Australian Jewish groups urge community to write 'Jewish' on 2026 census despite no option box

Australian Jewish organizations are urging community members to write 'Judaism' or 'Jewish' under the religion question on the 2026 census, as no dedicated box exists. Leaders warn the omission could lead to an undercount, affecting funding for education, welfare, and aged care. The campaign 'Make JUDAISM matter' aims to ensure accurate representation.

Australian Jewish groups are urging community members to write 'Judaism' or 'Jewish' under the religion question on the 2026 Australian Census, scheduled for August 11, as there is no dedicated tick-box for Judaism. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has never included a Judaism box since introducing tick-box options in 1991, citing the small demographic size (roughly 0.4% of the population). The explicit options include No religion, Catholic, Anglican, Islam, Hinduism, and others. Jews can tick 'Other' and write in their religion. Daniel Aghion KC, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, released a message asking all Jewish household members to insert 'Jewish' or 'Judaism'. He acknowledged concerns about antisemitism but assured the census is secure, with penalties for divulging personal information. Australian Jewish Agency President Robert Gregory called the omission 'disappointing', noting that a non-binary box was added despite a small demographic. The 'Make JUDAISM matter' campaign, run by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and the ECAJ, aims to educate the community on the importance of accurate representation for planning and funding of services.