A second day of public hearings by the Royal Commission on Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion on Tuesday heard more evidence about everyday targeting of Jews that escalated after Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Nir Goran said he was wearing his kippah - a traditional Jewish skullcap - when approached by a man and abused on Sydney's Oxford Street about 5pm on a busy work day that month.
The man used racial slurs including "dirty Jew", performed Nazi salutes and made a gun-like motion at Mr Goran's forehead, with the encounter lasting a minute or two, he told the inquiry.
Only one person, an American tourist, attempted to intervene and was assaulted in the process, Mr Goran said.
"It was in broad daylight, there were many people around," he said.
After the man left, Mr Golan said he broke down, started shaking uncontrollably and crying.
"No one came to aid, no one came to help, no one came to do anything," he said.
The incident was reported to police but Mr Golan said he was told a lack of CCTV footage meant there was little they could do.
He still wears his kippah, but now covers it up with a baseball cap.
Many other instances of anti-Semitism reported to the inquiry were described as "casual", often including references to Jewish stereotypes.
Casual anti-Semitic incidents may seem minor compared to physical violence, but they painted a broader picture of how prevalent the beliefs were, Lea Levy said.
On one occasion, a colleague told her a company owned by South African Jews didn't want to purchase an asset because they were "stingy".
Other experiences pertained to Israel's bombardment of Gaza, which followed the Hamas attack, and Jewish Australians being called "baby killers" and "genocide lovers".
Israeli-born Jew and academic researcher Tali Pinsky said her family had faced personal criticism for Israel's actions since she moved to Australia in March 2025.
In discussions with colleagues, Dr Pinsky was told the targeted attack of Jewish people at Bondi was terrible but also understandable as there was a lot of hate towards Israel.
There was a "strong, almost singular focus" on the rights of Palestinians, compared to other humanitarian issues in China and throughout the Middle East, she said.
"Jewish and Israeli people are personally targeted and blamed for the actions of the Israeli government, in a way that the citizens of other countries involved in conflicts are not," she said.
"I would never ask a colleague or a friend if they originate from China, do they support the (Chinese Communist Party).
"I would not fill the public space outside my office with posters of the map of China dripped in blood."
The October 7 attacks marked a significant turning point for anti-Semitism in Australia, counsel assisting the commission Zelie Heger SC earlier told the inquiry.Â
Some 1200 people were killed and another 250 people taken hostage in the Hamas assault.
Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 70,000 people in the Palestinian enclave, according to the local health ministry.
A United Nations commission of inquiry found Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, which the Israeli government disputes.
The commission will hand down a final report before the end of the year.
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