A council debate about logging degenerated into a heated argument about the Holocaust on Tuesday, October 27.
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NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff has called for calm and compassion.
Councillor John Levett said logging in the Brooman State Forest was approved "before this holocaust" (in reference to the Black Summer bushfires) and should be reconsidered.
Councillor Andrew Guile said the word "holocaust" should only be used in reference to the murder of six million Jews by Nazi Germany, and asked Councillor Levett to apologise and withdraw his comment.
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Councillor Levett refused, and appealed to the dictionary definition of the word, which is "destruction on a mass scale, particularly as a result of fire or nuclear war".
The meeting was adjourned. When it reconvened, the debate continued.
Councillor Greg Watson, who was not happy with how the dispute was managed, threatened he would have the council sacked.
"I'll call on the Minister for Local Government to sack the council if you can't control the council meeting correctly," he told Mayor Amanda Findley.
When approached for comment, Mr Alhadeff said he understood the context of Cr Levett's comments, but urged community leaders to consider their language.
"This year's bushfires were one of the worst disasters to befall our state, and the social, economic and natural repercussions are still being felt," Mr Alhadeff said.
"The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies responded by launching a crowdfunding campaign for areas of NSW affected by the fires and we managed to raise about $500,000.
"Against that background, the debate at Shoalhaven City Council which strayed from the subject of logging when a councillor described the bushfires as a holocaust was regrettable.
"It is clear the councillor was citing a definition of a holocaust as loss of animal life and vegetation, and did not intend to offend Jewish Australians, for whom the connotation of Holocaust is the murder by Nazi Germany of six million Jews, with thousands of Australians having lost loved ones.
"Given that the Holocaust holds a place in history as the worst genocide of all time and is therefore deeply painful for so many, we urge caution if using the word."
