Australia Opens Antisemitism Hearings as Jews Describe Fear and Daily Harassment

Australia’s Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion opened its first hearings on Monday, with Jewish community members describing a sharp rise in fear, harassment and insecurity in daily life.

The hearings follow an interim report into the Bondi Beach terror attack and are focused on hearing directly from Jewish Australians about their experiences. The commission is tasked with defining antisemitism, assessing its scope across society, and developing recommendations to address it. 

Testimony on the opening day focused heavily on the impact of antisemitism on communal and religious life. Rabbi Benjamin Elton of Sydney’s Great Synagogue described more than two years of sustained threats, including a phone call warning staff, “We’re coming to get you,” and incidents in which congregants were verbally and physically assaulted after being identified as Jewish.

He told the commission that a caravan once believed to contain explosives was found carrying a message targeting Jews along with the synagogue’s address, triggering what he described as “extraordinary concern” among members. “The terror that it unleashed in the minds of the congregation was just as potent,” Elton said.

The rabbi said protests targeting Jewish institutions, rather than government bodies, can cross the line into antisemitism. “Hatred for Israel becomes hatred for Jews, because now Jews are identified as responsible for Israel, and then that hatred eventually leads to violence,” he said.

Other witnesses described how antisemitism has moved into everyday public spaces. Sheina Gutnick told the commission that since 2023, antisemitic behavior had become “socially, morally acceptable” in ways she had not previously experienced. She recounted an incident in which she was targeted while walking in a shopping center with her infant child.

“A man pointed at my Star of David necklace and called me an effing terrorist,” she said, adding that bystanders did not intervene, leaving her feeling “deeply vulnerable” in a crowded public place.

Community leaders also warned of a broader sense of insecurity and uncertainty about the future. Alex Ryvchin, chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said some Jewish families had begun considering leaving the country, even as he pledged to remain. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m going down with the ship,” Ryvchin told the commission, while expressing concern for the safety of his children and the direction of Australian society.

JUST IN: Commission told antisemitism isn’t just rising, the denial is, too

Sydney hosted the first public hearing block of the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion today, and the evidence being put on the record is confronting. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive… pic.twitter.com/Rs1rirO4dy

— Rebel News Australia (@RebelNews_AU) May 4, 2026

Testimony also highlighted the impact on younger generations. Stefanie Schwartz, president of Mount Sinai College, described how antisemitic graffiti targeting a Jewish school had affected students and families, with some parents keeping children home out of fear.

“It was clear that the intent was to intimidate children,” she said, noting that the school has since implemented heightened security measures and seen a decline in enrollment interest.

Alongside the personal accounts, the commission’s interim report pointed to gaps in coordination and preparedness within Australia’s counterterrorism framework. It outlined multiple recommendations, including expanding security protocols beyond major Jewish holidays and improving national coordination.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government accepted all recommendations, while Jewish community groups emphasized that authorities had been aware of a deteriorating threat environment prior to the attack but had not fully acted on it.

The hearings are set to continue through May 15, with further testimony expected from community members, educators and officials. The commission is expected to use the accounts presented to shape policy recommendations aimed at addressing antisemitism and strengthening protections across Australian society.