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A Jewish family was subjected earlier this week to a vicious antisemitic outburst on a public tram in Melbourne, Australia, after a passenger allegedly told a rabbi and his young children to “go to the gas chambers.”
According to the Australian Jewish Association (AJA), which reported the case on Friday, the incident occurred in Melbourne’s St Kilda East area. The woman involved reportedly carried a bag featuring a Palestinian flag and directed Holocaust-related slurs at a rabbi traveling with his eight-year-old son and fourteen-year-old daughter.
Holocaust Slur Directed at Children
Following the incident, a video circulated in which the rabbi described what occurred on the tram.
“I was riding the tram home in St Kilda East with my eight-year-old and fourteen-year-old daughter,” he said. “This woman, with her ‘Free Palestine’ kaffiyeh bag, tells us, ‘You should all go to the gas chambers.’”
In the recording, the woman attempts to hide her face. At the same time, she denies making the remark. She claims the rabbi and his children were “picking on her” and asks 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
Child Left in Tears, Afraid to Use Public Transport
The rabbi said the abuse had an immediate and lasting effect on his children. His eight-year-old was left in tears and now fears riding the tram again.
Nevertheless, the rabbi said he felt compelled to respond. Rather than remain silent, he confronted the woman publicly.
“I am not aggressive by nature, but I wanted to teach my kids to be proud Jews,” he explained. He then told fellow passengers what she had said, ensuring the incident did not pass unnoticed.
Referring to Jewish history, the rabbi added: “This is how we need to respond. Like the Maccabees, who stood up and fought back with Jewish pride and strength. No more will we be afraid or cower. We will stand up to you and call you out. Let them be ashamed.”
Jewish Leaders Condemn the Attack
Jewish leaders across Australia strongly condemned the incident.
“It’s unbelievable that anyone could tell a child to go to a gas chamber,” said AJA CEO Robert Gregory. He warned that the attack reflects a broader and deeply troubling trend. “This appears to be just the latest shocking incident of antisemitism in Melbourne,” Gregory said.
More broadly, the tram attack comes amid a sustained surge in antisemitic incidents nationwide. According to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Australia recorded 1,654 antisemitic incidents between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
