running appeals related to the current war. Click on each one to be directed to their donation page.
1. JCA Never Again Response Appeal
2. Magen David Adom (Israeli Red Cross equivalent)
3. UIA Israel at War Emergency Appeal
4. ZDVO Beit Halochem Australia
5. WIZO Emergency Appeal
6. JNF Emergency Appeal for the Gaza border communities
7. Project Rozana Emergency Relief Appeal
8. Bring Them Home Now – appeal for hostage families
9. Citizen’s Kitchen
Email us here so we can be in touch with you.
You or your organisation might like to write a statement of support. You can find some examples in the section on this portal “Who is standing with us.”
A website can’t end hate. But You Can.
Pledge your support for an Australia where all citizens are treated with respect, inclusivity and dignity.
Contact us to join a solidarity mission to Israel
