Get up, stand up

With Australian 2006 Census on its way, Jewish leaders urging community members to declare their religion

Reuters | Published: 06.22.06, 11:02

Stand up and be counted. This is the message Australian Jewish leaders are sending the community ahead of the 2006 Census, which will take place on August 8.

By declaring their religion, they argue, members of the Jewish community will contribute towards providing accurate data on the number of Australian Jews, which can affect government funding and the allocation of resources.

In the past, some Jews, especially Holocaust survivors, have been reluctant to declare their religion on the census for fear of anti-Semitic reprisal, or because of apathy.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Grahame Leonard said the Census questions relating to religious affiliation and nationality were among the “most significant” on the national survey.

“They have a crucial influence on the ability of our communities to receive grants and other financial assistance from the government," he added.

The census also allows the community to better plan childcare, educational and aged-care services, he said.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Knoll dismissed any concerns that Census information could be used to discriminate against Jews.

“The Australian Bureau of Statistics goes to enormous lengths to protect privacy,” he said.

As a result of the 2001 Census, in which the question of religious affiliation became optional for the first time, Australia’s Jewish population was calculated as 83,993, when anecdotal evidence frequently suggests it is higher than 100,000.

Opportunity

According to Sydney-based demographer Dr Gary Eckstein, reluctance to nominate religious affiliation on Census forms is not confined to Holocaust survivors. He said 20-somethings commonly “believe it’s nobody’s business what religion they follow”.

Member for Melbourne Ports Michael Danby, Australia’s only sitting Jewish federal MP, said: “The national Census is an opportunity for the Australian Jewish community to make a statement about its own survival and growth.

“I understand why some people are reluctant to identify themselves as Jews... But I can assure them that the Census is completely confidential. I urge all Australian Jews to tick the ‘Jewish’ box on the Census form on August 8. Let’s make our numbers count.”