As a general rule, Australia is a good place for Jews to live. Australian Jews have enjoyed senior leadership positions in government, judiciary and the military. At the same time, Jewish education flourishes both at day schools and at the level of adult education. Jews engage in public debate on all topics, are members of the full spectrum of political parties and participate in all aspects of Australian life.

The vibrant and active Australian Jewish community is organised by over-arching and subsidiary institutions, and range of sporting, social, educational, charitable, and youth organisations. Largely due to the high proportion of Holocaust survivors and their descendants living in Australia, the Holocaust and Zionism are significant facets of the Australian Jewish identity, and inform the credo and charter of many of its communal organisations. The community is multifaceted and pluralistic, and cannot be characterised under a single umbrella. In part, the large number of different organisations, synagogues and Jewish day schools is both a reflection and expression of this diversity within the community.

Jews have lived in Australia since their arrival in the First Fleet in 1788. Historians estimate that there were between 8 and 14 Jews transported from England to New South Wales in that First Fleet. The early 19^th century saw an increase in free and voluntary Jewish settlement, and by the mid 19^th century, small and organised Jewish communities had developed in New South Wales and Melbourne. Two notable Australian Jews were General Sir John Monash (1865-1931) and Sir Isaac Isaacs (1855-1948). World War II and the rise of Nazism was an impetus for enormous growth and transformation of the Australian Jewish community. Approximately 8000 Jewish refugees arrived from Europe in the 1930s and 1940s, and after World War II over 30,000 Jews had migrated to Australia. The Australian Jewish community, (Melbourne in particular), has the highest proportion of Holocaust survivors per capita in the world outside Israel.

How many Jews live in Australia?

Approximately over 100,000 Jews live in Australia today, accounting for half a percent of the Australian population. It is difficult to give an exact number of Jews living in Australia. The Australian population census, which is a common way of estimating demographics, is known to be an underestimate of the number of Jews in Australia, as many Jews do not disclose their religion when filling out the forms.

Where in Australia do they live?

The majority of Australian Jews live in Melbourne and Sydney, each with a Jewish population of 45,000 and 40,000 respectively. In Melbourne, the community is largely concentrated in the government areas of Glen Eira and Stonnington. In New South Wales, many live in Waverly and Woollahra. There is a growing Jewish community in Perth, Western Australia (over 5000 Jewish people). Other Jewish communities exist in Queensland, South Australia, the ACT, Darwin, Hobart and Launceston.

Where did they come from?

Since the 2001 census, just over half of the Jews living in Australia are overseas-born. Many migrated from central and eastern Europe. In the second half of the 20^th century, there was a significant increase in the number of Jewish migrants from South Africa and the former USSR.

Jewish Life in Australia

There are over 65 synagogues across Australia, representing the spectrum of Jewish religious identification, including ultra-Orthodox, Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reform or Progressive streams.  Jews in Australia are of both Sephardi (Spanish, Middle Eastern and North African) and Ashkenazi (Eastern and central European) roots, and these different cultural influences are present in Synagogues and ritual observance. Over the last century, 19 Jewish day schools have been built in Australia, most of which are in Melbourne and Sydney, and reflect a similar spectrum of religious identification. Kosher products (foods complying with Jewish dietary laws) are widely available, and there are a number of Kosher restaurants, especially in Melbourne and Sydney.

MOSQUE OPENING The Australian Intercultural Society is holding a Mosque Open Day at the Deer Park Mosque this Sunday 27 July from 1pm to 3pm. Come along, learn about another culture and support interfaith events. Click here for more details. AUGUST IS APPEAL MONTH Join our volunteers on the phones to get support for the work of the ADC. Click here to volunteer. LAUNCH OF AUS/MED - 'A bridge to nations through medicine', Australian Israel Medical Research Fund launch - Hadassah Australia, 29 July. Click here for more details.