Australia Table of Contents

The first Jews to arrive in Australia came as British prisoners in the 18th century. Today, Australia's Jewish population stands at approximately 118,000 - the ninth-largest Jewish community in the world. The majority of Jews in Australia reside in the major cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Community Origins
Early Jewish Life
The Community Grows
Post-War Developments
Relations with Israel
Jewish Tourist Sites

Community Origins

Learn More - Cities of Australia:
Adelaide | Ballarat | Brisbane
Perth | Sydney | Tasmania

When the American colonies revolted in 1776, England lost its biggest prison – convicts were routinely shipped to the thirteen colonies to make room in the perpetually crowded British jails. As a result, England annexed the island of Australia in 1788 as a new prison colony. While Australia had been known to Europeans since its discovery in the sixteenth century, the English were the first to settle there on a permanent basis, aside from the native Aboriginal population.

Among the 1,500 prisoners who initially arrived in Botany Bay on January 18, 1788, were 23 Jews. One of them was John Harris who, after being freed, became the first policeman in Australia.

By 1817, more had arrived, and enough had been freed to form an organized minyan and burial society. As their numbers swelled, primarily due to immigration from England and Germany, kehillahs (organized communities) sprang up in the cities of Sydney (1831) and Melbourne (1841), which were to become the two centers of Jewish life. The Sydney kehilla was founded by Joseph Barrow Montefiore, a cousin of Sir Moses Montefiore.

The Sydney congregation worshiped in houses and shops until 1844, when the growing community built the first synagogue in Australia. It was soon followed by synagogues in Hobart (1845), Launceston (1846), Melbourne (1847), and Adelaide (1850).

Rabbi Alexander Davis,
head of the Sydney
community from 1862-1904

The gold rush of the 1850s attracted more Jewish immigrants, so foreign-born Jews soon outnumbered the native-born. Many of the immigrants initially settled in rural locations, and not in the main, urban communities of Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, and Adelaide. Fear of assimilation, however, caused most Australian Jews to consolidate in cities by the end of the century. Consequently, the rapidly growing Sydney community soon needed larger facilities and, in 1878, built the Great Synagogue, which was widely considered the most impressive place of worship in Australia.

Early Jewish Life

Australia remains to this day the only country in the world, other than Israel, whose founding members included Jews. As a result, Jews were treated as equal citizens from the outset. In contrast to contemporary Europe, incidents of anti-Semitism were very rare in Australia. Jews were free to participate in economic and cultural life and played an important role in their development. The first Australian theater, for example, was built by a Jew, and an early Jewish composer, Isaac Nathan, has been described as the "father of Australian music."

An 1851 lithograph of the
Melbourne Hebrew Congregation

Jews also served as elected officials. In the nineteenth century, prominent Jews included the mayor of Melbourne, the premier of the state of South Australia, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the speaker of Parliament. Interestingly, these political leaders were frequently the heads of their respective kehillas as well; unlike the politically autonomous kehillas of Europe, Australia's communities were cultural and religious institutions only.

The seamless integration of Jews into Australia allowed them to flourish in all spheres but religion. The Jews' incorporation into society led to a rise in intermarriage, a drop in synagogue attendance, and a lack of affiliation with Judaism in general. Nonetheless, there were still those who maintained their observance. The communities remained affiliated with the British Chief Rabbinate and founded numerous Jewish schools and synagogues.

In addition to the Ashkenazim, who comprised the vast majority of Australian Jewry, a small Sephardic community thrived during the mid-to-late nineteenth century. For some twenty years, there was a Sephardic congregation, and such prominent families as the Montefiores occupied important communal positions. Gradually, however, the Sephardic population decreased, and the congregation was disbanded by 1873.

The Community Grows

At the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, as Australia was unifying its colonies into one independent nation, a wave of immigration from Europe bolstered the Jewish community both in terms of numbers and observance. Refugees from the pogroms in Russia and Poland came in the 1890s and brought an infusion of tradition to the assimilated communities. Following World War I, another stream of Jews arrived in the country, and when Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933, that stream became a flood. The Australian government was initially hesitant about opening its gates to so many immigrants, but in 1938 decided to allot 15,000 visas for "victims of oppression." Some 7,000 Jews took advantage of the visas before the outbreak of war in 1939.

