1990 Melbourne synagogue attacks

Series of arson attacks on Australian synagogues in 1990 August 2026 1990 Melbourne synagogue attacks.jpg Map of the 1990 Melbourne synagogue attacks 1990 Melbourne synagogue attacks Melbourne, Australia yes 1990 03 22 to yes 1990 04 21 AEDT; UTC+11:00 Three synagogue buildings Arson attack Petrol 0 0 Unknown perpetrators Kew Synagogue damaged on two occasionsCaulfield Synagogue damaged on occasionsMizrachi synagogue attackers repelled The 1990 Melbourne synagogue attacks was a series of five arson attacks targeting the Australian Jewish community in Melbourne. Between March and April 1990, synagogues were targeted in a series of firebombing incidents. Other vandalism incidents targeting local synagogues followed later that year. Background Antisemitism in Australia In the 1970s and 1980s, the Jewish community in Australia experienced various attacks on community institutions and centres including a series of letterbombs targeting Jewish community leaders in the 1970s,Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) Report of National Inquiry into Racist Violence in Australia Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) 1991 Canberra, ACT, AUSTRALIA 1478 August 1974 More Bombs Predicted https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/263206501 live Australian Jewish Times 39 November 1972 Another Letter Bomb Found https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/263134143 live Australian Jewish Times 1, the 1976 burning of the Brisbane Synagogue,28 May 1976 Q'LD. SHULE DESTROYED https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/262704171 live Australian Jewish News27 May 1976 FIRE BURNS DOWN BRISBANE SHULE https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/263286438 live Australian Jewish Times the 1982 bombing of a Jewish centre in Bondi,Mercer Neil 2012-12-09 Police have new lead in Hakoah Club bombing https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/police-have-new-lead-in-hakoah-club-bombing-20121209-2b3k7.html 2026-08-12 The Sydney Morning Herald en among other attacks. Shortly before the 1990 wave of synagogue attacks, in November 1989, three synagogues in Melbourne were vandalised with various antisemitic slogans and slurs.Kleerekoper, Victor (1989). More anti-semitic daubings. The Australian Jewish News. 10 November 1989. 13 January 2025. Other attacks on synagogues across the Jewish diaspora were known to have taken place in the preceding years.Lipman Steve 2014-11-18 A Timeline Of Attacks On Synagogues https://www.jta.org/2014/11/18/ny/a-timeline-of-attacks-on-synagogues 2026-08-12 Jewish Telegraphic Agency en-US And other incidents targeting synagogues in other Australian cities took place in the early months of 1990, including in Sydney,2026-08-12 The Australian Jewish News en-US https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/263218296 Synagogues daubed 2 March 19902026-08-12 The Australian Jewish News en-US https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261655605 Community news: Rash of anti-semitic daubings in Sydney 16 March 1990 Newcastle,Man charged on swastika daubing 15 June 1990 2026-08-12 The Australian Jewish News en-US https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261682810 Perth,2026-08-12 The Australian Jewish News en-US https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/263217252 Antisemific graffiti in Perth, Brisbane 26 Jan 1990 Brisbane,16 February 1990 2026-08-12 The Australian Jewish News en-US https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261651657 Brisbane shule daubed and Adelaide.2026-08-12 The Australian Jewish News en-US https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/263218672 Adelaide hit with graffiti 9 March 1990 Incidents in Melbourne immediately preceding the attack include the Adass Israel Synagogue being daubed with anti-Jewish slogans in February 1990. Synagogue officials were joined by non-Jewish neighbours to clean and repaint the walls.Adass synagogue daubed 23 Feb 1990 2026-08-12 The Australian Jewish News en-US https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261652222 And in January 1990, one young man had been fined for a recent daubing of a Melbourne synagogue.2026-08-12 The Australian Jewish News en-US https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261650037 Melbourne dauber fined 26 January 1990 Overview of attacks The main attacks targeted the Kew Synagogue, Caulfield Synagogue, and Mizrachi Synagogue, taking place in March and April 1990. The Kew Synagogue in Melbourne, founded in 1949,Shule History – Kew Hebrew Congregation https://khc.org.au/shule-history/ 2026-08-14 en-US was targeted in two arson attacks. The first attack occurred on 22 March between midnight and 8:30AM, and involved a brick smashing a window in the synagogue hall and four petrol bombs thrown inside, damaging the interior of the building.Steve Lipman. "A Timeline of Attacks on Synagogues". