Mount Scopus Memorial College primary students lashed with anti-Semitic abuse at Melbourne Museum visit
Jewish primary students have been subjected to foul anti-Semitic abuse by pupils from another school during an excursion to Melbourne Museum.
Victoria
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Heartbroken parents of shaken up Jewish primary school students who were targeted with anti-Semitic abuse on a school excursion say their children returned home asking whether they’d done something wrong.
Year 5 students from Mount Scopus Memorial College, many of whom wear kippahs or yarmulkes, were subjected to abuse, including slurs of “dirty Jews” and chants of “free, free Palestine”.
The abuse, which occurred during a school trip to the Melbourne Museum on Thursday, was unleashed by high school students from a different school as the two student groups were doing an activity in a shared space.
The Herald Sun can reveal that the teenagers are students at Gladstone Park Secondary College, located 15 km northwest of Melbourne’s CBD.
Mount Scopus Principal Dan Sztrajt, in a letter to parents on Friday, said he had raised “serious concerns” with the high school’s principal Veronica Hoy.
“She conveyed her sincere regret, apologised on behalf of her school, and expressed a willingness to work collaboratively with Mount Scopus,” he wrote.
“I proposed several educational initiatives for their staff and students, which she welcomed.”
Mr Sztrajt said he was proud of the year 5 students who remained “resilient and strong in their identity as proud Australian Jews” in the face of “repugnant racism”.
“Our understanding from discussions with our students and the accompanying staff is that the comments included - “Free Free Palestine”, “Dirty Jews” and “Free Hezbollah.”
The Herald Sun contacted Gladstone Park Secondary College multiple times on Friday but the school did not respond.
Education Minister Ben Carroll said he had spoken with Mr Sztrajt and conveyed his “disgust at the anti-Semitic attacks”.
“I have offered every support possible to help them through this incident,” he said.
“It is unacceptable that students or staff feel unsafe in the community where they learn, work and play.”
Dad Tristan Sternson said his 10-year-old son was tapped on the shoulder by teenagers who chanted “Free, free Palestine” at him and his friends.
“Then, as the kids were being walked away by the teachers, getting them out of harm’s way, they started saying “dirty Jews” and other comments,” he said.
“They weren’t out there chanting pro Israel comments. They were just at a museum.”
Mr Sternson said his son was “very shaken up” and confused as to why older kids would say such a thing when it has “no relevance to them in Australia”.
He said his son was asking whether they should not wear their school uniforms and take off their kippahs in public, fearing that they might be targeted again.
“When the school goes out, they wear their blazer and their caps because that’s what we believe in,” he said.
“But he came home and said: Should I have not worn it so they don’t know I’m Jewish?”
Mr Sternson said when he was growing up as a Jewish kid in Melbourne he “never once” felt he had to hide his identity.
“My grandparents are Holocaust survivors,” he said.
“Back then they were asked to remove their identity, hide that they were Jewish.
“So we’re very strong on the fact that we shouldn’t have to, particularly in Melbourne.”
The concerned father said he was “extremely frustrated” by the “slow reaction” of political leaders and authorities to crack down on anti-Semitism.
“Unfortunately, situations like this are becoming more and more frequent,” he said.
He called for the teenagers involved to undergo anti-Semitism training and visit the Holocaust Museum.
“If we’re going to be truly multicultural, if we’re going to be truly accepting of people in our education system, my kids need to learn about their religion and their kids learn about our religion,” he said.
Another parent, who wished to remain anonymous, broke down in tears as she recalled her 10-year-old daughter returning home and asking whether she had done something wrong.
“She was just confused,” she said.
“She was saying: Why are they saying free Palestine? Why are they calling us dirty Jews?”
“What did we do?”
“It was just heartbreaking. It’s not right.”
In a letter to parents seen by the Herald Sun, Mount Scopus deputy principal Greg Hannon said he would be contacting the principal from the other school.
“Our group leader immediately confronted the senior school educators to address the behaviour of their students,” he said.
“Upon returning to the college, we conducted a wellbeing check on all students to ensure they felt safe and supported.”
Melbourne has been plagued by a string of anti-Semitic attacks, including the storming of an Israeli restaurant in the CBD and arson attacks on major synagogues, including Adass Israel which was completely destroyed in a firebombing.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry chief executive Alex Ryvchin slammed the high school students, saying they have brought “disgrace to themselves, their school and their country”.
“Where would Australian high school students learn this behaviour?” he said.
“Form the belief that it is OK, even righteous to see a Jewish symbol on the uniforms of 8 and 9 year olds and subject them to chants about Palestine?”
“It comes from a certain moral collapse brought about by nearly two years of normalised abuse and violence, where anyone who holds an opposing view on the war is a Nazi and a baby-killer, where anything down to Jews living peacefully on the other side of the world is justified, or if impossible to defend, it’s a false flag.”
Zionist Federation of Australia chief executive Alon Cassuto said the vile incident spoke to a “deeper sickness” in Victorian society where Jewish identity becomes a “provocation”.
“Ten-year-olds, on an innocent excursion, were harassed and targeted not for what they did, but for who they are,” he said.
Jewish Community Council of Victoria chief executive Naomi Levin said they had alerted the education department about the shocking incident.
“The 2024 Victorian Anti-Semitism Report showed a record number of anti-Semitic incidents targeting Jewish schools and Jewish students,” she said.
“It is completely unacceptable that our youngest community members are being targeted.”
The Burwood school was previously targeted by vandals who graffitied “Jew Die” on the front fence.
Despite police being provided with CCTV, it’s understood the person responsible was never apprehended.
Dr Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission, has called for an investigation from the Department of Education following the incident at Melbourne Museum.
“What happened at the Melbourne Museum is unforgivable and chilling,” Dr Abramovich said.
Opposition police spokesperson David Southwick called the incident “utterly disgraceful”.
“No student, no matter their background, should be made to feel unsafe on a school excursion,” he said.
“Those responsible must be held accountable.”
A Melbourne Museum spokeswoman said their team had contacted both of the schools over the incident.
“Racism, discrimination, and hatred have no place in our Museums and Museums Victoria is deeply sorry that this incident has occurred at one of our venues,” she said.
Originally published as Mount Scopus Memorial College primary students lashed with anti-Semitic abuse at Melbourne Museum visit
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