Opposition Leader visits East Melbourne Synagogue

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley visited the East Melbourne Synagogue on Tuesday to express her solidarity with the Jewish community following the arson attack on the shule. She met with Jewish community leaders to hear their concerns, alongside Senator James Paterson, Senator Paul Scarr, Shadow Attorney-General Julian Leeser and Caulfield MP David Southwick.

Following the meeting, Ley told reporters she “wholeheartedly” supported the 15-point plan by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) to counter antisemitism.

“What is so clear is that hate can never be normalised. It can never be excused. It can never be explained away. We stand with the Jewish community in Australia today and every day,” Ley said.

“I would respectfully ask the Premier of Victoria to consider how she might instruct law enforcement in a way that allows stronger attention.”

Leeser added, “I note that after the Adass Israel fire, state government in Victoria promised a series of actions seven months ago, yet there has been no legislation put forward in Victoria to deal with some of these issues.”

When asked whether police were failing to enforce existing laws, Leeser replied, “Since October 7, we have seen the failure of leadership, of political leadership, law enforcement leadership, university leadership, of the Australian Human Rights Commission, to actually enforce laws that are on the books.”

Leeser noted that the Federal Parliament has adopted new mandatory minimum sentences for attacking a house of worship.

“I believe the authorities need to explain that if the person who did this act was not charged with those crimes, why they have not been charged. It’s an example of an existing law that’s been put on the books,” he said.

East Melbourne Synagogue’s Rabbi Dovid Gutnick told The AJN that the meeting with the Liberal leaders was “meaningful and emotional”.

“The highlight of the visit was when Julian Leeser requested to put on tefillin and say the Shema in the shule,” Rabbi Gutnick said.

“A number of other meeting participants followed suit. This was a great expression of the fact that we triumph over our detractors when we are proud of our Yiddishkeit and embrace its timeless traditions.”

St Kilda Hebrew Congregation Rabbi Yaakov Glasman was also in attendance, he told the AJN, “Rabbi Gutnick and I have been friends since kindergarten. We grew up together, were in the same class in school, and studied at the same Rabbinical colleges both here and overseas.

“I came to support my friend and felt buoyed by the incredible support offered by Sussan Ley and Julian Leeser, as well as James Paterson and David Southwick… I was heartened that Ms Ley has so strongly embraced the ECAJ’s 15 step plan to combat antisemitism and hope others follow suit.”