The York Street synagogue,
used in Sydney between 1844 and 1877

The influx of immigrants led to a split among the urban Jewish centers. Most of the Jews who lived in Sydney were from Western and Central Europe. These Jews tended to be more secular than their Eastern European counterparts, who, by and large, settled in Melbourne. As a result, Sydney became known for its secular Jewish population and Melbourne for its highly Orthodox community. At the same time, Perth also became primarily Orthodox as thousands of observant South Africans arrived.

But if the German and Hungarian immigrants were secular in comparison to the Russians and the Poles, they were still far more religious than the Australians. Thus, even those Australians who remained non-Orthodox gradually became more involved in communal affairs. The previously synagogue-oriented kehillas began to focus their energies more on education, Zionism, and combating anti-Semitism, allowing even the irreligious to become involved. By the end of World War II, the community was very united in its opposition to assimilation, and was gradually becoming more observant of ritual and doctrine.

Post-War Developments

In the aftermath of the war, even more European Jews arrived in Australia, mostly from displaced persons camps. The trend toward observance continued to grow, especially once the Lubavitch movement gained a foothold, and day-school attendance rose steadily. The growth of the thriving community was briefly interrupted in the 1970s when a rise in intermarriage caused an unprecedented decrease in the total Jewish population. By the early 1980s, however, a census indicated that the Jewish population was once again growing, and that intermarriage had once again dropped to one of the lowest levels in the diaspora. Immigration did not let up, and, in 1989, the flow of primarily South African immigrants was augmented by refugees from the newly disbanded Soviet Union.

The long-dormant Sephardic community was also revitalized in the post-war period. Since the original community’s demise in the late 1800s, Sephardim had a difficult time gaining entry to Australia due to the racist White Australia Policy instituted by the government. In 1956, following the Suez crisis in Egypt, the government began to allow select Egyptian Jews to enter the country. In the ensuing years, pressure from the Jewish communities caused the government to drop its anti-Sephardic stance. By 1969, when the Iraqi government began to target the Jews for persecution, Australia allowed any refugee who could come to Australia to do so.

Today, approximately 113,200 Jews live in Australia, out of a total population of nearly 25 million. The Jewish community of Australia is the largest Jewish community in the East Asian Pacific Region. Approximately 80 percent of Australian Jews live in Melbourne (50,000) and Sydney (45,000), but there are also significant communities in Perth, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Adelaide.

Melbourne is still considered the more religious of the two cities, with about 80 percent of its Jews declaring themselves traditional. Nonetheless, Sydney boasts numerous synagogues and Jewish organizations as well as a very high rate of aliya. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) is the elected representative organization of the Jewish community.

There are 81 synagogues and 18 day schools in Australia, and several Jewish newspapers and periodicals. More than 50 percent of Jewish students are enrolled in Jewish schools, which is the highest rate anywhere in the world, with the exception of Israel. Australia also has a low rate of intermarriage compared to other Diaspora countries. There have been two Jewish Australian governors-general, and several Jewish Australians have served in senior leadership positions in the country’s military.

In April 2022, the Melbourne University Student Union passed a BDS resolution, which the university called “anti-Semitic.”

On July 9, 2024, the Australian government appointed a special envoy to address the rise in anti-Semitism across the country since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war. At this time, anti-Semitic incidents in Australia reached 400% to 500% higher than before the war.

Photo Showing the Devastating Aftermath
Inside the Firebombed Adass Israel Synagogue

On October 7, 2024, it was reported that Jacob Hersant, 25, became the first person convicted in Victoria, Australia, for performing an illegal Nazi salute. He gave the salute and praised Adolf Hitler outside the Victoria County Court in October 2023, just days after the state government had outlawed the gesture. Hersant’s defense argued that the action wasn’t a salute and that the ban violated free speech, but a Melbourne magistrate found him guilty. The case marks a significant moment in Australia’s fight against anti-Semitism, with Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich hailing the verdict as a victory for justice.

