Prominent Australian commentator Avi Yemini warns that rising antisemitism may push many Jews to leave the country. Since the Oct. 7 attacks, he says Australia has seen an alarming spike in hostility, creating an environment where many Jews feel unsafe.
Yemini, a father of four, says he invested nearly $60,000 in security upgrades after receiving threats he attributes to radical Islamist extremists. One incident occurred at his local gym, where a group of young Arab men wearing pro-Palestinian clothing began filming him. He believes such videos can circulate among more extreme individuals capable of identifying his location. Living outside the Jewish community, he says, makes him particularly exposed.
Despite the risks, Yemini continues reporting and argues that antisemitism is a broader threat to Australian society. Raised in a large ultra-Orthodox family, he struggled with crime and drugs in his teens before moving to Israel, where he rebuilt his life during his IDF service. He later returned to Melbourne and became known for harsh criticism of media outlets and his outspoken opposition to COVID-19 restrictions.
Before Oct. 7, many Australian Jews saw him as too extreme. Now, he says some of the same critics privately admit they misjudged the threat.
New data appear to support his concerns. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry recently reported that antisemitic incidents remain more than five times higher than pre-2023 levels. The country has seen the sharpest rise among J7 nations. Severe incidents — including arson attacks on synagogues, preschools, and community buildings — are at record highs.
The ADL warned that Australia is part of a global pattern, noting similar spikes in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. Attacks on Jewish institutions, the group said, threaten not only community safety but democratic stability.
Yemini argues that government leaders have not acted forcefully enough. After the firebombing of a prominent Melbourne synagogue, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Australian PM Anthony Albanese of failing the Jewish community. Yemini agrees, saying the state cannot be relied upon and predicting that the situation will worsen.
source: ynetnews.com