AUSTRALIA – A Sydney midwife is speaking out about the retaliation she faced after raising concerns about antisemitism among healthcare workers in New South Wales, months before two nurses were filmed making antisemitic threats in a viral video.
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Sharon Stoliar, who is married to an Israeli Jew, said she became alarmed after witnessing nurses and midwives chanting the controversial phrase “From the river to the sea” at protests following the October 7 Hamas attacks. The phrase, often condemned as genocidal by Jewish groups, was reportedly chanted by health workers while wearing NSW Health uniforms.
In response, Stoliar filed formal complaints and wrote an open letter to her colleagues urging them to stop using the chant while representing the healthcare system. She also took her concerns to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). However, Stoliar claimed she faced retaliation for her actions, with multiple complaints lodged against her demanding she lose her medical license.
The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) investigated the grievances. While the complaints were initially dismissed, two complainants insisted on a review, leading to Stoliar’s registration being marked with formal comments without her knowledge or an opportunity to respond. She also said she was threatened with a custodial sentence. Stoliar ultimately cleared her name with the help of her legal team and retained her medical registration.
“I raised the alarm not long after October 7, when nurses and midwives were chanting ‘From the river to the sea’ while wearing NSW Health uniforms,” Stoliar said in a video posted to Instagram. “I asked for an end to a genocidal chant, but instead of addressing that, I faced formal corrective comments and the threat of jail time.”
Stoliar’s claims came to public attention following a separate incident involving two NSW Health nurses, Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, who were filmed making violent antisemitic remarks while wearing NSW Health scrubs. In the video, the nurses boasted about sending Israeli patients to “Jehannam” (Arabic for hell), with one making a throat-slitting gesture. The footage went viral, prompting NSW Health to suspend the two nurses and police to launch an investigation.
In response to the video, NSW Health emphasized its commitment to fighting antisemitism and ensuring inclusivity within the workplace. “NSW Health, along with all NSW Government agencies, is committed to combating antisemitism and hate in all its forms,” a spokesperson said.
However, the case has sparked criticism from some Jewish groups, who argue that more needs to be done to protect Jewish staff and patients in the healthcare system. Critics are calling for stronger measures to prevent antisemitic behavior and ensure that those who engage in it are held accountable.
Stoliar’s experience and the recent controversy over the two nurses’ comments have led to renewed calls for greater vigilance and action in addressing antisemitism within Australian workplaces, particularly in healthcare settings.
Brave righteous woman
Right so NOW they care to combat antisemitism only because they look bad. When this lady reported it they not only didn’t care but they were angry at her for even bringing it up…. That’s their true colors
Now is just PR
From all of this, one conclusion we can draw is that yes! we are deeply in golus, in so many ways. Not only are we in golus as regards to culture and societal issues and influences, but we are in physical danger in places where we are so vulnerable – the health care system. We already know how very much Siyatta D’shmaya and rachamei Shomayim each of us depends on when, rachmono litzlan, someone needs hospital care, and is ‘at the mercy’ of ‘the system’. May Hashem truly be the Shomer Yisroel every moment for every single Yid!
Australia is lost just like Europe