Horror Friday night for Jewish community
Two targeted attacks on a Melbourne synagogue and an Israeli restaurant on Shabbat have shaken Australia's Jewish community.
In a horror Friday night for Melbourne’s Jewish community, the East Melbourne Synagogue was hit by an arson attack and an Israeli restaurant stormed by pro-Palestine protesters.
Police say a man entered the grounds of the Synagogue at about 8pm and poured flammable liquid over the front door before setting it alight then fleeing on foot. There were about 20 people, including children, having a Shabbat dinner inside the shule at the time.
“Everyone inside self-evacuated through the rear of the building and there have been no reports of injuries,” Victoria Police said in a statement.
“Firefighters attended and extinguished the fire which was contained to the front entrance.
“Police are still working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the fire including the motivation behind the incident. An arson chemist will be attending the scene and police are currently canvassing for CCTV footage.”
Less than 2km from the synagogue, in a separate incident, a group of about 20 anti-Israel activists targeted Miznon restaurant in Hardware Lane reportedly chanting “death to the IDF”.
Activists said they targeted the restaurant, owned by Israeli celebrity chef Eyal Shani, because his business partner, entrepreneur Shahar Segal, advocates on behalf of the controversial US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid group.
Victoria Police said a 28-year-old had been arrested at the restaurant for “hindering police”.
Jewish community leaders have vowed defiance in the wake of the attack.
It is the tenth firebombing targeting Australian Jewish community facilities in the past 12 months, according to Executive Council of Australian Jewry President Daniel Aghion.
Jewish Community Council of Victoria CEO Naomi Levine said the attack was designed to intimidate, but had failed.
“We are not afraid. We’re showing courage and we’re proud of who we are as Australian Jews,” Levine said after attending a packed synagogue service this morning.
“I think he [the atacker] was trying to scare us. He was trying to tell us that we’re not welcome here in Australia, but we know, as Jewish Australians who are born here, who have grown up here, and who are raising our families, that we are welcome.”
Aghion described the attack as an assault on all Australians, noting the synagogue’s 150-year presence in Melbourne.
“When a synagogue, any synagogue, is attacked, but particularly the East Melbourne synagogue, we are talking about an attack on Melburnians and on Victorians and on Australians,” he said.
“This is not just an attack upon Jews or the Jewish community. It is an attack upon our way of life.”
Both leaders confirmed they had received no outreach from pro-Palestinian rally organisers following the incident.
When asked about whether pro-Palestinian protest groups had reached out to the Jewish community, Aghion replied, “Never”.
“They’ve never had any discussion with us. They’ve never sat down with us. And I think that might say something”.
Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan called the attacks “disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards”.
“That this happened on Shabbat makes it all the more abhorrent,” she said.
“Antisemitism has no place in Victoria and I stand with the Jewish community in their fight against hate, violence and fear.”
Melbourne’s Lord Mayor , Nick Reece, was at the synagogue this morning, after attending the scene of the attack after it happened last night.
He condemned the act, saying “these vile and racist acts have no place in our city of Melbourne”.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin described the events as “a severe escalation directed towards our community and clear evidence that the antisemitism crisis is not only continuing, but getting worse”.
“We urge all sides of politics and all Australians to condemn these deplorable crimes.
“Those who chant for death are not peace activists. Those who would burn houses of prayer with families inside do not seek an end to war. There is a violent ideology at work in our country that operates on the fringes of politics and social movements, that taps into anger and prejudice, and smirks as businesses are destroyed, lives are threatened and proud, patriotic Australians experience fear in their own homes and their own streets.
“Those responsible cannot be reasoned with or appeased. They must be confronted with the full force of the law.”
Israeli Ambassador Amir Maimon called the attacks “disgraceful and vile”.
“The Jewish people of Australia are strong and resilient, but no community should have to endure attack after attack after attack,” he said.
“This rotten and evil disease of antisemitism must end.”
Josh Frydenberg said, “When you firebomb a synagogue with people inside an attack a local restaurant because it’s owned by Jews, it’s not about Israel, it’s not about protest, it’s a hate crime.”
The regular Shabbat morning service at East Melbourne shule went ahead as normal, with the congregation almost double its normal size.
Jewish community and political leaders from across the political spectrum were there to show solidarity.
Rabbi Dovid Gutnick said you can’t chase away darkness with sticks, you have to use light.
He admitted he’d had a sleepless night, not because of what happened but because of what might have happened.
Rabbi Gutnick praised the firefighters and Police for their promptness in turning up very quickly, and their care for those affected.
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