Located on the traditional lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Sydney Jewish Museum is a place where visitors from all walks of life come to learn about Judaism, Australian Jewish history and the Holocaust. It’s a unique space, where it’s possible to encounter messages directly from survivors about the importance of standing up for humanity and against racism and hate in all its forms.
The Museum – a place that exists as a warning about the dangers of persecution against minority groups – stands in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. We actively work to acknowledge and condemn the widespread marginalisation, discrimination and oppression of Australia’s first peoples since colonisation. Over the years, close collaboration and consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities has helped us strengthen our impact and relevance within Australia’s human rights landscape with an aim to promote reconciliation, self-determination and intercultural communication within Australia today.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, perspectives and opinions have been instrumental in shaping our programming, exhibitions, events and the way we educate visitors:
Exhibitions
Stories from Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities feature throughout the Museum’s Holocaust exhibition. The race sciences section distinctively refers to the forced removal of Aboriginal children, pointing to instances where race sciences have been utilised by the government in an Australian context. In addition, the story of William Cooper – a Yorta Yorta elder who was moved to political action following Kristallnacht – is shared in a special, stand-alone showcase in the Kristallnacht section.
The final stop on any visitors’ journey through the Museum, The Holocaust and Human Rights exhibition is designed to encourage visitors to reflect on how the events of the Holocaust impact their understanding of human rights issues affecting Australia today. The history of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people forms a vital part of this exhibition, which was opened in 2018. It was developed in collaboration with researchers from the University of Sydney, with content created in consultation with Professor Jennifer Barrett, Director of the National Centre for Cultural Competence, who is of Dhanggati heritage.
Education, programs and events
The history and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are explored in several of the Museum’s education programs for students of different stages, from early primary school to the end of high school. Over the years, the Museum has also provided a platform for survivors of the Stolen Generation as speakers at teacher professional development programs, while engaging Aboriginal elders to speak to students.
In 2021 during the pandemic, we ran an online course in partnership with the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies called Beit Sefer Yalbalinga – a combination of the Hebrew and Wiradjuri terms for “place of learning” – which was designed to raise awareness of the shared history and values of the Jewish and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. You can access the Beit Sefer Yalbalinga course recordings here.