Day Six Hearings Underway
Hearings for the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion enter day six, with nine witnesses scheduled to deliver evidence starting at 10 a.m. The session examines the definition of antisemitism, its effects on Jewish Australians, and strategies to evaluate its spread within institutions.
Key Witnesses and Their Roles
Tahli Blicblau, chief executive of The Dor Foundation—an organization launched last year to fight antisemitism on university campuses and online—offers testimony. Julie Nathan, Research Director at the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, also presents her insights.
Joshua Moshe, Rabbi Daniel Rabin, Rabbi Menachem Dadon, and three anonymous individuals share personal encounters with antisemitism. Rock musician Deborah Conway contributes her perspective as well.
Highlights from Prior Sessions
Friday’s witnesses included Benjamin F, a gay convert to Judaism who feared for his safety during a Mardi Gras event. Canberra student Mia Kline described leaving her share house after housemates challenged her on Zionism.
The previous day featured a non-Jewish lawyer who faced slurs like “sneaky Jew” and “Jewish rat” at a Sydney pub. A crisis counseling hotline volunteer reported increased anxiety from handling more antisemitic calls after the October 7 attack.
