A devastating fire at a Melbourne synagogue has left the Jewish community shaken, with many calling for stricter laws to prevent such incidents.
The fire, which occurred on Friday night, was allegedly set by a 34-year-old man from New South Wales, who has been charged with arson and reckless conduct endangering life.
The Incident: A Timeline
According to eyewitnesses, the suspect was seen pouring a flammable liquid on the front door of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue before setting it alight.
The incident was captured on CCTV cameras, and detectives are currently investigating the alleged intent and ideology behind the attack.
Fortunately, the 20 people inside the synagogue at the time managed to escape through a rear door without injuries.
A Larger Problem: Antisemitism in Australia
The synagogue fire is not an isolated incident. There have been several attacks on Jewish-owned businesses and properties in recent months, including a similar fire at the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea last December.
Jewish community leaders are tired, angry, and shocked by the latest attack, and are calling for greater action from the government to protect their community.
“We just want to be left to practice our faith and be part of our community. We just want to be left alone,” said Naomi Levin, CEO of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria.
International Condemnation
The incident has sparked outrage and condemnation from international leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.
Netanyahu described the incidents as “reprehensible” and called on the Australian government to take action to prevent similar attacks in the future.
Herzog emphasized the need for Australian authorities to protect their Jewish citizens, stating that “antisemitism is a stain on any society, and must be confronted with urgency and resolve.”
Calls for Stricter Laws
In response to the incident, Shadow Police Minister David Southwick is calling for parliament to be recalled to pass new protest laws. He argues that the current laws are not sufficient to protect the community and that the government has been too slow to act. “Victorians deserve to feel safe.
That’s got to be the first job of any government,” he said. The proposed laws would include bans on face masks and flags of banned terrorist organizations, as well as increased powers for police to move on protesters.
A Community in Fear
The Jewish community is on edge, with many feeling that the government has not done enough to protect them. “We’ve seen this happen in Victoria before.
We’ve seen it happen around Australia,” said Levin. The community is calling for a whole-of-government response to address the issue of antisemitism, including increased security measures and education programs.
As Daniel Aghion, President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, stated, “We don’t see Russian or Ukrainian or Sudanese restaurants being attacked… It’s always just a restaurant that serves Israeli food, owned and staffed by Australians.”
What’s Next?
The 34-year-old suspect is expected to appear in court on Sunday, facing charges of reckless conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, criminal damage by fire, and possessing a controlled weapon.
The incident has sparked a wider debate about the need for stricter laws and greater action to protect the Jewish community.
As the community comes to terms with the latest attack, one thing is clear: something needs to be done to prevent such incidents from happening again.