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 18 November 2014. 20 February 2024.30 March 1990 Firebomb attack at Kew shule hall https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261658023 live Australian Jewish News 4 The second attack on the Kew Synagogue took place on 11 April on the second day of Passover. A window in the synagogue was broken and a petrol bomb was thrown in, damaging the interior of the building. The police reported that no message accompanied the March and April attacks.20 April 1990 Following second fire-bomb attack on Kew shule Police call for calm https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261352910 live Australian Jewish News 3 The Caulfield Synagogue, founded in 1943,Our Shule. Caulfield Shule. Accessed 14 August 2026. https://www.caulfieldshule.com.au/ourshule was also targeted in two attacks, both taking place in April 1990. The first incident took place on Friday, 20 April, at 3AM, and involved the use of a petrol bomb that damaged the exterior of the building. A second attempt to firebomb Caulfield Synagogue was made on the following night.27 April 1990 Following attack on Caulfield shule: Police step up presence at shules, schools https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261353704 live Australian Jewish News 3 The Mizrachi Synagogue, founded in 1943,The story of Mizrachi Melbourne. Mizrachi Melbourne. Accessed 14 August 2026. https://www.mizrachi.com.au/history was also targeted on the same night as the second Caulfield Synagogue attack, but the attackers were frightened off by the synagogue caretaker. Other acts of vandalism and property damage against synagogues in Melbourne continued in the months that followed.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261340871 Increased security for High Holydays Victor Kleerekoper 1990-09-14 The Australian Jewish News26 October 1990 Police alert on street violence https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261344812 live Australian Jewish News9 November 1990 COMMUNITY Anti-semitic attacks increase Police, churches are concerned https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261346206 live Australian Jewish News Response Initial reports noted that Victoria Police were investigating the attacks.JCCV reports Police monitoring anti-semitism 13 July 1990 2026-08-12 The Australian Jewish News en-US https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261653642 Jewish community members in Victoria increased security patrols of synagogues and Jewish community leaders noted the absence of condemnations by Church leaders. Jewish community leadership in Victoria called upon the state government to respond to the recent wave of anti-Jewish incidents, including the synagogue attacks.11 May 1990 Call for vigilance against vandals JCCV still seeks meeting with Police Minister Sandon https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261355233 live Australian Jewish NewsCar Bombing at Melbourne School Yet Another Act of Anti-semitism https://www.jta.org/archive/car-bombing-at-melbourne-school-yet-another-act-of-anti-semitism 2026-08-12 Jewish Telegraphic Agency en-US The attacks also led to a response from Prime Minister Hawke who stated he would pursue new legislation to combat antisemitism.This week Hawke will act on antisemitism https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261347864 live Australian Jewish News 30 November 199027 November 1990 PM alarmed by growth of anti-Semitism https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122326226 live The Canberra TimesBob Hawke Puts Anti-semitism on Australian Cabinet Agenda https://www.jta.org/archive/bob-hawke-puts-anti-semitism-on-australian-cabinet-agenda 2026-08-12 Jewish Telegraphic Agency en-US In late 1990, synagogues in other states increased security measures fearing a rising tide of anti-Jewish incidents.2026-08-12 The Australian Jewish News en-US https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261345465 AROUND THE SHULES: Shule security 2 November 1990 See also 1991 Sydney synagogue attacks 2024 Melbourne synagogue attack References Category:Antisemitism in Australia