Plans to transform and expand the Sydney Jewish Museum will become a reality through a $10 million investment by a re-elected NSW Liberal Government.
Liberal candidates for Vaucluse, Coogee and Davidson welcome this investment that will support the Sydney Jewish Museum with an additional $6.5 million to create two centres in one precinct – a Sydney Holocaust Museum to share the history and testimonies of survivors and a Centre for Contemporary Jewish Life to share the community’s culture, traditions and contributions to Australia.
Liberal Candidate for Vaucluse Kellie Sloane said the Sydney Jewish Museum plays an incredibly vital role in helping bridge gaps and foster mutual respect and understanding between all people.
“Education and storytelling are key to building tolerance and understanding. This is so important for encouraging harmony for all people in our community,” Ms Sloane said.
Liberal candidate for Coogee, Dr Kylie von Muenster, said the Sydney Jewish Museum has provided a voice for Jewish heritage in Sydney.
“This continued support by the Perrottet Liberal Government will elevate the experience for those who visit the museum by enhancing the platform to share in the Jewish community’s culture and contribution to Australia.” Dr von Muenster said.
Liberal candidate for Davidson, Matt Cross, said this is an investment that will benefit generations to come in better understanding Jewish heritage and will pave the way forward with state-of the art facilities.
“This is a great investment for not only the Jewish community but for the wider community who will now be able to learn and understand more to foster greater respect for all people.”
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the commitment is part of the Government’s long-term plan for a united and harmonious multicultural and multi-faith society.
“Once completed, our investment will be returned significantly through helping current and future generations lead our state forward in eliminating racism, hatred and faith-based intolerance,” Mr Perrottet said.
NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government was committed to honouring the memories of the six million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust, while also promoting and celebrating Australian Jewish culture.
“The Sydney Jewish Museum gives a voice to victims of the Holocaust and to the incredible survivors who still guide visitors through the exhibitions and help educate and inspire thousands of school children each year,” Mr Kean said.
“The museum is crucial to ensuring that the atrocities of the Holocaust are never repeated and that racism and hatred have no place in Australia or anywhere else.”
The $6.5 million commitment will add to the $3.5 million already invested by the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government in the project.
Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said the NSW Liberals and Nationals are proud to partner with the Jewish community to strengthen the state’s multicultural and multi-faith society.
“The Sydney Jewish Museum stands to ensure that, as a society, we learn and remember the terrible lessons of the Holocaust. This investment continues this important work, while also providing new spaces to better tell the stories of Jewish-Australians,” Mr Coure said.
President of the Sydney Jewish Museum Greg Shand said the recent upsurge in anti-Semitism only serves to highlight the importance of the Museum seeking to double its impact by doubling the number that visit annually.
“The support of the Government, for which the Museum is enormously grateful, will contribute in a material way to creating a larger, state-of-the-art facility, and will greatly assist the Museum in achieving this objective,” Mr Shand said.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Darren Bark said as Holocaust survivors dwindle, keeping their stories alive and educating future generations about the horrors of the past has never been more important.
“Today’s announcement will help the Sydney Jewish Museum open its doors to twice as many Australians, particularly school students, showing them where racism, hate speech and intolerance can ultimately lead,” Mr Bark said.
“We thank the NSW Government for its commitment to stamping out anti-Semitism and discrimination and ensuring that the worst atrocities in our history are not forgotten, and never repeated.”
The support for the Sydney Jewish Museum comes as a proposed partnership between the Department of Education and the newly formed Religious Communities Advisory Council is progressed to recommend best-practice teaching of the Holocaust in all NSW schools.
