Jewish-Australian Natalie Levy is the first witness to give evidence at the royal commission today.
He mother migrated to Australia from England, while her father migrated from Ukraine. Levy was born in Australia.
She said her parents grew up with racism in their home countries. “Growing up in Australia was wonderful. It was safe,” Levy said.
She said she “never” experienced antisemitism in her childhood. “Antisemitism was an olden-day concept,” she said.
Levy said she became aware of antisemitism as she got older. She joined the volunteer Community Security Group when she was an adult and became “much more aware” during her time there about “antisemitic incidences happening globally and in Australia”.
Levy said the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, was “devastating”. The Opera House protest in Sydney on October 9 left her feeling “absolute disbelief”.
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