More than 500,000 students reached through antisemitism education
Antisemitism education should be the foundation of Australia’s response to rising hatred, Courage to Care Victoria CEO Mike Zervos OAM told the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion on Thursday.
Zervos said more than 180 volunteers visit primary and secondary schools each week to teach students about the Pyramid of Hate, while Courage to Care has reached more than 500,000 students through its free anti-discrimination Upstander Programmes.
His evidence argued Australia has reached the violence tier of that pyramid, citing the 14th December 2025 terrorist attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in which 15 people were murdered.
Courage to Care lodged its full submission with the Royal Commission on 8th May 2026, calling for sustained federal investment in anti-discrimination education as social cohesion declines.
Royal Commission recommendations
The organisation’s submission recommends sustained federal funding for evidence-based anti-discrimination education, structured accredited professional development for teachers, and recognition of community organisations such as Courage to Care as long-term delivery partners with multi-year funding and capacity-building support.
Zervos told the commission that face-to-face programmes directly address antisemitism through Holocaust Survivor speakers. “When a student sits with a Holocaust Survivor, not a historical figure but a person in the room who has a name and a story and grandchildren, the antisemitic attitudes formed in ignorance and isolation meet something they cannot easily survive: a human being,” he said.
Courage to Care says evaluations show more than 90% of students demonstrate increased knowledge of bystander and Upstander concepts, while 93% of teachers say they would recommend the programme to a peer.
Demand has also grown. The organisation said bookings have increased by more than 200% since 2023, while digital lesson plans launched in 2024 have reached more than 100,000 students across 303 schools in under two years.
Zervos said government investment in security and incident response had not stopped record levels of antisemitism in Australia. “Antisemitism is not a Jewish problem. The fear experienced by Jewish families, and the growing normalisation of antisemitism, are symptoms of a broader challenge to Australia’s social cohesion and values,” he said.
