When synagogues come under attack
Sadly, the assault on the synagogue in Ripponlea is yet another in a string of recent attacks on Jewish institutions all over the world.
IN THIS third decade of the 21st century, the safe season for Jewish people is ending. We see this clearly with last week’s horrific attack on, and ultimate destruction of, the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne.
Synagogues are sacred spaces for Jewish worship, prayer, religious services, study and community gatherings. Throughout history, particularly during periods of antisemitism, synagogues have been prime targets for violence and destruction, most notably before and during the Holocaust.
On the night of November 9-10, 1938, the National Socialists carried out a violent pogrom in Germany, Austria, and the Sudetenland, often referred to as “Kristallnacht” or the “Night of Broken Glass”. At least 267 synagogues were burned, marking the beginning of the Holocaust. News of these attacks spread quickly across the world, sparking global protests.
On December 6, 1938, a notable response came from Aboriginal activist William Cooper who, together with the Australian Aborigines’ League, protested the “cruel persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazi government of Germany”.
After the Holocaust, around 32,000 survivors rebuilt their lives in Australia, many settling in Melbourne. Some of these survivors, particularly the more observant, became part of the Adass Israel Synagogue.
Eighty-six years after Cooper’s protest, on the morning of December 6, 2024, the synagogue was firebombed. The attack destroyed the building and sacred texts, but also saw the rescue of Torah scrolls and the injury of two worshippers. Two masked assailants fled the scene. The incident drew worldwide attention and condemnation, sparking accusations that Australian authorities had failed to protect the Jewish community. For Jews, especially Holocaust survivors and their descendants, this was not just a violent attack, but a painful reminder of past horrors.
This firebombing marked a disturbing escalation in antisemitic violence in Australia, following incidents like the harassment of Jewish creatives, the inaction of some university leaders in protecting Jewish students and staff, and the display of an anti-Israel banner at Sydney’s Great Synagogue. These are only a few examples of the growing anti-Jewish sentiment. The attack in Melbourne is an act that all fair-minded Australians should strongly condemn.
Sadly, the assault on the synagogue in Ripponlea is yet another in a string of recent attacks on Jewish institutions all over the world. Australia now joins the list as the ninth major incident, since 2023, of violent attacks on Jewish institutions globally. Defaced and damaged synagogues and cemeteries stand as an indictment of intolerance and racism in a world that is becoming a little more scary and inhospitable.
Regardless of the investigation’s outcome, the Ripponlea firebombing signifies that the era of relative safety for Jews following Auschwitz is over. Today, Jews are once again punished for having survived the Holocaust.
This reflects a centuries-old pattern of Jew-hatred, which has evolved to fit different historical and social contexts. Deep-seated prejudices are difficult to eliminate, but the harmful stereotypes targeting Jews have been used for centuries, often during times of crisis, to scapegoat them for social ills through defamation, discrimination, forced conversion, expulsion and, ultimately, annihilation.
Before the recent surge of antisemitism and anti-Zionism, global racism and xenophobia were already threatening the safety of Jews and undermining civil societies. This rise has paralleled the resurgence of far-right, ultra-nationalist, populist movements that again target minorities as ‘others’.
Education and the rule of law remain our best tools to combat hate ideologies and behaviours, but they are not foolproof solutions. The appointment of ‘special envoys’ to combat antisemitism in Australia and 24 other countries is a step forward, but it cannot be the sole solution. Hate ideologies stem from ignorance and deep-rooted prejudices, which are shaped by political and social changes. Antisemitism, like all forms of hate, serves a social function, enabling political manipulation and social mobilisation by blaming Jews for society’s problems. These ideologies unite disillusioned individuals who seek a common cause or purpose, often with media, political and social figures using them to deepen divisions within society.
It is the responsibility of political leaders, educators, religious bodies, lawmakers and community leaders to work together to build and protect a civil society where hate ideologies are not allowed to thrive. This is especially important in times when conflicts abroad have the potential to divide and scapegoat within our multicultural society.
Now for a personal reflection.
As someone who has dedicated his entire professional life to researching, writing about and teaching Jewish history, antisemitism, the Holocaust and its aftermath, in the last 12 months I have been compelled to contemplate: What has my impact been?
What I have come to understand is that Holocaust history is only one part in the solution to shifting beliefs. I believe that the most impactful Holocaust education is that which builds critical awareness and reflective skills, in addition to knowledge of the historic events. Underpinning history with civic responsibilities and universal values are crucial to learn before one can understand the real societal impacts of specific events, like the burning of synagogues.
Emeritus Professor Konrad Kwiet is the resident historian at the Sydney Jewish Museum.
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