After citing antisemitism in his choir’s decision to cancel Bondi benefit concert, Australian Hellenic Choir president steps down

The head of the Australian Hellenic Choir has stepped down from his position after a recent controversy surrounding the group’s canceling its appearance at a fundraiser for the victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack in Sydney, according to local media.

The group was supposed to sing along with the Sydney Jewish Choral Society at a benefit concert on June 28. However, the group announced last week that it would not participate, and the entire concert was canceled, upsetting many within the Australian Jewish community.

According to reports, the decision was made after more than half of the Hellenic choir said they “politically objected” to performing with their Jewish counterparts. The choir’s president, James Tsolakis, seemingly acknowledged that reasoning at the time, and lamented “the antisemitism that exists in the Australian climate.”

“There’s a bit of antisemitism in the Greek community; I didn’t realize the extent of it,” Tsolakis told The Australian newspaper at the time. “The Jewish people are all into it, I’m into it, but the Greek choir was a bit anti doing it because of the political climate.”

The choir later denied that comment, saying Tsolakis — who it did not name — had spoken “without authorization, and claiming it chose not to participate because the event was scheduled too close to another concert the choir was rehearsing for at the end of May, four weeks before the event.

“The majority of the choir voted against participating, due to time constraints,” the choir’s management wrote last week. “Antisemitism had no place in this decision whatsoever!”

Choir president Tsolakis stepped down following the incident, Australia’s Greek Herald reported today. A new president is expected to be chosen in the coming weeks.