Celebrating 80 years as the voice of the Australian Jewish community
Australian Jews came together in 1944 to establish a national roof body to advocate for the interests of the Australian Jewish community. They did so at a time when the global Jewish community faced the most serious existential threat in its modern history.
80 years on the ECAJ continues its tireless advocacy for the Australian Jewish community: to government, in the courts, in the media, in the community, and around the world.
We celebrated 80 years as your voice by sharing a highlight each day over a fortnight. Over the first week we celebrated our past; over the second week we shared how we’re shaping our future.
You can see our highlights here on this page or follow our updates on Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp for updates.
Celebrating our past
Advocating for Holocaust refugees and the State of Israel
The ECAJ played a crucial role in securing funding to support the transport, reception, and integration of Holocaust survivors into Australia.
Our advocacy was instrumental in allowing Australia to admit a significant number of survivors, making it one of the leading countries outside Israel in accepting them.
Starting in 1945, the ECAJ’s work led to Australia’s first Immigration Minister, Arthur Calwell, granting landing permits to survivors on a humanitarian basis, overcoming initial quotas.
By 1961, the Jewish population in Australia had nearly tripled from 1933.
Furthermore, Australia, through Dr. Herbert Vere Evatt played a significant role in the creation of the State of Israel.
Evatt, as Minister for External Affairs and later as President of the UN General Assembly, was instrumental in the Partition Plan negotiations and the UN vote on Resolution 181 in November 1947.
His interactions with the Australian Jewish community and the ECAJ were key to the successful establishment of Israel.
Advocating for Soviet Jewry
The Under Isi J. Leibler’s leadership, the ECAJ shifted the World Jewish Congress’s approach to Soviet Jewry from quiet diplomacy to a public campaign involving direct protests and advocacy to governments, media, trade unions, and civil society.
This change was pivotal in securing freedom for Soviet Jewry.
The ECAJ led a relentless campaign in Australia for the rescue of Soviet Jews, starting with a major rally at Sydney Town Hall and achieving significant successes from the 1970s to the mid-1980s.
Advocating for racial villification laws
The ECAJ played a crucial role in advocating for racial vilification laws in Australia. Our submissions were pivotal in the Australian Human Rights Commission’s reports from 1983 and 1991, which recommended federal legislation against racial vilification and gross racist propaganda.
Our advocacy contributed to the enactment of such a law in 1995. We have continued to push for further legal measures, including laws against incitement of racist violence, public display of Nazi symbols, and Nazi salutes.
Silencing Holocaust deniers
The ECAJ is unique among Jewish organizations for successfully filing formal racial vilification complaints with the Australian Human Rights Commission and the courts.
We have achieved significant victories in landmark cases, including one against Holocaust denier Fredrick Tobin and his “Adelaide Institute”.
Additionally, the ECAJ is the only Jewish body recognized by the courts with the authority to bring and prosecute these complaints on behalf of the Jewish community.
Combatting terrorist organisations
In 2021, the ECAJ and other Jewish organizations made extensive submissions to an inquiry by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, advocating for Hezbollah and Hamas to be listed in their entirety as terrorist organizations.
Previously, only parts of these groups were listed. The ECAJ argued that listing Hezbollah would address the misconception that its terrorism could be separated from its other activities.
Hezbollah was officially fully listed under the Criminal Code on 10 December 2021.
Similarly, the ECAJ supported the full listing of Hamas, which was completed on 4 March 2022, recognizing it as a singular entity with overlapping operations.
The voice of our community in the media
In response to 7 October, the ECAJ has once again been the voice of Australian Jews in our time of need.
We have advocated for our rights, safety and freedoms throughout the country, reaching a national audience across every platform and network.
We have worked tirelessly to speak for our community and our people with clarity, strength and focus amid unprecedented challenges.
Representation to government
The ECAJ is the voice of the Australian Jewish community to government.
We have led the calls for law reform and political leadership to protect our community.
We have demanded the prosecution of those who incite against our community and fracture the harmony of our society.
We have also acted for the community in bringing action under the Racial Discrimination Act against hate preachers and forcefully advocated for anti-doxxing laws in the wake of the shameful attacks on Jewish Australians.
Education initiatives
ECAJ campaigned to make Holocaust education mandatory in schools.
Recognising that this must be supplemented with antisemitism education, we will be spearheading the launch of education programs in schools throughout Australia to ensure that teachers, parents and students are equipped to recognise and take action against antisemitism.
International partnerships
As the official national roof body, we are proud to give our Australian Jewish community a strong voice in a global context.
We value our affiliation with the World Jewish Congress and partnership with the Anti Defamation League and the J7 Taskforce as platforms to develop and implement ideas and strategies that enrich Jewish life.