On November 23, 2024, a tobacco shop owner in Townsville, North Queensland, was filmed threatening and insulting two Israeli tourists on Saturday, using an anti-Semitic slur after they questioned a donation request for Palestinians in her store. The confrontation escalated when the woman, holding a shovel, verbally attacked one of the tourists, calling him a “dirty f**king Jew.” The incident, which went viral on social media, was condemned by both the Australian Jewish Association and the Australian Anti-Defamation Commission, highlighting the growing wave of anti-Semitism in the country. Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, called the incident a national crisis and emphasized the need for authorities to address the rising hate against Jewish Australians. The attack is part of a broader trend of anti-Semitic acts, including recent vandalism and arson in Sydney. On the same day, a car was set on fire, and buildings and business complexes in the eastern suburbs of Sydney were vandalized with anti-Israel inscriptions, further fueling concerns about the escalating hatred.

On December 5, 2024, arsonists set fire to the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, injuring one congregant and causing widespread damage. Witnesses reported seeing two masked men spreading accelerant inside the building, and authorities have confirmed the act was deliberate. Police are reviewing CCTV footage and investigating two suspects. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denounced the incident as an anti-Semitic act of violence, urging national unity to oppose such attacks on places of worship.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the arson attack on Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue as a vile act of anti-Semitism, urging Australian authorities to take decisive action to prevent such incidents. He linked the attack to the Australian Labor government’s “extreme anti-Israeli positions,” including supporting a United Nations resolution demanding Israel to withdraw from “occupied territories” and barring former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked’s entry into the country. Netanyahu emphasized that anti-Israel sentiment is inherently anti-Semitic.

In response to Netanyahu, the Australian government defended its record on combating anti-Semitism. Employment Minister Murray Watt emphasized the Albanese government’s actions, including banning the Nazi salute, addressing hate speech, and allocating $25 million to improve security at Jewish institutions. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack as anti-Semitic and “un-Australian,” reaffirming the Jewish community’s integral role in Australian society. Calls to declare the arson a terrorist act have grown, with opposition leaders and activists urging Albanese to take a stronger stance. Local police continue investigating, though they have yet to establish a motive.

On December 17, 2024, it was reported that the Australian state of Victoria is implementing reforms to combat extremism and anti-Semitism, including banning Hamas and Hezbollah flags, masked protests, and restricting demonstrations near religious sites. Premier Jacinta Allan emphasized balancing protest rights with public safety after recent radical and anti-Semitic incidents. Police will gain powers to confiscate disruptive items and prevent identity concealment, with exemptions for health, religious, or cultural reasons. The government will also explore limiting disturbances at religious sites and establish a liaison team with the Jewish community to ensure safety and open communication.

The following month, a Sydney synagogue was vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti, including swastikas and the phrase “Hitler on top,” reflecting the rising levels of antisemitism in Australia. The New South Wales Police Force is investigating the incident and searching for a person of interest. Local Jewish groups, including the Executive Council of Australian Jews and the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, condemned the attack and called for swift arrests and stronger anti-hate legislation. Australian politicians from both sides expressed outrage, warning that such acts of hatred could escalate if not addressed.

A week later, an anti-Semitic attack in Sydney targeted the former home of Jewish community leader Alex Ryvchin and included vandalism and arson on four vehicles. The attack is under investigation by Operation Avalite, a task force addressing rising hate crimes. Australian leaders, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, condemned the incident, with officials vowing to strengthen hate crime laws and enhance security for Jewish communities.

Two days later, Australian police thwarted a planned anti-Semitic attack after discovering a caravan filled with explosives in Dural, northwest of Sydney, which authorities labeled an act of terrorism. New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner David Hudson confirmed that the explosives were intended for an anti-Semitic attack, though the threat had been neutralized. Arrests were made, but details remain undisclosed. Over 100 officers are investigating under a joint counter-terrorism operation.

Days later, a Jewish community childcare center located near a synagogue was targeted in an anti-Semitic attack involving arson and anti-Jewish graffiti in Sydney, Australia. The premier of New South Wales has pledged to apprehend the perpetrators.

