Ruqayyah Snyder
Judaism is a religion with a long history in Australia, with the first Jewish people arriving in Victoria in 1788. Since then, there have been several waves of Jewish immigration to the country, including from the Middle East, India, South Africa, and the former Soviet Union. Today, Australia is home to a diverse Jewish community, with the majority of Jews living in Sydney and Melbourne, and smaller communities in other cities such as Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, and Canberra. The exact number of Jews in Australia is difficult to pinpoint, as being Jewish encompasses both religious and cultural elements, and many secular Jews do not identify with a religious affiliation. According to the 2021 census, there were 99,956 people who identified Judaism as their religion, an increase from 97,355 in the 2016 census. However, other estimates place the Jewish-Australian population at between 120,000 and 150,000 people.
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What You'll Learn
- The 2021 census recorded 99,956 Australians identified as religiously Jewish
- Victoria is home to the largest Jewish community in Australia
- % of Australia's Jewish population live in Greater Melbourne
- ,355 people identified as Jewish in the 2016 census
- The states with the highest proportion of Jews are Victoria and New South Wales
The 2021 census recorded 99,956 Australians identified as religiously Jewish
The actual number of Jewish Australians is likely higher than the census data suggests. This is because being Jewish encompasses more than just religious affiliation, and many secular Jews may not identify solely with the religious aspect of Judaism. Additionally, as the census question regarding religious affiliation is optional, some practising Holocaust survivors and Haredi Jews may choose not to disclose their religion.
Jewish Australians have a rich history in the country, with waves of immigration contributing to diverse communities. The states of Victoria and New South Wales have the highest proportion of Jews, with 46% living in Greater Melbourne, 39% in Greater Sydney, and 6% in Greater Perth. Melbourne, in particular, has a strong Jewish presence, with established synagogues dating back to the 1850s.
The Jewish community in Australia is known for its cohesiveness, with members from various congregations coming together for communal functions, personal celebrations, and social events. Additionally, the Australian Jewish community boasts a strong network of well-attended day schools, resulting in a high rate of Jewish children attending Jewish schools outside of Israel.
The diversity of the Jewish community in Australia is also reflected in the languages spoken. While English is predominant, many Jewish Australians speak other languages, including Yiddish, Hebrew, French, Russian, and more, showcasing the global reach of Jewish culture and heritage.
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Victoria is home to the largest Jewish community in Australia
Over time, the Jewish population in Victoria continued to grow, with waves of migration from various countries, including Eastern Europe, Russia, Poland, South Africa, China, and more recently, Israel, the United States, and South Africa. The community is linguistically diverse, with many elderly Jews speaking Yiddish, a language derived from Hebrew, Aramaic, German, and Slavic languages. The traditional language of prayer for Jewish people is Hebrew. Victoria's Jewish population has a high concentration in the Melbourne suburbs of Caulfield, St Kilda East, and Elsternwick, with a large number of communal organizations, including schools, synagogues, and cultural centres.
According to the 2021 census, there were 46,645 people in Victoria who identified with Jewish ancestry, constituting 0.71% of the state's population. Other estimates put the number higher, with one analysis estimating 60,080 Jews in Victoria, and some estimates suggesting a Jewish-Australian population of 120,000–150,000. The majority of Victoria's Jewish population lives in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs, with a well-established community and a range of sub-groups, including Progressive, Yiddishist, Modern Orthodox, secular, Conservative, and ultra-Orthodox communities.
The Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV), established in 1989, coordinates with local governments and engages in interfaith and multicultural activities. The JCCV has also advocated for Israeli policies in partnership with Zionism Victoria, although it has faced criticism for its inability to accommodate the LGBTQI community until 2015. Victoria's Jewish community celebrates various cultural and religious holidays, following the Jewish lunisolar calendar, and has very high levels of English language proficiency.
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46% of Australia's Jewish population live in Greater Melbourne
The Jewish community in Australia is diverse, with people from various countries and traditions, and different levels of religious observance. According to the 2016 census, 46% of Australia's Jewish population lived in Greater Melbourne, making it the city with the highest concentration of Jewish Australians. Melbourne's Jewish community is primarily found in the south-eastern suburbs, with notable populations in Caulfield North, St Kilda East, and surrounding areas. The City of Glen Eira is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in Victoria, with 25,585 people, while the City of Stonnington has a significant Jewish population of 4,523.
The history of the Jewish community in Melbourne dates back to the early days of the First Fleet in 1788, when Jewish people from Great Britain and Central Europe first arrived in Victoria. By the 1850s, synagogues were established in central Melbourne, East Melbourne, and towns like Bendigo and Ballarat. Over time, various waves of migration brought Jewish people to Melbourne from Eastern Europe, Russia, Poland, South Africa, China, and more recently, Israel, the United States, and South Africa.
The Jewish community in Melbourne is linguistically diverse, with Yiddish, Hebrew, and French being spoken by some members. English language proficiency is high, with most people speaking English well or very well. The community is well-established, with a range of schools, congregations, and cultural organizations serving its needs.
