A vehicle adorned with a Hanukkah decoration was deliberately set on fire in Melbourne in the early hours of Christmas morning, marking another alarming incident for Australia's Jewish community. The attack comes just ten days after the deadly mass shooting at a Hanukkah event in Sydney's Bondi Beach.
Details of the Christmas Morning Attack
The arson occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 25, in the Melbourne suburb of St. Kilda East. The car, which belonged to a local rabbi, was parked on Balaclava Road—a street that runs through a significant Jewish neighbourhood and is close to several Jewish institutions, including a large Orthodox Jewish girls' high school.
While no injuries were reported, the occupants of a nearby house had to be evacuated as a safety precaution due to the fire. Victoria Police have classified the blaze as a "suspicious fire" and confirmed they have identified a person of interest in the case.
Community Leaders Condemn Rising Antisemitism
Jewish community leaders, already devastated by the Bondi Beach attack that killed 15 people and wounded dozens, swiftly condemned the arson. They linked it to a dangerous climate where extremist rhetoric has become normalized.
Colin Rubenstein, executive director of the Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council, stated the attack left a young family with their car destroyed and too frightened to remain in their home simply for celebrating Hanukkah publicly. He emphasized the urgent need for state and federal governments to crack down on antisemitism and incitement to violence.
Elyse Schachna, president of Zionism Victoria, noted that while intent is not yet known, the targeting of a single vehicle bearing a Jewish symbol cannot be ignored. "Isolated incidents do not happen in a vacuum. Violence grows where extremist rhetoric is normalized," she warned.
Political Response and Broader Context
When questioned about the incident at a Christmas event in Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the act "beyond comprehension" and questioned what "evil ideology" would motivate someone at such a time. He referenced the "father and son terrorist atrocity at Bondi Beach." The Prime Minister has faced criticism for his handling of antisemitic hate speech over the past two years.
In a related development, an Australian man was charged on Wednesday for posting a social media message supporting the Bondi attack. Police reportedly found six licensed firearms, 4,000 rounds of ammunition, and antisemitic material during a search of his home in Western Australia.
Australia is home to approximately 110,000 Jewish people, with major populations concentrated in Melbourne and Sydney. This latest act of vandalism has heightened fears within the community about the safety of publicly expressing their faith and identity.
