Many Australian Orthodox Jews I know prefer to live in America because they encounter less hatred of Jews.
Trad Jews I know from Sydney recall receiving threats and vilification almost every day that they walked around wearing a yarmulke. Many of them were beaten up by white Aussies. This near daily abuse ended about 10-15 years ago but it is starting up again, though the abuse usually comes these days from Muslim immigrants.
Australia is investigating suspicions that funding from outside the country is behind a surge in anti-Semitic crime.
Detectives investigating the anti-Semitic attacks across the country have concluded that foreign actors have been paying local criminals to commit them, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday.
I wonder how long till this comes to America?
In my trips back to Australia at the end of 2021 and 2022, I encountered no abuse when wearing a yarmulke. My mates in Sydney shuls then said that it had become rare.
Australia’s Jewish community is cohesive and organized and since 9-11 has had excellent security protocols.
These recent Sydney attacks hit me hard because I know these places that got hit, and I had such idyllic visits back home to Sydney. I felt like my life was charmed. I could enjoy my intense Jewish, Australian and American identities with little conflict between them.