Melbourne's Jewish population has grown over the years, with an increase of 9.8% between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the largest intercensal increase since the 1950s. This growth reflects the vibrant and dynamic nature of the Jewish community in Melbourne, contributing to its cultural and religious diversity.
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97,355 people identified as Jewish in the 2016 census
According to the 2016 census, 97,355 people identified as Jewish in Australia. This number represents an increase in the Jewish population, which grew by 9.8% between 2016 and 2021, reaching 100,000 in 2021. This growth is notable, especially when compared to the decreasing trend in the enumerated Jewish population between 2011 and 2016, when it dropped from 97,000 to 91,000.
The Jewish community in Australia is diverse, with Jews immigrating from various parts of the world, including Germany, Poland, Austria, Eastern Europe (Ashkenazic Jews), the Middle East, India, South Africa, Rhodesia, the former Soviet Union, Israel, the United States, and China. This diversity is reflected in the various languages spoken within the community, such as Yiddish (derived from Hebrew, Aramaic, German, and Slavic languages), Russian, French, Italian, Spanish, and Arabic.
Victoria is home to the largest Jewish community in Australia, with the majority residing in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs. In the 2016 census, 46% of the Jewish population lived in Greater Melbourne, 39% in Greater Sydney, and 6% in Greater Perth. The states with the highest proportion of Jews are Victoria (0.71%) and New South Wales (0.49%), while the Northern Territory and Tasmania have the lowest proportions (0.05%) each.
The Jewish community in Australia has a rich history, with the first Jewish people arriving in Victoria as early as 1788 from Great Britain and Central Europe. Over time, synagogues were established in Melbourne, East Melbourne, and towns like Bendigo, Ballarat, and Geelong. Despite challenges like antisemitism and the White Australia policy in the interwar period, the Jewish community persevered and continues to contribute significantly to Australian society.
It is important to note that the actual number of Jews in Australia is likely higher than the census figures. This is because being Jewish encompasses cultural and ethnic aspects, and many secular Jews may not identify solely with the religious aspect captured in the census data. Additionally, the question about religion in the census is optional, and some practising Jews may choose not to disclose their religion. As a result, estimates of the Jewish-Australian population by sources like the Israeli newspaper Haaretz range from 120,000 to 150,000, or even up to 250,000, which would represent 1% of the total population.
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The states with the highest proportion of Jews are Victoria and New South Wales
The states with the highest proportion of Jews in Australia are Victoria and New South Wales. Victoria is home to the largest Jewish community in the country, with the majority of Jewish people living in Melbourne, the state's capital city. The Jewish community in Victoria is established and diverse, with people of Jewish faith or ancestry migrating to the state from various countries, including Eastern Europe, Russia, Poland, South Africa, China, and more. The first Jewish people arrived in Victoria as early as 1788, and by the 1850s, synagogues were established in central Melbourne, East Melbourne, and towns like Bendigo, Ballarat, and Geelong. Today, Victoria's Jewish community is characterized by its high English language proficiency, with most individuals speaking English "very well" or "well."
New South Wales, particularly its capital city, Sydney, is also home to a significant Jewish population. Sydney and Melbourne combined are said to account for 90% of Australia's Jewish population. The first Jewish people in Sydney arrived as early as the 1790s, and the city has since become a cultural hub for the Jewish community in Australia. Sydney's annual Chanukah in the Park event, for instance, attracts an estimated 10,000 attendees from diverse Jewish congregations.
The presence of Jews in Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is also notable. Jews have been a part of Adelaide's history, with prominent civic leaders and individuals in the arts, such as Jacob Barrow Montefiore and his brother Joseph Barrow Montefiore, who were active in the 1800s. The Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Andrew Steiner Education Centre (AHMSEC) was established in 2020, further highlighting the significance of the Jewish community in the city.
While the 2021 census recorded 99,956 people identifying Judaism as their religious affiliation in Australia, it is believed that the actual number of Jews in the country is higher. This is because being Jewish encompasses more than religious affiliation, and secular Jews may not identify with Judaism in a census. Additionally, some practising Holocaust survivors and Haredi Jews may prefer not to disclose their religion. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz estimates a Jewish-Australian population of 120,000–150,000.
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Frequently asked questions
In the 2021 census, 99,956 people identified Judaism as their religious affiliation, an increase from 97,355 in the 2016 census. However, the actual number is likely higher as the census data is based on religious affiliation, and being Jewish is not solely about being religious.
According to the 2016 census, Jews make up about 0.4% of the Australian population, with Victoria (0.71%) and New South Wales (0.49%) having the highest proportion of Jews among the states and territories.
90% of Australia's Jews live in Sydney and Melbourne, with smaller communities in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, and Canberra. Victoria is home to the largest Jewish community in Australia, with the majority of Jews living in Melbourne.
