MELBOURNE, Australia — A Melbourne rabbi says he and his children were subjected to an antisemitic verbal attack on a city tram by a woman who allegedly told the family to “go to a gas chamber,” according to a complaint made public Friday by the Australian Jewish Association.
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The rabbi, who was traveling through St. Kilda East with his 8-year-old and 14-year-old daughters, said the woman carried a bag decorated with Palestinian imagery. In a video recorded after the exchange, the woman covered her face and denied making the remarks, accusing the family of “picking on her” and asking the person filming to “stop being a bully.”
Rabbi and children "told to go to a gas chamber" – Melbourne tram
A well-respcted Rabbi claims that a woman racially abused him and his child, telling them to "Go to a gas chamber".
The woman, who carried a 'Palestine bag' hid her face and claimed the Rabbi and his children… pic.twitter.com/63u0DC57Ha
— Australian Jewish Association (@AustralianJA) December 12, 2025
The rabbi said his younger child was left in tears and is now afraid to use public transportation. He told the association he confronted the woman and informed other passengers on the tram about what had occurred.
AJA chief executive Robert Gregory condemned the reported abuse, calling it “unbelievable” that a child would be targeted with such language and saying the case reflects a broader rise in antisemitic hostility.
Australia recorded 1,654 antisemitic incidents between October 2024 and September 2025, according to data compiled by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. Recent incidents have included vandalism, harassment, and a firebomb attack on a Melbourne synagogue last year that authorities classified as terrorism.
Police have not yet announced whether an investigation has been opened.
Why wasn’t the antisemitic middleaged ho promptly punched in the teeth?
Just remember, whatever the question, violence is the answer.
Aussies are offspring of criminals deposited by the Brits a century ago. They emptied their prisons.
It appears the Rabbi’s child was crying because the Rabbi was making a scene. He should have calmly handled the situation by calling the police, as freedom of speech isn’t a thing in Australia.