Police name man sought over firebombing of rabbi’s car in St Kilda East
On Friday afternoon, rabbi and school principal Elisha Greenbaum said the Bondi massacre and other recent attacks had strengthened the desire of many people in the community to express their Judaism more strongly. More people were lighting Hanukkah candles and turning to prayer.
“That is the Jewish response,” he said.
Greenbaum said he was focusing on responding with goodness and godliness rather than anger to the acts of antisemitism committed against the Jewish community.
“You’re in control of your own emotions. You can choose how to react.”
Greenbaum, who travelled to Sydney earlier in the week, said he was inspired by the response of the rabbis there and how they were supporting their communities.
“You could see they had made a conscious decision to be there for others rather than allow themselves to be overtaken by emotion.”
On Thursday, Jewish leaders called the St Kilda East attack antisemitic and that it was “open season on Jews”.
Police outside a Jewish school in St Kilda East earlier this month.Credit: Jason South
“Bondi Beach is now soaked in Jewish blood. Is that what we are waiting for here … in Melbourne?” said rabbi Gabi Kaltmann.
St Kilda Chabad rabbi Effy Block, who has the same menorah on top of his car, said the burnt-out vehicle belonged to a friend.
“It’s traumatising. They are coming off the Bondi massacre. They saw fire outside – they ran out of the house. Mentally, it was very traumatising for them,” he said.
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“It was an antisemitic attack because they saw the menorah.”
Premier Jacinta Allan said on Thursday afternoon that the firebombing was not what any family deserved to wake up to on Christmas Day.
“This little car has been driving around town spreading the Hanukkah and holiday cheer. I even saw one drive past when I was in Caulfield on Monday afternoon,” she said in a statement on X.
Police will patrol the area, and the burnt car will undergo forensic analysis by an arson chemist.
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