The Jewish community is growing in Australia, and this is definitely something to highlight. This change shows just how alluring the country of Australia is for this community amongst others hoping to call this country home. It would be nice to say that this growth has only produced positive results in the country. Sadly, that is not the case. Antisemitism seems to be growing in the country, but Jewish communities are fighting back with an unusual tool: food.
The Growing Problem Jewish Communities Face in Australia
Hate and discrimination have plagued humanity for some time. There is no telling if a cure for these social ailments is ever going to be found, but it seems to be infecting some people in Australia.
Jewish leaders have pointed out that antisemitic crime has been rising in the country over the last few years. It has created an environment where some Australian Jewish citizens feel uncomfortable and fearful. The crimes against the Jewish community has become so rampant that there have been several public displays of hate.
This is not to say that the entire country is having such animosity toward this particular group who has assimilated to Australian culture so well. Some experts point out that antisemitic ideas are relatively new to the country. Some actually say that it has something to do with American hate groups. In short, many in Australia believe that this problem is growing, which means it can be nipped in the bud.
Fighting Antisemitism With Cultural Richness
Discrimination and racism are the results of many factors, such as lack of education or misinformation just to name a few things. Fighting some of these factors can be pretty hard, but one step that many Australian Jewish communities are taking is to inject cultural awareness into their environments.
Research shows that exposing people who are racist or discriminatory to diversity helps reduce this problem drastically. Having people taste the savory goodness that exists within Jewish culture is definitely one way to expose diversity. There are several wholesale food suppliers and individuals doing their part in various ways.
Mass food suppliers are helping to drive the popularity of kosher food up, which seems to be growing everywhere. Food enthusiasts within the country are also working locally to expose Australians to delicious treats. For example, there is a group of women in Australia who jump-started a Jewish Food Sisterhood. This sisterhood has caught on fire in Australia and is helping expose many people to the delights hidden in Jewish kitchens.
The idea behind the Food Sisterhood was to help Jewish people retain their culture, enrich their culture, and expose their culture through food. It started with a small number of Jewish cooks who just wanted to share some of their treats. The cooks did not expect to see the sisterhood grow as big as it did. First, it grew to cover many communities in Australia but then caught the attention of other cooks throughout the world. This is a good thing since it seems that antisemitism is affecting many parts of the world.
The hunger to teach others about their culture has also helped start more Jewish-centric restaurants in Australia. Some of these restaurants have risen in popularity while exposing people who might not have known much about Jewish cuisine to a new blend of flavors and textures.
Food may not be the first thing people think about when attempting to fight antisemitism, but good food has the power to melt hearts and bring a smile to a person’s face. No one is saying these efforts are going to solve Australia’s problems, but it should definitely help.
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