Introducing a new Justice/Interfaith Resource
In 2023, the Australian Catholic Bishops issued an interfaith statement on Catholic-Jewish relations:
Walking Together: Catholics and Jews in the Australian Context.
In a spirit of synodality, during 2023 Catholic Religious Australia and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry “walked together” to address the issue of antisemitic bullying in the Australian context.
The result is an online resource for guiding discussion among leaders and staff of Catholic organisations, especially schools, about the nature of antisemitic bullying and practical approaches to incident response.
The resource that follows, a package of videos, powerpoints and discussion guides, aims to:
Raise awareness about antisemitism – what it is, how to recognise it;
Stimulate conversation;
Suggest practical ideas for incident-response.
The material can be used as a whole or selectively, and adjusted in length to suit a staff meeting, a professional development day, or a workshop setting.
Video Content
Prof David Hall FMS, a leading Australian Catholic educator, in conversation with prominent members of the Australian Jewish Community, Peter Wertheim AM and Vic Alhadeff OAM, exploring effective responses to antisemitic bullying, particularly in schools
Click the image above to watch video
As Catholics seeking to listen, learn and understand, we asked our Jewish friends: From your experience,
What does an antisemitic incident ‘look’ like?
What helps (incident-response)?
What is to be avoided?
The result is an important contributing voice, from one of Australia’s minority communities, to the ongoing discussion about bullying in schools.
POWERPOINT DISCUSSION TOOLS
Click the image above for a PowerPoint to accompany the Video.
Download the PowerPoint as a PDF.
Further aids for facilitators can be found below.
Further Speakers and Discussion Tools
Julie Nathan, author of the ECAJ annual report on antisemitism in Australia. Click on the image above. Download the PowerPoint as a PDF here.
Vic Alhadeff OAM, former CEO, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, and a consultant to schools on leadership that addresses prejudice. Click on the image above.
Alyssa Foster, former president, Australasian Union of Jewish Students. Click the image to watch video.