Jewish children facing increased antisemitism in New Zealand schools

A child's school shirt marked with the Star of David and a swastika. The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand says antisemitism is on the rise in New Zealand schools since the Hamas-led terrorist attack on southern Israel in October.

Kiwi kids with Jewish heritage have been the target of widespread antisemitism at school since the Hamas-led October 7 terror attack on Israel, including one being physically assaulted and another having a swastika and Star of David drawn side-by-side on their school shirt, the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand says.

Others had faced Nazi salutes and various name-calling including “dirty Jew”, been told “Jews control the world”, been the subject of play-acting that involved gassing a Jewish student and told - when talking about not celebrating Christmas - that “Jews chop off babies’ heads”.

Lisa Ben Haim said her son was followed home by a group of children yelling “Free Palestine - six million Jews were killed by Hitler. Why don’t you die?”

The boy was later barricaded into a room with students on the outside yelling, “Free Palestine” and when the door was opened, one student attempted to assault him with a broom, Ben Haim said.

“I have been distraught about the ongoing episodes and I’m now pretty angry that the school seems unable to provide a safe environment for my 13-year-old son.”

The incidents were described in an ongoing survey of Jewish parents by the centre since November 22.

Half of those who completed the survey said their kids had been subjected to antisemitism since Hamas and other Palestinian militants stormed into southern Israel from Gaza on October 7, killing 1200 and taking 240 others hostage.

People gather in Auckland's Aotea Square last month to protest Israel's military response in the Palestinian territory of Gaza following the Hamas-led terror attacks on southern Israel in October. Photo / Alex Burton

The Gazan health ministry says 18,000 Gazans have died in Israel’s military response. Israel’s actions have caused a humanitarian crisis as hundreds of thousands are forced to leave their homes and aid has struggled to reach those in need inside the Palestinian territory. The situation has sparked protests around the world, including in New Zealand.

More than 7500 children are reported to be among the dead.

New Zealand this week supported a United Nations resolution demanding an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza.

There have also been protests in support of Israel’s actions following the October 7 attacks.

The survey findings matched the recent rise in complaints the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand was receiving about antisemitism in schools, chairwoman Deborah Hart said.

“Usually we might deal with two formal complaints a year. In the two months since the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, we have dealt with five times that many formal complaints and there are many, many more that may, in time, turn into formal complaints.”

Forty per cent of the incidents reported through their survey involved dehumanising or demonising allegations about Jews.

“[This includes] allegations of an international Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.”

Some Kiwi kids have been left afraid to claim their Jewish identity while at school after a rise in antisemitism, the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand says. Photo / 123RF

But only 40 per cent of parents said they’d reported the incidents to schools, with some preferring to go directly to the parents of the bullying child.

One parent said they didn’t tell the school as it had handled previous incidents badly; another described their child’s school as ill-equipped to deal with antisemitism.

Those affected ranged in age from 9 to 18, and incidents did not solely come from other students - with a teacher stood down and later resigning over their display of antisemitism.

The incidents had left some kids afraid to claim their Jewish identity while at school, Hart said.

She urged teachers and schools to make sure Jewish children were protected and that schools are places of tolerance and understanding.

The centre has programmes and tools that can help, she said.

“No matter what is going on internationally or politically, schools should be a place of learning and safety for all children.”

Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.