Jewish community leader Geoff Midalia unveils extent of anti-Semitism in WA schools

WA is experiencing a huge rise in anti-Semitic attacks, with school students facing comments including “go back to the gas chambers, you filthy Jew” from classmates. Jewish Community Council of WA president Geoff Midalia revealed anti-Semitic incidents were up 370 per cent compared to before the Hamas attacks of October 7, which he said had unleashed a “tsunami of anti-Semitism” around the globe and Australia. He said reports of anti-Semitic incidents in WA lodged with the council increased by as much as 700 per cent at one point and included the comment “go back to the gas chambers, you filthy Jew” made to a 14-year-old WA boy at school. Mr Midalia detailed the huge spike in incidents as he unveiled a raft of measures underway in WA to expand Holocaust education in schools. “The schooling of anti-Semitism to WA’s secondary students as an extension of Holocaust education has made significant advancement in recent weeks,” he wrote in a letter to The West Australian. “Since the Jewish Community Council of WA raised discussions with the Minister for Education, Tony Buti, on the need to expand standard teachings on anti-racism to include anti-Semitism, the realisation that education is the only proactive tool having potential for far-reaching impact in creating a more inclusive and respectful society has been taken up by the department that Dr Buti leads with recognised urgency, and wide-ranging discussions are underway.” Mr Midalia said those discussions included meetings between the Education Department, the JCCWA and the Holocaust Institute to develop a diverse range of anti-Semitism education programs and workshops for high school students. In addition to this, Mr Midalia said senior representatives of the Department planned to visit the Holocaust Institute and their counterparts in NSW to receive a briefing on that State’s adopted reforms to combat anti-Semitism in schools. Mr Midalia said the concerning rise in incidents in WA highlighted the urgency of the recent developments in the education system. But he said he believed positive change was taking place thanks to collaboration. Mr Midalia said while he was hopeful about that bringing about change, it could take years for it to filter across the education system. He asked members of the Jewish community to report all anti-Semitic incidents to the council so they could be escalated to WA Police if necessary. “We urge every member of the community to please report every incident, no matter how large or small,” Mr Midalia said. Mr Buti said on Friday he continued to have positive dialogue with Jewish community leaders. “There is no place for anti-Semitism in our society,” he said. “As Minister for Education, I am determined to stamp out any anti-Semitism in our schools. I continue to have positive dialogue with Jewish community leaders.” The developments come amid a rise in anti-Semitic attacks in Australia in recent months, including the firebombing of a synagogue, childcare centre and cars and a spate of offensive graffiti targeting the Jewish community. And police in NSW continue to investigate an alleged anti-Semitic video involving two Sydney nurses, who were filmed claiming they would not treat Israelis who presented at the Bankstown Hospital and would instead “kill them”. Incidents in WA included a graffiti attack on a Dalkeith home last month. The West Australian also revealed last month that teachers had been warned not to talk about international conflicts “of a polarising nature” in a memo sent by the WA Education Department. “With the upcoming State election and the start of the caretaker period, it’s essential for staff to remain neutral and refrain from endorsing any political parties,” it read. It later emerged that a teacher from Fremantle school John Curtin College of the Arts had taken indefinite leave after she used a classroom whiteboard last year to praise Hamas’ slain terrorist Ismail Haniyeh as “a great leader”. Premier Roger Cook ordered the Education Department to review its handling of the incident when it came to light. The teacher remains on leave while the review is ongoing. Several meetings regarding the issue took place this week, including between the Department’s deputy director-general for schools Steve Watson and concerned parents. In a letter to parents prior to the meeting, Mr Watson said he was concerned the issue could be more widespread. “I will greatly appreciate their thoughts and advice on what they feel is needed to prevent any anti-Semitic incidents from occurring, and how schools and the system can respond if such an incident occurs.”