Leaders across the country have stepped forward, calling for peace and unity after recent antisemitic attacks across two major capital cities.
The Muslim community also fears a rise in community tensions after a bus belonging to an Islamic school in Adelaide was set alight in suspicious circumstances over the weekend. South Australia Police are investigating this incident but say no evidence has been found to indicate it was racially motivated as opposed to an opportunistic attack.
And on Wednesday, anti-Israel graffiti was found in the eastern Sydney suburb of Woollahra along with a car that was on fire, sparking a police investigation.
These come after a
spoke with reporters on Wednesday morning, saying: "There is no place for hatred or antisemitism in our community."
Australia's Race Discrimination commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, expressed his concern about the rise of antisemitic attacks and called for a whole of government approach.
"We've heard about an increase in antisemitism across this year, but we've also heard [about] an increase in other forms of racism this year as well, and racism remains a pervasive and systemic problem in our society," Sivaraman said.
"Having engaged with communities, the fear is very real. And often, it's part of the trauma that can be intergenerational. So I acknowledge that communities feel vulnerable, feel unsafe, and it's distressing to hear."
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Plea for Australians to work together for peace following synagogue and school bus attacks
SBS News
10/12/202404:22
'Extremism and racism have no room in our community'
On Tuesday, SBS News spoke with Dr Sheikh Ibrahim El-Shafie, deputy chairman of the Islamic High Council of Australia, who also stood alongside his Jewish counterparts.
"Such an irrational behaviour would only cause more divisions and tribulations. No one will be benefiting from such acts. The Muslim community is aware of Islam being a religion of moderation, and all forms of extremism and racism have no room in our community," he said.
"We urge everyone to take heed of the values of this country that embraced all communities and made sure that they all live in peace and harmony," El-Shafie said.
Following the arson attack on Melbourne's synagogue, Imam Kamran Tahir of Adelaide's largest mosque, the Mahmood Mosque, emphasised the importance of strengthening interfaith harmony.
"We are heartbroken to hear of the attack on a place of faith," he said.
"There is absolutely no justification for such acts. People should never be targeted based on their religion, and no house of worship should be violated."
Jewish leaders call for unity to end antisemitism
Rabbi Daniel Rabin is the senior rabbi (spiritual leader) at the Caulfield Shule and a member of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria.
He said the Jewish community is deeply affected by the recent attack.
"When I heard the news on Friday that a place of worship, a fellow synagogue, had been firebombed, it was devastating, honestly, to think this is happening in 2024, in a place that I love and I appreciate so much," he said.
"It's really a sentiment which I think has been felt by the majority of the Jewish community, if not all the Jewish community, and of course, our friends and neighbours, who also do think that this is a travesty that this could happen on our shores, in this most beautiful place."
His sentiments were echoed by Rabbi Yossi Friedman, founder of the online platform Rabbi on Demand, who, despite the Jewish community currently living in fear, called for a cohesive approach to eradicate antisemitism.
"We're stronger when we accept and celebrate all the different minorities that make up the great Australian country and the great Australian way of life.
"So we have to work together to stamp out antisemitism and stamp out hatred in any form against any people or any minority that exists within this great country."
