On the opening day of Friday’s sitting of Australia’s Royal Commission into Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion, the first witness to take the stand, a librarian identified only as Benjamin F, delivered a harrowing emotional testimony that laid bare the rising toxicity of anti-Jewish prejudice in the country. Raised in a Christian household, Benjamin shared that he faced surprisingly little hostility when he came out as gay to his loved ones, receiving widespread acceptance and support from friends and family that allowed him to live openly without persistent prejudice. That warm reception stood in stark contrast to the bigotry he encountered after he formally completed his conversion to Judaism in 2022, an experience he described as “horrific” as he choked back tears throughout his address. Benjamin told the commission that converting to his new faith has cost him decades-long close friendships, with many lifelong companions abandoning him entirely after learning of his religious choice. The isolation has left him feeling deeply lonely and adrift, he said, adding that the level of hatred directed at him since his conversion has been far more severe than any bias he faced after coming out. “I feel alone. There’s been times you’ve had life-long friendships that have disintegrated. It’s lonely,” he told the commission through sobs. He also explained that any mention of his Jewish identity or topics related to Judaism inevitably gets tied back to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by others, regardless of context. Beyond broken social bonds, Benjamin has faced direct verbal slurs and has even had the validity of his religious conversion repeatedly questioned by critics. The most striking moment of his testimony came when he described his experience attending a recent Sydney Mardi Gras parade, where he required police escort for his safety. He told the commission that he felt a genuine, unprecedented fear for his life during the event — a terror he never experienced even as a young gay man coming out in a less accepting era. Benjamin’s testimony marks one of the first firsthand accounts of rising anti-Semitism shared at the royal commission, which was convened to examine the state of religious prejudice and social cohesion across Australia. More witness statements and findings are expected to be released as the commission’s proceedings continue.
Man tells inquiry he faced more prejudice for converting to Judaism than being gay
