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Early morning worshippers were forced to flee, as a Melbourne synagogue went up in flames.
The house of worship is in the inner southeastern suburb of Ripponlea, a region of Melbourne with a relatively high Jewish population.
The alarm was raised about 4:10 am on Friday, with firefighters working for 40 minutes to get the blaze under control.
Police have set up a crime scene and the fire is being treated as suspicious.
There were no reported injuries at the Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne on Glen Eira Ave but the building has been significantly damaged.
Police are calling for anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage for the Glen Eira Ave area to come forward.
Fire Rescue Victoria said the 20-by-30 meter building was fully on fire when crews arrived.
Firefighters had to wear breathing apparatus to attack the fire.
A train level crossing was closed for a time; however, trains were running again as of 7:30 am.
The Herald Sun reports multiple ultra-Orthodox community members were inside the synagogue at the time.
“They saw people throw liquid inside and light it on fire,” Synagogue board member Binyomin Klein told the Herald Sun.
“The two guys had to run out the back door.
“One of them got burns on his hands.”
Hundreds of people were expected to begin gathering at the temple in the hour after the fire begun.
“This synagogue is one of the busiest in Australia,” Mr. Klein told the Herald Sun.
“This synagogue was built by Holocaust survivors and this just brings back terrible memories.”
“The synagogue is the centre of the community,” he said.
“For the jewel in the crown to be burnt like that is horrendous.”
Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said the attack should condemned.
“No one should be surprised; this violent attack is a direct consequence of words turning into actions. Jew hatred, left unchecked, endangers all Australians,” Mr. Leibler said.
“Enough is enough, this is a stain on our nation. It’s time for all levels of government to turn their words into actions to stamp out this Jew hatred.”
Speaking to the ABC later in the morning, Mr. Klein said a “huge amount” of holy books, Torah scrolls and furniture had been destroyed.
“It’s quite horrendous and the community is really reeling from it,” he said.
The hundreds of synagogue members were distressed by the incident, he said.
“To see it burnt and in ruins is quite horrendous to happen to a quiet community in Melbourne, Australia. You don’t expect such things to happen.
“It’s been quite scary. In the last 12 months we’ve had increased security, we’ve had a lot of discussions with police and local security groups, the threat levels have gone up. We’ve had a lot of incidents.”
“We’re just simple Australian people, born and bred in Melbourne, have our heads down, we’re not involved with anything that happens anywhere. And whilst we don’t know what happened and why this happened … people should just live and let live.”
Australia’s Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich said the “senseless” attack was “deeply unsettling and heartbreaking.”
“Places of worship are sacred sanctuaries of peace and reflection, and to see one so deliberately and grievously damaged is a source of immense anguish,” Dr. Abramovich said.
“While I am profoundly grateful that no lives were lost, my heart goes out to those who now face the pain and trauma of this senseless act.”
“This incident highlights the critical need for vigilance and unity. It is a sobering reminder that acts of hatred and violence must be met with resilience and an unwavering commitment to stand together as a community.”
The strength of the congregation and the broader Jewish and Australian communities “will be the foundation on which they rebuild”, he said.
“To those responsible for this heinous act, you will not succeed in intimidating or dividing us,” Dr. Abramovich said.
“The Jewish community has endured far worse and has always emerged stronger. My full support and solidarity are with the Adass Israel congregation as they begin the painful but determined journey of recovery and healing.”