In early February, Jewish women were pelted with eggs by men in a car in Sydney. Homes and vehicles in Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne have been defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti, often including the phrase “Fuck Jews” and Nazi swastikas. The Australian Jewish community is expressing concern over the escalating violence and intimidation, with some noting the current situation is not normal and is a form of “domestic terrorism.”

Days later, Australia passed strict anti-hate crime laws, introducing mandatory minimum sentences for terror-related offenses and displaying hate symbols in response to a surge in anti-Semitism. The new regulations impose jail terms ranging from 12 months for public Nazi salutes to six years for terrorism offenses. Initially opposed to mandatory sentencing, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the need to hold perpetrators accountable. The bill, introduced last year, criminalizes threats and violence based on race, religion, nationality, gender, and other identities. The opposition pushed for stricter measures, and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke described the amendments as Australia’s most rigid hate crime laws. Meanwhile, New South Wales announced plans to align its hate speech laws with those in Western Australia and Victoria.

On February 12, 2025, it was reported that two nurses at a Sydney hospital were suspended after a video surfaced in which they made anti-Semitic threats, refusing to treat Jewish patients and expressing intent to harm them. The video shows a man and a woman in medical scrubs making violent statements against Israelis, prompting an investigation by New South Wales police and condemnation from political and community leaders. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the footage “sickening.” At the same time, Jewish organizations warned that this incident reflects the growing normalization of anti-Semitism in Australia, particularly since the start of the Israel-Gaza war in 2023. New South Wales Health Minister Ryan Park stated that the nurses were “stood down immediately” and would likely never work for the health system again. Jewish leaders, including Jeremy Leibler of the Zionist Federation of Australia and Peter Wertheim of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, linked the incident to rising anti-Israel sentiment in the West, warning of its political and societal consequences. Israeli MK Rabbi Gilad Kariv pledged to prioritize the fight against anti-Semitism globally. The two nurses, Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, have been charged over anti-Semitic threats. Nadir, 27, was arrested and charged with using a carriage service to menace or harass and drug possession, while Abu Lebdeh, 26, faces three charges, including using a carriage service to threaten to kill. Both have been granted bail and are scheduled to appear in court on March 19.

In May 2025, Following Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s decisive re-election victory, many Australian Jewish community leaders expressed disappointment given strained ties with his Labor government over its handling of anti-Semitism and Israel policy, though some voiced cautious optimism about future cooperation. Jewish organizations have criticized the government for allowing antisemitic incidents to surge—over 2,000 in the past year, including a synagogue firebombing—while noting a shift in recent months toward stronger measures, including security funding, new hate crime legislation, and support for rebuilding Jewish institutions. While some, particularly from right-leaning groups, remain deeply critical, others see potential for renewed engagement and improved relations during Labor’s second term.

Two months later, Australia has witnessed a disturbing rise in violent anti-Semitic incidents targeting the Jewish community. A historic synagogue in East Melbourne was firebombed while 20 congregants were inside; fortunately, no injuries were reported. Around the same time, protesters attacked the Israeli-owned Miznon restaurant in Melbourne, throwing chairs, food, and glassware while chanting “Death to the IDF.” These acts are part of a broader pattern, with at least 14 firebombings of Jewish institutions across the country, many of which were accompanied by explicitly anti-Jewish graffiti.

In August 2025, Australia expelled Iran’s ambassador and three diplomats after uncovering that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps orchestrated attacks on a Melbourne synagogue and a Sydney kosher restaurant, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called “extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression” on Australian soil. The move, the first ambassadorial expulsion since World War II, follows the arrests of individuals linked to the December 2024 firebombing of a synagogue and the October 2024 arson of Lewis’ Continental Kitchen. This kosher restaurant suffered $1 million in damage. Intelligence officials described the plots as a multilayered IRGC operation, amid a 316% surge in anti-Semitic incidents since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre.

