Melbourne rabbi shaken after ‘explosive device’ allegedly thrown from car in St Kilda

A young Melbourne rabbi has been left shaken after an explosive device was allegedly thrown from a car and almost landed in his baby’s pram in St Kilda.

A Melbourne rabbi has been left shaken after an explosive device allegedly thrown from a car almost landed inside his baby’s pram.

The young dad was walking along Hotham St in St Kilda East, outside Yeshivah Primary School, about 8.50pm on November 27 when he suddenly saw an object “on fire” fly on to the path in front of him.

The rabbi, who told the Saturday Herald Sun he has previously copped anti-Semitic slurs from motorists along the busy road, said he froze before hearing a loud bang.

“There was a lot of smoke,” he said.

“I just kept thinking, what if it landed inside the pram, it could have killed my baby.”

Police sources said the device appeared to be a fire cracker.

Two men, aged 24 and 23, from Hampton East, have since been arrested and interviewed by police.

The incident occured on Hotham St, St Kilda East, outside Yeshivah Primary School. Picture: Google Maps

At this stage, police have no evidence to suggest the incident was racially motivated.

However, the investigation remains ongoing.

In an audio recording taken by a woman who witnessed the incident, a loud bang can be heard before a man is heard saying “almost hit the baby”.

“That’s so not OK,” the woman responds.

The rabbi, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he was “100 per cent” sure he was the target.

“People in the past have screamed things like “f--k you Jew” from car windows,” he said.

It comes as the Jewish community remains on high alert, with a St Kilda’s rabbis home targeted by vandals two days before the incident, while the Adass Israel Synagogue was firebombed the following week.

“I wasn’t surprised by the fire at Adass. I can see what is going on,” the rabbi said.

“You can see it wherever you go.

“It’s a scary thing that this is a normal thing now.”