On December 6th a major fire broke out at the Adass Israel synagogue in southern Melbourne, Australia. Two individuals preparing for the morning prayer were injured and hospitalized. The synagogue sustained significant damage. According to the police, the fire was caused by arson motivated by antisemitism.
The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) extends its wishes for a swift recovery to the injured, strongly condemns the actions of the perpetrators, and calls on Australian law enforcement to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident. The identities of those involved, including the organizers, must be uncovered and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The EAJC emphasizes that the recent normalization of anti-Israeli and antisemitic rhetoric in Australia has undoubtedly contributed to such events.
The EAJC expects the authorities to review their policies on antisemitism, unequivocally condemn this attack, and allocate funds for the synagogue’s restoration. It is also imperative to take all necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Passive behavior by government authorities and security services creates a sense of impunity among perpetrators and leads to further escalation.
A commendable example to follow is the approach taken by German authorities, who make maximum efforts to combat antisemitism and terrorism. Calls for hatred, religious and racial intolerance, and the denial of Israel’s right to self-defense and existence must be excluded from public discourse and prohibited under the law. Germany’s approach has proven effective, demonstrating that tangible measures to combat antisemitic incidents yield real results.
Dr. Michael Mirilashvili, President of the EAJC, noticed:
“The horrific terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7 unleashed a wave of blatant antisemitism worldwide. Unfortunately, Australia has not been an exception. The Jewish community in the country has noted a significant rise in antisemitic sentiment in recent months: over the past year, more than two thousand antisemitic acts have been officially recorded—four times more than the previous year. From the tragic history of the last century, we know that antisemitism marks the beginning of the profound degradation of any society, no matter how enlightened it may seem. We call on Australian authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into this incident, adopt Germany’s effective practices in combating antisemitism, and take all possible preventive measures to avert such occurrences in the future.”
Photo: Yaakov (Jake) Kaplan / X
