Dismissed for Antisemitism: 5 Shocking Stories

With the Bondi terrorist attack placing a spotlight on antisemitism in Australia, in this article we look at cases of employees dismissed for making antisemitic remarks. Perhaps the most shocking of these was the highly publicised case of the two Sydney nurses who were dismissed for threatening to kill Israeli patients under their care, amongst other antisemitic remarks.

In this article, we’ll focus on other, perhaps lesser known cases that involve dismissals for antisemitism from Australia and around the globe.

 

1. Antisemitic Sydney Uni staffer’s dismissal announced day after Bondi massacre

On 15 December 2025, the day after the Bondi massacre, the University of Sydney announced that it had terminated the employment of an unnamed staff member accused of antisemitism. The staff member, whose former position is unknown, was involved in a heated verbal altercation with Jewish students in early October 2025. The filmed incident, which made national news headlines, took place at Cadigal Green, a central hub on the university’s Camperdown campus.

 

A group of Jewish students had gathered to celebrate Sukkot, a week-long Jewish harvest festival, when they were approached by the staff member. Footage of the event, filmed by one of the students, showed the staff member engaging in a heated, unprovoked rant. She interrogated the students on whether they were Zionists before launching into a series of insults. She called the students “rubbish,” “parasites” and “the most disgusting thing that has ever walked this earth.”

 

Dismissed for serious misconduct

The verbal abuse escalated further as the staff member, who identified herself during the rant as an “indigenous Palestinian,” labeled the group  “depraved baby-killers” and “f***ing filthy Zionists.” She told the students that a Zionist is the “lowest form of rubbish.” Despite campus security trying to separate her from the students, the staff member continued to shout at them, telling the guard to “look at these parasites.”

After the footage was shared online, the University of Sydney immediately suspended the staff member from all professional duties. On 15 December 2025, the university confirmed the investigation had concluded with a finding of serious misconduct, resulting in immediate termination of employment. University of Sydney described the staffer’s behavior as “deeply distressing” and “utterly unacceptable.”

 

Uni claimed it has reformed since disbandment of pro-Palestine encampment

 

In its statement, the University of Sydney emphasised that hate speech, antisemitism and harassment “have no place” at the institution. It said that when its codes of conduct are breached “we do not hesitate” to take disciplinary action. The university said that it issued a direct apology to the affected students and staff, offering free and confidential wellbeing support.

The University of Sydney noted that this disciplinary action is part of a broader effort to improve campus safety following the disbandment of a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on its Camperdown campus. The encampment was the longest running in Australia, having been in place from April to June 2024.

Since then, the university said it has applied stricter enforcement of its campus access policy regarding unauthorised protests. It has also offered new training modules for staff regarding discrimination and harassment. In addition, students now have a more streamlined reporting process for reporting religious or ethnic vilification.

 

2. Jewish Sydney radio host dismissed for refusing to support Hamas

In December 2024, a Jewish volunteer at Sydney’s Radio Skid Row faced termination of employment for refusing to acknowledge that the October 7 attacks on Israel were a Palestinian act of “resistance.” The volunteer, Nicole, was of Mexican and Israeli heritage and hosted a Latino music program. The events that led to her sacking began when Nicole used a record album to cover a “Free Palestine” sticker on studio equipment. Nicole claimed that she later apologised to management for doing this.

However, she was later called into a meeting with station manager Manu Monteiro and sponsorships manager Ilhan Abdi. In a tearful video shared on social media afterwards, Nicole said that they told her that if she could not support the October 7 attacks “as resistance or as something positive…[then] I don’t align with their values.”

Nicole also claimed the managers told her that she must say it was “not true that anybody got killed or burned” during the attacks and that she had to support Hamas keeping the hostages. She said that at one point Mr. Monteiro denied that the October 7 attacks even happened. Nicole claimed that she had to accept the station’s view that Israel had no right to exist.

