The Executive Council of Aus­trali­an Jewry (ECAJ), the peak rep­res­ent­at­ive body of the Aus­trali­an Jewish community, welcomes and fully endorses today’s statement issued by its Victorian con­stitu­ent body, the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV), express­ing the Jewish community’s strong dis­ap­point­ment in and con­dem­na­tion of the actions of a small group of people in our community who have not followed COVID restric­tions.

“The Delta variant of COVID-19 is highly trans­miss­ible and dangerous, and public health orders and restric­tions must be strictly complied with”, said ECAJ President Jillian Segal. “It was the height of irre­spons­ib­il­ity to hold an illegal gathering in a private house in Melbourne during lockdown. The reason is irrel­ev­ant. It was wrong. At least three people have now become infected as a con­sequence. More may follow. The message must be conveyed in loud and clear terms: Obey the rules. No excep­tions”.