The Australian Jewish community is beginning to wonder if “it is the beginning of the end” for them in the country, according to Alon Cassuto, CEO of the Zionist Federation of Australia.
MELBOURNE SYNAGOGUE ARSON
(ILTV)
Speaking to ILTV on Sunday, Cassuto said, “The saddest thing for our community is that many are losing hope that things will get better and are starting to expect things will get worse.”
He noted that the community, which had been “so strong and thriving” before October 7, is now questioning its future in Australia. This uncertainty has grown following a terror attack on Friday in which a Melbourne synagogue was set on fire.
However, Cassuto admitted he was “not entirely surprised” by the incident, citing a surge in antisemitic incidents over the past year. These included an assault on a local rabbi’s home, a synagogue being forced into lockdown, Jewish stores targeted by graffiti and violence, and even Jewish members of parliament having their offices set on fire.
“It’s been really the kind of escalation that's been happening over the course of many months. And our community,” Cassuto told ILTV.
In the aftermath of the Melbourne attack, the government committed $32 million in security measures for the Jewish community, a move Cassuto described as “significant.” However, he criticized the funding as a “reactive gesture” rather than a “proactive gesture” that addresses the root causes of the community’s vulnerability or ensures its safety.
“I'm more concerned than I've ever been for the security of my family, my community, and our people,” Cassuto said.