“Death to Jews” in German, Swastikas on Walls - Australia’s Jewish Students Under Siege
They Told My Brother to Go Back to the Gas Chambers”: Jewish Student Speaks Out on Rising Antisemitism in Australia
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The wave of antisemitism spreading across Australia has reached alarming new levels, according to testimony from Jewish students who say they face daily intimidation and abuse.
Itamar Francis, an 18-year-old high school senior, shared his experiences this week on Channel 12’s Morning News in Israel, describing an atmosphere in which Jewish students no longer feel safe at school.
“Someone wrote in German ‘Death to Jews’ in the bathroom and drew swastikas,” Francis said. “There were carvings on the trees. They told my younger brother that he should go back to the gas chambers and that all Jews deserve to die.”
Teachers accused of looking away
According to Francis, the problem is not limited to students. He claims some teachers are openly antisemitic, leaving Jewish students without trusted adults to turn to:
“The teacher who is supposed to deal with these events is herself antisemitic. The message is that you cannot go to her. The school does nothing, and when I respond to the abuse, they criticize me instead.”
A hostile climate beyond the classroom
The teenager’s account comes amid a broader surge in antisemitic incidents across Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently announced the expulsion of Iran’s ambassador after intelligence services concluded Tehran was linked to two antisemitic attacks targeting the Jewish community.
Francis described a climate of fear and hostility: synagogues and Jewish schools attacked, protests where Jewish symbols are burned, and even reports of restaurants refusing to serve Jewish customers.
“They do whatever they want at demonstrations, burning kindergartens and synagogues,” Francis said.
“There are many people thinking about emigrating to Israel. It’s not clear if you can even show that you are Jewish here.”
Looking toward Israel
Despite the uncertainty, Francis said his long-term plan is to return to Israel.
“I very much want to come back home, that’s where my family and friends are,” he explained. “I want to focus on finishing school with good grades, but yes, I want to return and serve in the arny.”