SYDNEY, Australia – Sharon Stoliar’s memories were jolted back to her tumultuous childhood in Sri Lanka as she watched the harrowing scenes of masked terrorists wreaking havoc in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Now an academic researcher and former midwife who relocated to Australia at the age of five, Stoliar recounted the chilling experiences of her father, a pastor who faced death at the hands of rebels.
“This brought back so many memories,” Stoliar shared in an interview. “People were surprised that I still recalled this after all these years. Such events profoundly shape your perspective on the world.”
As tensions soared, Stoliar discovered increasing fears among Jewish nurses, midwives, and pregnant women in Australia regarding their safety amidst a rise in global antisemitism sparked by the violence in Israel. “I thought this madness was a relic of the past, linked to World War II. I never realized antisemitism persisted today,” she reflected.
Having married an Israeli-born Jew three years earlier, Stoliar was not previously engaged with issues concerning the Jewish community. However, the alarming atmosphere, highlighted by violent acts against Jewish individuals and properties in Australia, prompted her to act. “Seeing the Australian Jewish community, which numbers around 110,000, so fearful was shocking. I told myself that this cannot happen here,” she stated.
Stoliar took to social media to share the concerns expressed to her by Jewish colleagues, only to face backlash and hostility from online communities. Labelled an “Islamophobe” and a “raging Zionist,” she encountered personal attacks that culminated in her being doxxed, with even some family members severing ties.
In an effort to address the mounting tension and backlash, Stoliar reported her experiences to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, only to become the subject of an investigation. To defuse the escalating situation, she chose to relinquish her nursing registration, but the criticisms continued.
She stated, “October 7 made me grasp how the Holocaust could happen. I often pondered in history classes how the world allowed such atrocities.” Despite the adversity, Stoliar now considers herself an inadvertent activist fighting against antisemitism. “My deeply held beliefs shield me from falling for propaganda and radicalization. My mission is to ensure a safe future for my children and my husband’s Jewish children,” she expressed.
Stoliar’s journey highlights the ongoing struggles against discrimination and the importance of speaking out in the face of rising hate. Her story is one of resilience and an urgent call to action for a more inclusive society.