By Gabi Kaltmann
East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation is one of the oldest synagogues in Australia. For families like mine, who have been in Australia since the Ballarat gold rush, it holds more than architectural or historical value. Nearly a century ago, my great-grandparents, Rachel and David Miller, stood under a Chuppah, and got married in that very building. My great-grandmother had fled the pogroms of Russia, and great-grandfather came from Britain. They found each other here, in a new land, and they dared to believe in a future that would allow their children peace and prosperity.
East Melbourne Synagogue has always been surrounded by churches and old civic buildings. Built in the 1870s, it was a place that bore witness to the promise Australia extended to Jewish immigrants that, here, they would not be hunted or persecuted for their faith. Here, in the heart of Melbourne they could pray without fear. The synagogue has always been a symbol of Jewish contribution, with its stained-glass windows and plaques honouring the King of England.
Over the years, I鈥檝e visited East Melbourne Synagogue for events, the odd Shabbat service, and moments of reflection. Though most Jewish families now live in Melbourne鈥檚 suburbs, these older synagogues are etched into our hearts. They remind us that we come from people who ran for their lives and built something sacred when they arrived. Our ancestors laid the foundation not just of buildings, but of belief, that Australia would be different.
That鈥檚 why, when I turned on my phone after Shabbat and saw the news, I couldn鈥檛 breathe. Someone has poured flammable liquid on the front door of East Melbourne Synagogue and set it alight while 20 people were eating Friday night dinner there on Shabbat.