Global Jewish Leaders: Australia’s Antisemitism Spike is a Warning for Democracies Worldwide

With antisemitic incidents in Australia almost five times the preOctober 7 levels, the J7 Task Force meeting in Sydney warns of a global pattern.

Sydney, Australia, December 3, 2025. Jewish leaders from the world’s seven largest diaspora communities convened in Sydney today for the first ever J7 Task Force Summit in Australia, warning that the sharp spike in antisemitism seen in Australia, including foreign state-linked attacks, is part of a dangerous global pattern threatening Jewish communities and democracies worldwide.

The J7 (Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism) brings together major Jewish organizations from Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States to coordinate responses to rising anti-Jewish hate. Leaders said the postOctober 7 surge, sustained historically high levels, and foreign state-linked terrorist activity in Australia mirror dynamics they are tracking across their own countries.

“What is happening in Australia is not an exception; it should be a wake-up call to communities worldwide,” said Marina Rosenberg, ADL SVP for International Affairs. “Across North America, Europe and Latin America, Jewish communities are reporting the same pattern of unprecedented harassment, threats and incitement. When synagogues can be firebombed in Melbourne and Jews threatened and attacked in New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Buenos Aires and Toronto, this is a threat not only to Jewish safety but to democratic stability itself.”

New Australian Antisemitism Data Raises Global Alarm

New figures from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) show that antisemitic incidents in Australia remain at historically high levels, at almost five times the average annual number before October 7, 2023, the largest spike of any J7 country between 2021 and 2024. While there has been a marginal reduction from last year’s all-time high, the most serious categories of incidents, including arson attacks against synagogues, preschools and other Jewish institutions, are higher than in any previous year on record.

ECAJ’s Report on Anti-Jewish Incidents in Australia 2025 documented 1,654 antiJewish incidents across Australia between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025, in addition to 2,062 incidents nationwide the year before. For full data and case studies, read ECAJ’s full report: www.ecaj.org.au.

To respond to this crisis, J7 leaders are convening in Sydney for further strategic consultations on addressing the sustained challenge of antisemitism following the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and developing coordinated responses to normalized elevated threat levels.

Leaders of the J7 Task Force communities shared their perspectives on this troubling trend:

Argentina – Mauro Berenstein, President, DAIA: “Over the past year, the Jewish community in Argentina has witnessed a troubling resurgence of antisemitic incidents—from hateful graffiti defacing synagogues and Jewish institutions, to physical attacks, to threatening rhetoric on social media platforms and public spaces. As DAIA continues to work tirelessly with government authorities and civil society to combat this ancient prejudice, we stand in unwavering solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Australian Jewish community, who face their own challenges with rising antisemitic incidents.”

Australia – Daniel Aghion KC, President, Executive Council of Australian Jewry: “The total number of reported antisemitic incidents in Australia has continued at unprecedentedly high levels for a second consecutive year. We are now at a stage where anti-Jewish racism has left the fringes of society, where it is normalised and allowed to fester and spread, gaining ground at universities, in arts and culture spaces, in the health sector, in the workplace and elsewhere. In such an environment, Jews have legitimate concerns for their physical safety and social well-being in Australia. Together, we must do all we can to combat this scourge which is why hosting the J7 here in Australia for the first time has never been more important.”

Canada – Richard Marceau, Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, and General Counsel, CIJA: “The U.S.-led peace plan has brought much-needed, albeit fragile, stability to the Middle East. Yet here in Canada, extremists have escalated their hatred and violence: openly glorifying Hamas ‘martyrs’ on our streets, attacking Jewish and pro-Israel students at events, harassing Jewish families outside their homes, and targeting synagogues and other Jewish institutions. For these extremists, this was never only about Israel’s actions in Gaza; it is about instilling fear and sowing division within our society. Canada must stand with its international partners in confronting this threat — not only to counter antisemitism, but to safeguard the future of our democratic way of life for all people.”

France – Vice-President, CRIF, Gérard Unger: “The new figures released by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry are profoundly alarming. Australia’s data shows not only historically high levels of anti-Jewish incidents, but also a rise in the most serious forms of aggression. CRIF stands in full solidarity with the Australian Jewish community and commends ECAJ for its meticulous documentation and its unwavering commitment to confronting antisemitism. The fact that the J7 is convening in Sydney in response to this crisis underlines the global dimension of this challenge and the urgent need for coordinated action. Democracies must act decisively to ensure that Jews can live safely, openly, and freely — in Australia, in France, and everywhere.”

Germany – Daniel Bottman, CEO of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, on behalf of Dr. Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany: “What Australian Jews have to endure mirrors a global development. Over the past two years, antisemitism has established itself as an ideology that bridges the far left and the far right, as well as Islamists. It has also taken root in mainstream society. In Germany, we have seen a sharp rise of 77% when comparing the number of antisemitic incidents in 2023 to those in 2024. A recent study on 7 October 2023 found that psychological strain, social exclusion, and a lack of empathy in their surroundings have continued to intensify the impact of the attack on Jewish individuals to this day.“

UK –  Phil Rosenberg, President, Board of Deputies of British Jews: “This year has been one of trauma for the UK Jewish population following the terror attack on Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, which claimed two lives. We have been calling on the UK Government to adopt a comprehensive action plan to combat antisemitism and make our community safe. We are acutely aware of the upsurge in antisemitism, which has overtaken Australia and other countries around the world, and it is clear we share many of the same problems. Antisemitism is not just an issue for the Jewish communities of our countries but for society as a whole. Together we must defeat this evil which has blighted so many lives in recent times.”

U.S. – William C. Daroff, CEO, Conference of Presidents: “The plight of the Jewish people is singular. When Jews face danger in one place, Jews face danger in every place. In the United States, we confront the growing legitimization of anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric, from conspiracy theories on the far left to platforms granted to extremists on the far right. In Australia, mobs targeted synagogues, schools, and Jewish businesses. Normalized hate speech drives real-world violence. The threats we confront in America, in Australia, and across the world are connected and reveal a rising shared danger. In this moment, we stand together and respond with unity, resolve, and an unwavering commitment to defend and strengthen the Jewish people.”

About the J7 Task Force

The J7, the Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism. was formed in response to increasing rates of antisemitism around the world and comprises major Jewish organizations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Argentina and Australia. In addition to top-level consultations, the J7 leads working groups comprised of subject matter experts from each community to develop strategies and action plans within areas such as policy and advocacy, tech policy, security, extremism and education against antisemitism.