Historic Melbourne shule vandalised

One of the oldest shules on the Australian mainland was smeared with the slogans “Free Palestine” and “Iran is da bomb” last Sunday, hours after the US military strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.

The antisemitic daubing of the heritage-listed Melbourne Hebrew Congregation (MHC) was “a personal offence” to congregants, its rabbi said after the attacks. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan described it as “a disgraceful, senseless attack”.

As MHC’s Rabbi Shlomo Nathanson brought his young children to shule on Monday morning, he struggled to explain to them why their synagogue had been defaced.

“It’s frustrating,” he told The AJN. “Any shule or community asset would be frustrated. But for us and for members of the shule that have roots dating back to 1841, of which there are members around today that are seventh-generation Australians, it’s a personal offence and a personal affront to them and to their families.”

Rabbi Nathanson said it was not the first time the shule had been vandalised, and its office has also been subjected to phone calls including death threats and bomb threats. “As Australians, we can say this is not on,” he said.