 

‘White women’s tears’: Station dismissed Jewish volunteer for serious misconduct

In her video, Nicole said that she became emotional during the meeting. She told management about her opposition to the pro-Palestine movement and how it has made “Jewish people feel uneasy” in Sydney. Nicole said that she also told the manager about her family’s suffering during the Holocaust.

As she said these things, Nicole claimed that Ms. Abdi laughed at her and allegedly said: “We have no sympathy for white women’s tears.” Some time later, the station sent Nicole an email announcing her termination of employment. Radio Skid Row also barred Nicole from approaching the station premises, citing “ongoing concerns for the safety of staff and volunteers at the station.”

 

Station investigated by media regulator, posted smiley face emoji in response

Not long after Nicole’s story hit the news, media regulator the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) launched an investigation into the station, which receives significant taxpayer funding. It found it had twice breached community participation rules. The regulator concluded that the station failed to follow its own disciplinary procedures and did not provide Nicole with clear reasons for her dismissal or a right to appeal. ACMA noted the dismissal contributed to a “broader perception” that staff were prevented from participating within the station “based on political and cultural belief.”

Astonishingly, Radio Skid Row used its public acknowledgment of ACMA’s findings as an opportunity for clout. On Facebook, the station posted “you might have seen us in the news!” accompanied by a smiley face emoji. The post then claimed that the investigation was an “attempted silencing” of those who are against the “genocide” in Gaza.

Following public exposure of the scandal, media reported that Mr. Monteiro and Ms. Abdi had both resigned from their roles.

 

3. ‘Jew money’: Principal faces termination of employment over antisemitic comments

In December 2025, a US school principal was suspended for accidentally leaving a voicemail filled with antisemitic slurs and stereotypes on a parent’s phone. Philip Leddy, the principal of Lower Gwynedd Elementary School in Pennsylvania, had made a routine call to a Jewish parent regarding his daughter, a student at the school.

Mr. Leddy identified himself at the start of the message, left a routine message, then thought he had hung up. However, the line remained open, inadvertently recording a candid conversation between the principal and a female staff member. The father later told media that he “couldn’t believe” what he was hearing, which he described as “Jew this, Jew that.”

Mr. Leddy’s background has added a layer of irony to the scandal. Before joining Lower Gwynedd, his professional biography indicated that he had chaired an equity, diversity and inclusion committee in another school district.

 

Principal said the quiet part out loud, got confronted face to face

The father said that the voicemail captured Mr. Leddy referring to the family’s summer camp as a “Jew camp” and that everyone at the camp “hated” his family. Mr. Leddy also allegedly said that “they [Jews] control the banks.” When the staff member asked about the father’s profession, Mr. Leddy reportedly replied that it did not matter as his family has “Jew money.” He said that it was good odds that the father was a lawyer.

The father described Mr. Leddy’s comments as the “lowest form” of antisemitism. Immediately after hearing the voicemail, the father emailed the school board. He later went to the school to confront the principal face to face. During that confrontation, the father asked Mr. Leddy if his earlier confusion was related to his “Jew money” or the “Jew this, Jew that” comments.

The father said that the color drained from Mr. Leddy’s face as he realised he had been caught on tape. While the principal reportedly offered an apology during that private meeting, the father stated that the school district itself was yet to offer one.

Faces termination of employment for antisemitism

Mr. Leddy, who has been principal since 2023, was subsequently placed on administrative leave. At the time of writing he is set to attend a hearing to decide if he will face termination of employment. Beyond Mr. Leddy’s impending dismissal, the school district also placed the female employee heard on the recording on administrative leave.

The school district superintendent Dr. Mwenyewe Dawan told media that she was “shocked and sickened” by the recording. Dr. Dawan noted that the female staff member did not seem alarmed by the principal’s comments and continued the conversation without challenge. She said this raised concerns about the internal culture of the school’s leadership.