On December 15, 2025, an anti-Semitic terror attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach left 15 people dead and dozens wounded. Jewish communities widely described it as shocking but not unexpected. The attack came amid a sharp global rise in anti-Semitism following October 7, 2023, and after repeated warnings from Jewish leaders, international organizations, and Israeli officials that Australia was becoming an increasingly dangerous environment for Jews. While Jewish communities routinely heighten security around holidays due to known risks, Australian authorities appeared unprepared for a mass-casualty attack of this scale, and initial media coverage was slow to identify the anti-Semitic and specifically Jewish nature of the assault.

In the months leading up to the attack, Jewish organizations had warned that persistent anti-Israel demonstrations, unchecked extremist rhetoric, and inadequate enforcement were normalizing hostility toward Jews. Reports cited intelligence warnings about potential Iranian-linked or Islamist plots, and senior figures, including Australia’s special envoy on anti-Semitism, acknowledged that anti-Semitism had been “seeping into society” for years. A comprehensive government plan to address the problem had been partially implemented, despite growing concern from both domestic and international Jewish leaders.

Global reactions following the attack underscored both solidarity and alarm. Leaders in Israel, the UK, and elsewhere condemned the assault, linked it to the broader surge in anti-Semitic violence, and warned of possible copycat attacks. Jewish communities in Australia, the UK, and beyond entered a heightened state of alert, with renewed calls for stronger legal measures, better protection of Jewish institutions, and decisive action against extremist incitement. For many, the Bondi Beach attack came to symbolize the consequences of ignoring early warnings, reinforcing the message that anti-Semitism left unchallenged can, and often does, escalate into deadly violence.

Following the deadly terror attack targeting a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Australia’s governor-general will invite Israeli President Isaac Herzog to visit the country “as soon as possible.” The decision came after a phone call between the two leaders in which Albanese expressed “profound shock and dismay” over the attack and discussed the sharp rise in anti-Semitism in Australia. Herzog accepted the invitation, conveyed condolences to the victims’ families, wished the injured a speedy recovery, and called on authorities to take all legal measures to combat anti-Semitism, extremism, and jihadist terror, underscoring the attack’s broader significance for the Australian Jewish community and Israel–Australia relations.

Annual tally of reported anti-Jewish incidents by category from 2013 to 2025,
showing year-over-year trends and the percentage change between 2024 and 2025 across incident types and total cases.

Year	Physical Assault	Vandalism	Verbal Abuse	Message	Graffiti	Posters/Stickers	Total
% change (2024–2025)	-63%	14%	-0.10%	-16%	-9%	-43%	-19.70%
2025	24	33	621	238	359	379	1654
2024	65	29	622	283	393	670	2062
2023	11	22	188	63	125	86	495
2022	5	11	138	76	125	123	478
2021	8	11	147	103	106	72	447
2020	8	10	128	115	42	28	331
2019	4	12	114	116	95	27	368
2018	3	19	88	73	46	137	366
2017	3	11	76	26	55	59	230
2016	12	22	84	49	31	12	210
2015	8	7	119	33	21	2	190
2014	15	10	75	160	43	9	312
2013	5	6	115	68	29	8	231

Relations with Israel

An agreement was announced between the governments of Israel and Australia on October 22, 2014, to provide for more economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries. The agreement is a “Holiday & Visa” agreement, which will make it easier for young Israelis to work and vacation in Australia, and vice-versa. Under the agreement 500 work-travel visas will be awarded each year to Israelis and Australians between the ages of 18 and 30, and the individuals will be able to stay in the other country for a full year. In addition to Australia, Israel also has similar arrangements with Germany, New Zealand, South Korea, and others.

Australia and the United States sided with Israel’s safety and security in December 2014 when they were the only two countries on the UN Security Council to vote against a Palestinian statehood resolution that would have required Israel to relinquish its territory captured after the 1967 war. The Palestinian statehood measure was brought before the Security Council by Jordan on behalf of the Palestinians and needed nine yes votes out of the fifteen members of the Security Council in order to pass. The United States and Australia voted against the measure, while Nigeria, Britain, Lithuania, the Republic of South Korea and Rwanda abstained from voting. The measure did not meet the required number of votes, garnering eight “yes’s” instead of the nine required to pass. The eight countries that voted in favor of the resolution were China, France, Russia, Argentina, Chad, Chile, Jordan, and Luxemburg. This vote marked the first time that Australia had voted “no” on a proposed resolution during its two-year term on the Security Council.

