Paying Respects

At Gunditjmara we have lowered our flags in solidarity with the Jewish Community.

Every person deserves to be able to live free and without fear.

Yorta Yorta man William Cooper holds a special position in the Sydney Jewish Museum for his incredible empathy for the plight of all persecuted peoples, including the Jews of Europe.

On November 9-10,1938, Jewish businesses, synagogues, houses and schools were destroyed, dozens of people were killed and 30,000 men were arrested and taken to concentration camps, in what is known as Kristallnacht - the night of broken glass – the pogrom that would become the precursor to the Holocaust.

It sent a wave of fear and terror through Germany, Europe and the rest of the world and William Cooper could not stay silent. Cooper was quickly moved to action and led a march on the German Consulate in Melbourne.

He and his delegation were refused entry, and little attention was attracted to the cause at the time. However, 72 years after his efforts, Cooper was honoured by Yad Vashem. Cooper’s legacy is recognised in our Holocaust exhibition for his outreach to the Jewish community. You can also find him recognised in our Holocaust and Human Rights exhibition for his immense efforts for the rights of First Nations Australians.

Cooper’s descendants retain their close affiliation with the rights of oppressed peoples and continue to honour them through the Museum, as a place for the promotion of the rights of all.