Authorities in Melbourne are in a panic-stricken mission aimed at reassuring the Jews in Melbourne after a series of antisemitic attacks shook the city on the weekend. The case of synagogue being burned down and the violence perpetrated in an Israeli restaurant have raised the concerns of the leaders in the community to the government to do more against the rising antisemitism in Australia.
‘These events over the weekend are a stark wake-up call’
Melbourne’s Jewish community and some allies are expressing solidarity after 2 Jewish sites were attacked, calling for ‘more urgent action to be taken against these hate crimes,’ Dionne Taylor tells our @natasharaquel_ pic.twitter.com/UCH9Gel5WF
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Synagogue Fire and Restaurant Attack Rock Melbourne’s Jewish Community
The anti-Semitism playing its part with two mental attacks in Melbourne left the Jewish organization to be undermined and insecure of their presence in Australian future. On Friday night, the police have alleged that a man tried to burn down the East Melbourne Synagogue whilst the 20 members of the community were inside the building taking their weekly meal of Shabbat.
The same night, a demonstrator is claimed to have gone rampage at Miznon Israeli restaurant located in the city center of Melbourne. As it has been described, furniture was flung by attackers and they even annoyed the customers and staff. The restaurant has been targeted considering the fact that it is partly owned by an Israeli businessman.
Dvir Abramovich, leader of the organization of Anti-Defamation Commission, has said that the Jewish people are not okay after these anti-Semitic attacks. He has already informed the ABC Radio that antisemitism has entered in the modern reality and is now a threat to Jewish people in Melbourne, as well as in Australia in general.
He made it clear that the attacks carried out on Friday night did not just happen and were isolated cases, they are the result of the surge in antisemitism that has been increasing since October 7.
Jewish Leaders Call for Action Against Rising Antisemitism
Abramovich even said that he could not look at the fire damage in the damaged synagogue without adding that feeling inside me was broken down. He expressed an idea that there exists a feeling in Jewish society that something is not right and people do not know who will protect them against the anti-Semitic violence next time.
The community leader praised strong words by the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese and other senators but explained that it is not what they should be doing with words. He is compelling the government to organize special hate crime and launch national antisemitism campaigns.
Josh burns a federal MP, who not long ago has been firebombed back in May 2009 wrote up on the consequences these actions have in the lives of the jews of Melbourne. According to him, the Jewish people consider Friday as a special day because they rest, as well as spend time with relatives and friends during the Shabbat.
According to Burns, speaking to Channel 9, the purpose of the attack of the synagogue and the restaurant was to make the Jewish people feel unsafe in their nook of the world. He added that we must have peace and this cannot be realized by violence and hatred.