Avi Hasson, the chief scientist of the Israel Ministry of Economy, made his first official visit to Australia in late November 2015. Hasson met with Australian business leaders and government officials, seeking to increase economic, scientific, and technological cooperation between the two countries. A research & development agreement was signed between Hasson and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia during the visit.

Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, received the Hebrew University’s Torch of Learning award and delivered a speech titled “The changing face of the political landscape in Israel, the Middle East and in Australia,” in Sydney, Australia, on November 22, 2015.

French officials welcomed representatives from 70 countries, including Australia, to a conference in Paris on January 14, 2016, to “reaffirm their support for a just, lasting and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” The conference, which was opposed by both the Israelis and Palestinians, ended with the adoption of a Joint Declaration. Following the conference, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop clarified her country’s stance on the Declaration, stating that “while the Australian government was represented at the Paris conference this does not mean we agree with every element of the final statement.” Bishop went on to air the Australian government’s opposition to “one-sided resolutions targeting Israel,” and recommended a “resumption of direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians for a two-state solution as soon as possible.”

Benjamin Netanyahu became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to visit Australia on February 22, 2017. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull welcomed Netanyahu at a press conference in Sydney, where Netanyahu lauded Turnbull’s opposition to a recent anti-Israel UN Security Council Resolution.

Australian Energy and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg signed a Declaration of Intent with his Israeli counterpart Ze’ev Elkin on April 25, 2016, which called for cooperation on multiple environmental issues. The representatives signed the declaration during a three-day visit by Frydenbeg to Israel, promising to work together on sewage treatment, water and air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, biodiversity, clean energy technology, and coastal preservation.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull traveled to Israel in October 2017. “Israel and Australia have a vital interest in working more closely and intensely together to keep our people safe from terrorism,” Turnbull said, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding on mutual defense.

The Australian government announced the suspension of all foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority on July 1, 2018, due to the likelihood the funds would be used to pay Palestinian terrorists and their families.

Israel’s Rafael Defense Systems won a bid in May 2018 to provide missiles for Australia’s Boxer armored fighting vehicles. In August, Rafael signed an industrial cooperation agreement with Australian company Varley, creating a jointly owned company to be known as Var. The cooperation agreement provides for the establishment of production lines in Australia for Rafael’s Spike anti-tank missiles, as well as the sale to the Australian military of the Trophy system for the protection of tanks and APCs, the Iron Dome missile defense system, and the Iron Dome anti-torpedo system for the protection of vessels at sea.

In December 2018, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australia recognized West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He said the embassy would remain in Tel Aviv, however, and added the government supports a two-state solution and “resolved to acknowledge the aspirations of the Palestinian people for a future state with its capital in East Jerusalem.” In 2022, the Labor government of Anthony Albanese reversed the policy.

Australia opened a trade and defense office in Jerusalem in March 2019. The move was not announced on government websites, and no senior Australian or Israeli officials attended the opening ceremony of the new office. “It is a commercially focused office, established and managed by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission,” according to a spokesperson for the Australian embassy. It “will not have diplomatic status and is not an extension of the Australian embassy in Tel Aviv,” the spokesperson stressed.

Australia-Israel trade is now more than $1.3 billion per year.

The Australian government struck another blow against terrorism in February 2022 by listing Hamas as an outlawed “terrorist” organization. Australia had previously listed Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades military wing as a “terror” group in 2003, but the new designation, which will come into force in April, will list the entire organization, including its political wing.

“The views of Hamas and the violent extremist groups listed today are deeply disturbing, and there is no place in Australia for their hateful ideologies,” said Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews. “It is vital that our laws target not only terrorist acts and terrorists, but also the organizations that plan, finance and carry out these acts,”

The designation will place restrictions on financing or providing other support to Hamas – with certain offenses carrying a 25-year prison sentence.

