A nursery in Melbourne has publicly apologized after one of its co-owners allegedly sent an “anti-Semitic” rejection message to a job applicant.
A 24-year-old woman from Israel shared a message she claims to have received from Brett Dahan after applying for a position at the Garden of Eden nursery in Albert Park. She, having only been in Australia for about a month and preferring to stay anonymous, expressed her shock at the message she received.
Dahan’s message included a comment about the job being filled by a “humane person” and wished the young woman luck, suggesting she leave Melbourne “soon.” The text also stated, “Free Palestine and stop the genocide now. You are complicit with IT.”
When contacted, Dahan claimed he had “no idea” why he sent the message but did not respond to further inquiries.
The woman mentioned her disappointment and shock upon receiving such a hostile message, saying she thought Australia would be a more welcoming place.
“I thought I would be judged as a person, not as an Israeli,” she remarked.
It’s worth noting that under Australian Equal Opportunities Act, discrimination based on nationality during the hiring process is illegal.
The incident sparked significant backlash from the Jewish community, including protests outside the nursery. Dahan and his twin brother, who co-own the establishment, later released a statement on social media apologizing to the Jewish community and expressing their regret regarding the incident.
However, the apology wasn’t directly from Brett Dahan. The nursery indicated that the message was sent from a personal account, and they were unaware of it until it became public.
They emphasized their commitment to maintaining a welcoming and inclusive environment and stated that they were disturbed by the message, which does not reflect their values.
The nursery thanked those who reached out and committed to ensuring such an event does not happen again.
Calls have been made for Dahan to deliver a personal apology to the applicant, and the Anti-Defamation Committee Chairman criticized the nursery’s response as inadequate, stating that real accountability is needed.
Dr. Abramovich suggested that there should be independent anti-discrimination training for all staff and updates on actions taken about complaints in the future.
The Australian Jewish Association also denounced the message, labeling it an “ugly attack” and emphasizing the importance of standing up against hate to prevent its growth.
