A Painful Rejection: How an Israeli Jobseeker’s Experience Sparked Community Outrage in Australia
In a troubling incident that has reverberated throughout Melbourne’s Jewish community, a 24-year-old Israeli woman seeking employment received what many are calling an explicitly antisemitic job rejection. The young woman, who had recently moved to Australia with hopes for a fresh start, applied for a position at The Garden of Eden Nursery in Albert Park. Instead of a professional response, she received a message that civil rights activists have condemned as “repugnant.” Brett Dahan, the nursery’s co-owner, allegedly texted that the position had been filled by “someone with a semblance of humanity and who cares for plants, animals, and the environment,” followed by “Good luck on your journey and I hope you leave Melbourne soon! Free Palestine and end genocide NOW. You’re complicit in IT.” The rejection wasn’t just a dismissal of her job application—it was a rejection of her very presence in the country based solely on her Israeli identity.
The young woman, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed her devastation to the Herald Sun. “I came to Australia believing it was a fair and welcoming country but reading those words – so full of hostility – was heartbreaking,” she shared. What makes this incident particularly painful is that she had only been in Australia for a few weeks, seeking the warm welcome that immigrants often hope for in their new home. Instead, she found herself targeted for her nationality in a way that left her feeling judged “not as a person, but as an Israeli.” When contacted by the Herald Sun, Dahan offered little explanation, saying only that he “did not know” why he had sent the message, and repeatedly avoided answering follow-up questions about his actions.
The incident quickly galvanized the local Jewish community, with protesters gathering outside the nursery to express their outrage. Civil rights leaders emphasized that this wasn’t just a matter of personal offense but a legal issue as well. According to Australia’s Equal Opportunity Act, discriminating against a job applicant based on their nationality is explicitly prohibited. Dr. Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, was particularly vocal in his criticism, stating that “Mr. Dahan’s repugnant text wasn’t a slip. It was a deliberate, written act meant to humiliate and degrade.” The incident touched a nerve in a country where many Jews have reported feeling increasingly vulnerable amid rising tensions related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Garden of Eden Nursery, which is run by twin brothers Brett and Scott Dahan, issued a public apology on Sunday, though many critics found it insufficient. The statement expressed “regret” and extended “sincere apologies to the community” regarding “the recent message sent to a member of the public by a staff member.” The nursery claimed that the matter was being addressed internally and that the message “in no way reflects the values, standards, or spirit of our business or team.” However, observers quickly noted the ambiguity in this response—referring to Brett Dahan as merely “a staff member” rather than acknowledging his position as co-owner, and directing the apology to “the community” rather than to the young woman who had been directly harmed.
Dr. Abramovich criticized this apology as inadequate, stating that true accountability would involve closing the business. “Apologizing ‘to the community,’ blaming ‘a staff member,’ and saying it will be handled ‘internally’ is not accountability,” he said in a statement shared on social media. He emphasized that the Israeli jobseeker deserves a direct and personal apology from Dahan, highlighting the difference between a generic public statement and meaningful recognition of the harm caused. The nursery’s attempt to distance itself from the actions of its co-owner struck many as disingenuous, particularly given the explicit nature of the rejection message and its clear targeting of the applicant based on her nationality.
This incident occurs against the backdrop of increasing global tensions related to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has sometimes spilled over into discrimination against Jewish individuals worldwide. For the young Israeli woman at the center of this story, what should have been a routine job application became a painful reminder of how political conflicts thousands of miles away can impact personal interactions and opportunities. The case raises important questions about the boundaries between political expression and discrimination, and the responsibilities of business owners to treat all potential employees with dignity regardless of their national origin. As the Australian community continues to process this incident, it serves as a sobering reminder of the real-world consequences when political tensions translate into personal prejudice, and the ongoing work needed to ensure that all people are judged by their qualifications and character rather than their nationality or ethnicity.