In 2023, Plasan Sasa Ltd. in Israel signed a contract with BAE Systems Australia to armor the first three Hunter class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Bisalloy Steel Australia will be responsible for the production of the ballistic steel under the contract.

On July 26, 2024, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand issued a joint statement calling for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza, condemning Hamas for its actions on October 7 and urging it to release hostages. They stressed the need for Israel to protect Palestinian civilians and heed international concerns, including responding to the ICJ’s advisory opinion and ensuring accountability for violence by extremist settlers. The countries supported a ceasefire deal endorsed by the UN Security Council and advocated for a two-state solution. They also expressed grave concerns over regional escalation, condemned Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis for their destabilizing actions and attacks on Israel, and emphasized the importance of diplomatic efforts to prevent wider conflict.

On February 24, 2025, it was reported that an Australian Administrative Review Tribunal recommended revoking the security clearance of a Jewish Australian Army Reserves officer due to concerns over divided loyalty between Australia and Israel, potential foreign influence, and failure to disclose interactions with Israeli figures. The ruling followed an ASIO assessment that the officer exhibited stronger loyalty to Israel, used language suggesting alignment with Israeli interests, and had undisclosed ties, including participation in security training in Israel. The officer argued that his Jewish identity and affinity for Israel did not compromise his loyalty to Australia, calling the decision discriminatory. However, the tribunal determined that his conduct, not his identity, raised security concerns, citing his lack of compliance with disclosure obligations and poor security practices. The tribunal concluded that the officer’s actions posed a real, albeit not definitive, risk of foreign interference and espionage.

On June 10, 2025, the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom jointly announced sanctions and other measures targeting Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for allegedly inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. The statement condemned their extremist rhetoric, which calls for forced displacement of Palestinians and settlement expansion, as undermining the two-state solution and fueling human rights abuses. While affirming continued support for Israel’s security and condemning Hamas’s October 7 attacks, the ministers emphasized that the measures are aimed at individuals threatening regional stability and called on Israel to fulfill its international obligations.

In August 2025, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Australia will formally recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September 2025, in a move aimed at advancing a two-state solution, a Gaza ceasefire, and the release of hostages. Recognition is contingent on the Palestinian Authority’s commitments to reform, demilitarise, hold elections, and exclude Hamas from governance. Albanese criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s settlement expansion and rejection of Palestinian statehood, saying his actions undermine peace prospects. Israel’s ambassador warned that the decision harms security and hostage talks, while supporters argued it increases pressure on Israel to change course.

Later that month, after Australia decided to recognize a Palestinian state and refused to grant visas to Israeli figures such as former minister Ayelet Shaked and MK Simcha Rotman, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced a series of countermeasures. He revoked the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority, notifying the Australian ambassador in Israel, and instructed Israel’s embassy in Canberra to scrutinize all future official Australian visa applications. Sa’ar justified the move by accusing Australia of fueling anti-Semitism at a time of growing violence against Jews and Jewish institutions, calling the policy shameful and unacceptable.

A leaked letter from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sparked a major diplomatic clash. In the correspondence, Netanyahu accused Albanese of fueling anti-Semitism through his government’s push for Palestinian state recognition, warning that it “rewards Hamas terror” and emboldens hostility toward Australia’s Jews. Citing a surge in violent incidents against Jewish institutions—including synagogue arson, vandalism, and assaults—Netanyahu demanded that by September 23, 2025 (Rosh Hashanah), Australia replace “weakness with action” and take concrete steps to combat anti-Semitism. He contrasted Albanese’s approach with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s stricter measures, concluding that “history will not forgive hesitation.”

Australia formally recognized the State of Palestine on September 21, 2025, in a joint statement issued by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Their declaration emphasized that recognition was coordinated with the United Kingdom and Canada to inject new momentum into a two-state solution. The Australian government stressed that Hamas would have no role in a future Palestinian state and pointed to the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to recognizing Israel’s right to exist as a foundation for moving forward.

In November 2025, the Australian government announced its decision to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar publicly welcomed the move, describing it as an essential and positive step in the global fight against terrorism and calling for other countries to stand together against terror networks.

