Australia
Comprised of both Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews, Australia’s Jewish community dates back to the country’s establishment as a penal colony by the British. The Jewish convicts deported from Great Britain to Australia are regarded as founding members of the country where they built synagogues in several cities. More Jews moved to the country during a gold rush in the 1850s and during the 20th century by refugees fleeing Nazi Germany and Holocaust survivors who emigrated after the war. Australia has always remained almost completely free of anti-Semitism due to the central role played by Jews in the founding of the country.
With a Jewish population of approximately 113,000 (as of 2016), Australia has the distinction of being the 9th largest Jewish community in the world with most Jews living in the large cities of Sydney and Melbourne.
PLACES OF INTEREST
- Historic Great Synagogue of Sydney
166 Castlereagh Street
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
- The Hobart Synagogue
59 Argyle Street
Hobart TAS 7000, Australia
- Jewish Museum of Australia
26 Alma Road
St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia
- Sydney Jewish Museum
148 Darlinghurst Road
Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia
PLACES TO EAT
Visit jewishaustralia.com/food for information on Kosher food establishments.
Additional sites include the Kashrut Authority of Western Australia and New South Wales Kathruth Aurthority-Sidney, Australia.
RESOURCES
Melbourne
- Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV), 306 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield South, Victoria 3162, +61 3 9272 5566, info@jccv.org.au
Perth
- Perth Hebrew Congregation, 28 Freedman Road, Menora, Western Australia 6050, phc@theperthshule.asn.au, Tel: +61 8 9271 0539
February 18, 2019