4. Nurse fired for saying Jewish party attendees should be ‘put in gas chamber’

This story made the news during the height of Covid. It involved a clinical assistant at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Doreen Bonello. She faced termination of employment after posting an antisemitic comment on social media. The incident occurred in August 2021 and came during public backlash surrounding an illegal party held in St Kilda during Melbourne’s strict lockdown.

The dismissal followed a post Ms. Bonello made on Facebook regarding the Jewish Orthodox attendees of the gathering, in which she stated they should be “put in a gas chamber.” The comment was made during a public discussion about the event’s potential to become a superspreader incident that could prolong the lockdown.

 

Nurse faced swift termination of employment

The remark was quickly identified by members of the public and the executive team at the hospital. Because Bonello’s Facebook profile listed her role at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the institution was immediately notified of the comments. The hospital later described her words as abhorrent and disgraceful and issued a public apology. It also reaffirmed their support for Jewish staff members and patients.

Following the termination of her employment, Ms. Bonello deleted her social media profiles and did not offer a public statement.

 

5. Sydney lawyers face gov probe for antisemitic WhatsApp messages

In April 2025, two Sydney lawyers were placed under investigation by the NSW Legal Services Commissioner for alleged antisemitic remarks. This came after the Executive Council of Australian Jewry submitted a complaint, which concerned WhatsApp conversations between Justin Carroll and Yianni van Gelder. The duo, who were partners at BlackBay Lawyers, were dismissed by the firm in February 2025 for serious misconduct. The firm was reportedly unaware of their antisemitic message prior to their sacking.

The messages took place while they were employed at the law firm and were brought to light by The Australian. They show the former partners of BlackBay Lawyers using derogatory terminology such as “Holohoax” and “Schlomo-caust.” The digital record also revealed the pair discussing “Jew-confected anti-Semitism” and employing “Jew” as a verb to describe financial negotiations.

In one exchange, Mr. van Gelder asked if Mr. Carroll had replied to “the Jew,” noting the client would likely negotiate fees. Mr. Carroll responded, “You mean… he will try to ‘jew’ me?” to which Mr. van Gelder confirmed, “Yes that is the correct application of the verb.”

 

‘HITLER WAS RIGHT’: Lawyers swept up in far-right propaganda

But this was by no means the extent of the antisemitic messages between the duo, which contained a wide array of graphic and historical tropes:

• The use of blood libel tropes, specifically Mr. van Gelder’s claim that the Jewish religion “basically tells them to harm children.”
• Statements by Mr. Carroll suggesting that Zionists are “without question the closest thing we have to Nazis.”
• The sharing of far-right content from a US influencer who described Judaism as a “death cult built on the blood of murdered babies” and called for a “final solution” to remove Jewish influence.
• Claims that “Jews fabricate most cases of antisemitism.” This was accompanied by a meme showing a Jewish caricature spray-painting a swastika on a synagogue with the caption, “Hey Rabbi… whatcha doin’?”
• The consumption of videos alleging Israel was responsible for the 9/11 attacks and clips ending with the caption “HITLER WAS RIGHT.”

Lawyers plotted to steal employer’s data to set up rival firm

Beyond the antisemitic content, the leaked messages revealed the duo’s coordinated effort to undermine BlackBay Lawyers. Using the Nazi codename “Operation Barbarossa” (a reference to the invasion of the Soviet Union), Mr. Carroll and Mr. van Gelder allegedly plotted to steal confidential data to help them start a rival law firm. BlackBay Lawyers later initiated Supreme Court proceedings to recover firm property and electronic devices.

Since his termination of employment in early 2025, Mr. Carroll has established a solo practice under the name Carroll Lawyers. He has dismissed the allegations as being based on “improperly taken” private material. He has suggested he may pursue legal action regarding the leak.

Mr. van Gelder, meanwhile, reportedly faced five unrelated domestic violence charges, including choking and assault causing actual bodily harm. He told media his antisemitic comments were “taken out of context” and did not reflect his actual views.

 

Read more: What is Serious Misconduct?

 

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