Jewish Tourist Sites

The Ark of the Melbourne Synagogue

Melbourne

Today's Jewish community is concentrated in the St. Kilda district, home of the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, the oldest and largest synagogue in the city. The original kehilla that was formed in 1841 moved into this large, stately building in 1930, and the dome-topped, Victorian structure has been in use ever since. Other synagogues in Melbourne include Temple Beth Israel, a Liberal synagogue that seats more than 2,000 people; the St. Kilda Hebrew Congregation, which is more in the old-world style; and the Kew synagogue, the newest and most modern-looking temple.

The Jewish Museum of Australia displays Judaica, ritual objects, Holocaust material, and paintings and sculptures by Jewish authors. The nearby Kadimah Cultural Center shows Jewish and Yiddish drama and has a large library of Judaica. There are also kosher restaurants and grocery stores throughout the St. Kilda area.

Sydney

The most important Jewish sight in Sydney is the Great Synagogue. Built in 1878, the imposing building is one of the most spectacular synagogues standing today. Its four-story pointed towers, arches, and stained glass clerestory are prime examples of Victorian architecture. The building also houses a Jewish museum and library.

Sydney Great Synagogue Interior

While the Great Synagogue is located in the center of the city, most of Sydney's Jews live in the Bondi and North Shore suburbs. Bondi features the Hakoah Club, a Casino with a kosher dining room that is reminiscent of Atlantic City. The area, which overlooks the ocean from a towering cliff, also features kosher restaurants, a Lubavitch yeshiva, and several synagogues.

The North Shore Synagogue, established in 1947 by German immigrants Reverend William and Rosalie Katz, is a modern Orthodox community situated in the Lindfield area of Sydney. Known as the "Garden Synagogue" for its beautiful surroundings, the synagogue is within a garden of tall Australian trees. North Shore Synagogue holds regular services, as well as services for Shabbat and festivals, has a Hebrew School and a B'nai Mitzvah program, and has over 850 families in its congregation. Next door is the local Jewish day school's junior school of Masada, and the senior school is a few minutes up the road in another Jewish suburb on the north shore, St. Ives.

The recently built Museum of Australian Jewish History and the Holocaust is located in Darlinghurst. It includes exhibits on the convicts who founded Sydney's Jewish community, and a recreation of George Street in central Sydney, where a number of Jewish businesses were located in the mid-1800s.

Hobart

Hobart Synagogue

Its foundation stone was laid on August 9, 1843; the Hobart Synagogue in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia is the oldest synagogue in Australia. It was designed by James Alexander Thomson, a Scotsman originally sent to Australia in 1825 for attempted jewel robbery, in the Egyptian Revival Style. The Egyptian style represented antiquity, and the synagogue’s design was meant to indicate Judaism’s ancient roots.

The synagogue’s entrance is decorated with two carved pillars supporting an architrave and cornice, upon which appears the Hebrew inscription from the Book of Exodus: “Wherever my name is mentioned there will I come and bless you.” The synagogue’s Ark is enclosed by a light and elegant bronzed railing and is approached by circular steps. On either side of the doors of the Ark, which are richly carved and gilded, are placed two elaborately carved pillars, supporting an entablature and cornice of cedar, which is also gilded.

The Hobart Synagogue Ark contains multiple Torah scrolls thought to be as old as the synagogue. One of these scrolls was donated by Lady Rachel Ezra of Calcutta, India, though it is probably of Syrian origin, in 1951 and is kept in an ornamental silver casing in the Sephardi style. On display is a Memorial Sefer Torah from Czechoslovakia, which is one of the 1,564 scrolls seized from desecrated synagogues by the Nazis.

The synagogue is currently shared by an Orthodox and a Progressive group and, since 1956, there has not been a permanent rabbi in residence so the congregation depends on members who have received traditional Jewish instruction for leadership. The Hobart Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in the southern hemisphere still in regular use.

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Photos courtesy of:
CIA
The Great Synagogue.
The Melbourne Hebrew Congregation
Center for Tasmanian Historical Studies
Hobart Synagogue
Hobart Synagogue Photo courtesy of Hobart Synagogue

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