The online resource for teachers includes classroom materials and professional tools, and is being rolled out as part of the Federal Government’s Social Cohesion Education Hub.
The hub will bring together resources focusing on dealing with discrimination, with an initial suite of 50 existing resources now available, and of those about half dealing with anti-Semitism. Future materials will be made available and updated in coming months.
Lessons dealing with anti-Semitism and discrimination were among the recommendations put forward by the Special Envoy to Combat anti-Semitism Jillian Segal in 2025.
“With the support of government the Envoy will embed Holocaust and antisemitism education, with appropriate lesson plans, in national and state school curricula, in coordination with government, Catholic and independent school systems,” Segal wrote in her Plan.
“The Envoy will provide guidance to government on antisemitism education for educators and public officials to ensure they have a foundational and practical understanding ... [and] provide recommendations to government on enhancing education about Jewish history, identity, culture and antisemitism in high school curricula to promote understanding and counter prejudice.”
Education Minister Jason Clare said schools were critical to stamping out anti-Semitism.
“There is no place for the poison of anti-Semitism anywhere in our society,” Clare said in a statement.
“There is a lot that we as a country need to do to tackle anti-Semitism and improve social cohesion and what we do in education is an important part of that.
“Bringing together existing resources from across the country into one place is the first step. We’ll keep adding to the hub over time to make sure we’re giving schools and educators the tools they need.”
The online resources comes as ACARA is carrying out a review of the curriculum to deal with anti-Semitism.
Alongside the anti-Semitism education, the review aims to strengthen students’ appreciation for Australian democratic values, basic freedoms, and the rule of law.
Advisory groups are examining the changes, which include experts in Jewish history and Holocaust education.
The review followed state and territory education ministers agreeing to the move earlier in the year.
Segal said the hub would complement efforts for teachers dealing with anti-Semitism.
“My strong hope is that the hub, together with the UNESCO teacher training program being piloted in Australia will help support schools to respond to the rising levels of anti-Semitism, as well as intolerance and prejudice more broadly,” she said.
In his recent submission to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, Mark Dreyfus KC, the Member for Isaacs and Australia’s Special Envoy for International Human Rights, said Australians must be free to debate foreign policy, human rights, war and peace.
“This freedom is essential in a democracy. Laws and government programs matter but alone cannot eliminate antisemitism. The task of confronting prejudice belongs to all of us.”
In his submission, Dreyfus describes a range of examples of anti-Semitism, including the targeting of Jews because they are Jews, holding Jewish Australians collectively responsible for the actions of a foreign government, calling for or excusing violence against Jews, and said these distinctions matter because social cohesion depends on honesty and a common sense of humanity.
“We cannot protect free expression by ignoring hate. We cannot protect vulnerable communities by blurring the reality of what is happening to them. We cannot ask Jewish Australians to accept intimidation and violence as the price of public debate,” he said.
Anti-Semitism Education Taskforce chair David Gonski said the hub would be able to evolve over time as more resources become available for teachers and students.
“This suite of resources offers critically needed tools to improve students’ understanding and ability to effectively respond to ant-Semitism, all forms of racism and hatred, and help embed safety and a sense of inclusion amongst us all,” he said.
The Federal Government has committed $6 million over five years to establish and maintain the Social Cohesion Education Hub.
