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The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) has announced the appointment of Sheina Gutnick as its new Public Affairs Advocate for Australia.
Gutnick’s life was shattered in December, when her father Reuven Morrison was shot dead on Bondi Beach while hurling bricks at an Islamic State-inspired gunman to shield others at a communal Hanukkah celebration. Now, she is channeling that unimaginable grief into action on the world stage.
The appointment comes as Australia grapples with the aftermath of worst antisemitic terror attack in its history. Fifteen people were killed in the Bondi Beach massacre. A royal commission, the country’s most powerful form of public inquiry, is now underway, and Jewish communities across Australia are living in fear. Antisemitic incidents have risen to nearly five times the pre-October 7 average, with arson attacks on synagogues and Jewish schools among the most alarming events of the past year.
“My father ran toward the bullets so others could run away,” Gutnick said. “The least I can do is run toward to combat the hate and strengthen Jewish pride.”
Natan Sharansky, Chair of the CAM Global Advisory Board, stated, “At a time when antisemitism is evolving into a challenge that increasingly manifests at the local level, in our cities, communities, and public institutions, the response must also be rooted in local leadership. In Australia, this means empowering local councils and mayors to take responsibility and act with clarity and resolve.”
”The Combat Antisemitism Movement in Australia is building exactly this kind of framework, one that brings local government to the forefront of the fight against antisemitism, translating awareness into concrete policies and community action,” Sharansky emphasized. “I warmly welcome Sheina to this effort. Her voice, shaped by both personal resilience and moral conviction, is uniquely positioned to engage and inspire local leaders across Australia. Her role in working with local councils and mayors will be critical in ensuring that the fight against antisemitism is not abstract, but practical, coordinated, and deeply embedded in everyday civic life.”
CAM Director of Australian Affairs Yigal Nisell said, “After the horrific murder of her beloved father Reuven at Bondi Beach, Sheina decided she could not remain silent, and she has emerged as a powerful young voice advocating against the hate that stole his life. We are so honored and fortunate she chose CAM as her platform to serve as a light in the darkness, and we look forward to seeing the impact she’ll have in the fight for the future of Australian Jewry.”
Gutnick’s emergence as a public voice has been swift and searing. Immediately following the attack, she told CBS News that Australia had become a country where Jewish people no longer feel safe — a statement that reverberated internationally and drew responses from government and community leaders alike. Since then, she has addressed parliamentarians, appeared across national and international media, and become a central figure in the push for a federal inquiry into antisemitism and security failures.
Drawing on a professional background in psychology and years of work in Jewish education and youth programming, Gutnick brings both analytical rigor and deep communal roots to her new role. She has mentored young people, built curriculum focused on identity and resilience, and supported Jewish families across a range of community organizations. Through her role at CAM, she will engage government, speak to media, and work to strengthen safety, awareness, and solidarity for Jewish communities across Australia and beyond.
CAM has already commenced grassroots advocacy across Australia, with community panels held in urban, remote, and regional areas. This builds on the success of the 2025 Australian Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism in Gold Coast, which brought together Jewish community leaders, government representatives, and civil society organizations to chart a coordinated national response to rising antisemitism.
Read more:
At First Australian Mayoral Summit Against Antisemitism, Local Leaders Commit to Action Plans
