Australia’s Jewish population increased

Australia’s Jewish population has risen by about 10 percent in the last five years to nearly 100,000, according to new census data.

The findings of the 2011 census, released June 22 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, showed the Jewish population to be 97,335 — about 0.5 percent of Australia’s total population of 22.5 million.

Jewish demographers, however, have long believed the number of Jews to be between 10,000 and 20,000 more than the census figure. Most experts believe the true figure is between 110,000 to 120,000, making Australia the ninth largest Jewish community in the world.