Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan ‘emotional’ at firebombed Adass Israel Synagogue

The Victorian Premier met with community leaders inside Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue and was shown the destruction from its firebombing.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan inside the firebombed Adass Israel Synagogue. Picture: Brendan Kearns

Jacinta Allan toured the burnt-out Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne’s southeast in a surprise visit on Friday morning to speak with community leaders.

The Victorian Premier was shown the destruction wreaked by the firebombing which is now being investigated as a terrorist attack by police.

Meir Chaim Spigelman, president of the Adass Israel community, told Ms Allan that he appreciated her visit.

Ms Allan offered to “continue to walk with” the community and provide support from the government. “We are with you,” she told them.

Abe Weiszberger, a member of the Adass community, told the Premier that the community was “shattered, brutally shattered” by the attack which has left whole sections of the synagogue in ruins.

Community members remarked on the “smell of hate” inside the synagogue where a metallic smokey stench sits heavily.

The inside of the firebombed Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea. Picture: Brendan Kearns

Ms Allan was under pressure after not attending a vigil on Sunday at the firebombed synagogue. She defended her decision, saying that she visited in the immediate aftermath of the attack on Friday morning last week.

“I attended the Adass Israel synagogue on Friday in the hours after the attack, and I was there to provide support,” she said at the time.

Mr Weiszberger said that Ms Allan was emotional during the visit and was “sitting here in tears”.

“I thought it was very, very nice of her to show the genuine part of her,” he said.

Ms Allan described the visit as an “overwhelming emotional experience”.

“It was impossible not to be moved,” she told The Australian.

“It was an overwhelming emotional experience to see this shocking damage and comprehend the evil that commited it.

“But what I will remember most is the resilience of the Adass Israel community.”

She said she has “practical solutions” to help with the synagogue’s rebuild which will focus on maintaining continuity for the congregation.

Zionism Victoria organised the Ms Allan’s visit, which saw her go to a number of synagogues in the community.

Elyse Schachna said “Every conversation our Premier has with the Jewish community to hear first-hand their experiences with Jew-hate over the last year is important.

“The Jewish community, not only in Melbourne, but across the country have had one of our most difficult weeks in living memory, and we understand the importance of engaging with our leaders to fix this issue from the top.”

Other faith leaders have come out to say that anti-Semitism is a wider problem for all faiths in Australia in response to the past week of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel attacks.

Austrian Ambassador Elisabeth Koegler visits the firebombed Adass Israel Synagogue with Eva Hussain, Abe Weiszberger, and Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann. Picture: Brendan Kearns

Murray Norman, CEO of Faith NSW and Better Balanced Futures, which engages with faith communities across Australia, said anti-semitism needed to be rooted out for the benefit of all faith groups.

“Everyone needs to go in shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish community and say this is not good enough,” he said, adding that “when you help one faith community, they are very keen to reciprocate” when it’s needed.

Trucking billionaire Lindsay Fox also visited the synagogue on Friday morning and was pictured with community leaders.

Ms Allan’s appearance coincided with a visit from the Austrian Ambassador to Australia, Elisabeth Koegler, who was there to show solidarity and support for the community.

Ms Koegler spoke about the importance of fighting anti-Semitism worldwide and said it is “a big task, a big challenge nowadays.”

She said that it felt different seeing the devastation in person. “You can see how the community reacts and how important it is that people are coming and showing their support.”