From Despair to Determination: Holocaust Survivors and Their Contributions to Australian Society

World War II’s end was a pivotal moment in the battle of good versus evil. It also marked the beginning of the heart wrenching struggle of rebuilding life upended by unimaginable horror by Adolf Hitler and his killing machine.

Among those who sought refuge were the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, a coordinated campaign of persecution and mass extermination that murdered six million Jews. Australia, despite being far distant from the destruction of Europe, was a haven for approximately 27,000 Holocaust survivors, arriving between 1945 and 1961. These people, with levels of trauma you can only dream of, lived out a story of resilience and reinvention that changed the landscape of Australia forever.

Settlement was difficult for these new Australians who often spoke not a word of English and only knew life in Eastern Europe. Australia may have provided safety, but it was not always welcoming. Post-war Australia, like many countries, wrestled with its own hang-ups and fears about mass migration. Others encountered discrimination and red tape. But they refused to give up, motivated by a strong desire to rebuild their lives and ensure a better future for their families.

And so, then, in 2025, it deeply troubles me that we are alarmingly seeing an increase in antisemitism across Australia. For many of us Australian Jews, especially us whose families were Holocaust survivors, this re-evolution of hate has the feeling of an ominous throwback, a haunting spectre of the hate that our families skirted.

Holocaust survivors often came to Australia with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the memories of unthinkable loss. Many had lost their families, their homes and their sense of safety. But they came with a wealth of skills, knowledge and an indomitable spirit. They were tailors, doctors, shoemakers, tanners, teachers, artists and entrepreneurs. They were also mothers, fathers and community leaders. That history of resilience in the wake of unthinkable tragedy renders today’s climate of rising antisemitism all the more alarming. Their families fled to Australia looking for safety and the hope of a better future, no longer haunted by the fear of their past.

Having seen the depths of human cruelty, these survivors were poised to create a better future. Their trauma pushed to the back of their minds and compartmentalized, they took advantage of the opportunities Australia offered. They become proud Australians, making a considerable contribution to the nation's economy, society and culture. They built businesses, revived industries and created jobs. They grew to be leaders in their fields, achieving breakthroughs in science, medicine and the arts. The irony is not lost on us. Today, their descendants (like myself) are confronted with a resurgence of the blatant hatred and abuse towards Jews that led them to seek refuge here in the first place.

Holocaust survivors contributed to Australian society in innumerable ways beyond their professional accomplishments. They built communal institutions, schools, and cultural centers that fortified the Jewish community and encouraged dialogues across faiths. They told their stories, so that the memory of Holocaust will never die, and lessons of acceptance and understanding can be taught to the next generation. Our commitment to education and remembrance is even more crucial today, as we witness the disturbing growth in Holocaust denial and distortion along with rising antisemitic incidents. It is a painful reminder that the battle against hate is never really finished.

The contributions of Holocaust survivors to Australian society are immeasurable. They have made an immense difference to every facet of life in Australia, whether it is in business or the arts or science or medicine. A shining example is Frank Lowy, a Holocaust survivor who came to Australia as a broke young man and later became a co-founder of the Westfield Corporation, the global shopping mall giant.

This is just one of many examples of significant contributions of Holocaust survivors to their adopted homeland, Australia. Such success and assimilation reflects the strength and resilience of our people. This makes the rise in antisemitism today even more distressing, as it jeopardizes the very basis of belonging and safety that our families worked so hard to create for future generations. 

Statistics can paint only part of the picture, but they demonstrate the role Holocaust survivors have had in transforming modern Australia. Between 1946 and 1954, some 17,000 Jewish survivors moved to Australia, and another 10,000 between 1954 and 1961. This migration almost tripled the Jewish population in Australia, rising from 23,000 in 1933 to 61,000 in 1961. These numbers describe not only individuals but also families, communities and a tremendous amount of human potential that was contributing to the growth and the prosperity of Australia. These are not just numbers, these are our families. These are the people who rebuilt their lives after unimaginable trauma and who gave so much to the country we call home. To watch their descendants now endure similar prejudice is a source of deep pain, profound disappointment and significant anxiety.

Holocaust survivors like my grandparents, came to Australia and turned terrible tragedies into something good by building new lives and a better future for themselves and generations to come. They remind us of the beauty of human spirit, compassion and the need for tolerance towards our fellow human beings. And it is on their behalf and in the name of all those who have experienced persecution, that we have to stand together against the rising tide of antisemitism in Australia. This can not and will not continue.