Man charged over arson attack on former home of Jewish leader Alex Ryvchin

Police charged 37-year-old Leon Sofilas with the attack that destroyed two cars last month outside the former home of Alex Ryvchin in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

CCTV footage of the firebombing and graffiti attack on the former home of Alex Ryvchin. Picture: Supplied

Police have charged a 37-year-old man with the arson attack that destroyed two cars last month outside the former home of prominent Jewish community leader Alex Ryvchin in Dover Heights, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

On Wednesday detectives from Strike Force Pearl arrested Leon Sofilas, who was already in a correctional facility after being charged with the attempted arson of a Newtown synagogue on 11 January.

Mr Sofilas has now been charged over the 17 January Dover Heights attack with being an accessory before the fact to damaging property by means of fire or explosion.

Cars were graffitied with anti-Semitic slurs, two vehicles were set alight, and Mr Ryvchin’s former family house was doused with red paint.

One of the cars destroyed by fire, a Mercedes, had “f..k Jews” sprayed on the side and a Honda had “f..k Israel” vandalised on its rear windscreen and boot.

Mr Ryvchin, the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, had sold the Dover Heights property three years ago.

Mr Ryvchin, holding a press conference at the crime scene, said he could not be certain the perpetrators knew it was his old house, but “it might be the world’s biggest coincidence if of all the houses in all the streets of this neighbourhood, they hit my former home by accident”.

Alex Ryvchin with his wife Vicki outside their old home in Dover Heights that was targeted in another anti-Semitic attack. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Police allege Mr Sofilas was also involved in another anti-Semitic attack on January 11 when five cars and two homes were vandalised with offensive graffiti in Henry Street, Queens Park.

The words “F*** Jews” had been sprayed on the outside of the home.

Adam Moule, 33, who was already in custody over his alleged involvement in the Newtown synagogue attack, was also charged over the Queens Park vandalism. The pair have been charged with accessory before the fact to damaging property in company, and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity in relation to that attack.

The two men have pleaded not guilty to the Synagogue attack, telling a magistrate earlier this month that they feared for their safety in prison.

The court heard Mr Sofilas, who pleaded not guilty on Thursday, had been given the nickname “Nazi” while in prison. His legal representative said that he had been assaulted while in custody, and during his arrest was tasered by police 11 times.

Leon Sofilas is accused of playing a role in multiple anti-Semitic attacks across Sydney.

The court heard that the pair also have “lengthy” criminal records, with both men conceding they had breached bail before, and Mr Moule described as also having a history of violence, breaching AVOs and court orders.

Aboriginal Legal Service representative Jenni Bridges said Mr Moule, who at the time of his arrest was living in a housing commission apartment in Pyrmont, was a “vulnerable Indigenous man” who had been the subject of “harassment and threats” by other inmates while in custody.

Steve Mav, representing Mr Sofilas, said his client also suffered from anxiety, PTSD, depression, public anxiety and epilepsy when citing reasons for his release.

Critical to the arrest of the duo was CCTV from the scene which captured two hooded men, dressed in black, spray painting Nazi symbols on the synagogue’s fence on January 11.

In denying bail magistrate Greg Grogin said they were an unacceptable risk to the community.

Both men have been remanded in custody to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday 3 April 2025.