Widespread public anger erupted after a young Israeli jobseeker received a rejection message that civil rights activists denounced as “repugnant,” leading to a protest outside an Australian plant nursery and prompting the business to publicly apologize for its co-owner’s alleged actions.
The Herald Sun reported on Saturday that an anonymous 24-year-old Jewish woman received the rejection text after applying for a job at The Garden of Eden Nursery in Albert Park, Melbourne.
Brett Dahan reportedly told the woman that the position had been filled by “someone with a semblance of humanity” and that she should depart the country—just weeks after her relocation to Australia.
“Unfortunately, the position has been filled by someone with a semblance of humanity and who cares for plants, animals, and the environment. Good luck on your journey and I hope you leave Melbourne soon! Free Palestine and end genocide NOW. You’re complicit in IT,” the text read.
Having anticipated a friendly reception after her move, the woman expressed being “shocked and deeply disappointed” by the hostility of the response, as reported by the Herald Sun.
“I came believing it was a fair and welcoming country but reading those words – so full of hostility – was heartbreaking,” she stated. “I was judged, not as a person, but as an Israeli.”
In a phone conversation with the Herald Sun, Dahan claimed he “did not know” why he had sent the message. The local publication added that he repeatedly failed to answer any follow-up questions.
The incident generated widespread condemnation from the Jewish community, with backlash directed at the nursery, as reported.
According to Australia’s Equal Opportunity Act, discrimination against a job applicant based on their nationality is unlawful.
In a statement released by the company on Sunday, the nursery, operated by twin brothers Brett and Scott Dahan, later issued an apology to the Jewish community, expressing regret over the message sent “by a staff member.”
“The Garden of Eden Nursery would like to express its regret and extend its sincere apologies to the community in regards to the recent message sent to a member of the public by a staff member,” the company stated, adding that the matter is being addressed internally.
“We are deeply upset and disappointed by the content of the message, which in no way reflects the values, standards, or spirit of our business or team,” the statement continued.
Dr. Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the country’s Anti-Defamation Commission, criticized the apology on Sunday, stating that true accountability would necessitate closing the business.
“Mr. Dahan’s repugnant text wasn’t a slip. It was a deliberate, written act meant to humiliate and degrade,” Abramovich declared in a social media statement. “Apologizing ‘to the community,’ blaming ‘a staff member,’ and saying it will be handled ‘internally’ is not accountability.”
Abramovich stressed that the woman is due a direct and personal apology from Dahan.
The Garden of Eden Nursery did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Digital.