Beth Weizmann targeted again
Melbourne’s Jewish Community Centre Beth Weitzmann has been once again the target of antisemitism.
Pic: Supplied
The outside wall of the centre has been daubed with “genocide”, a crude flag of Palestine and what appears “terrorists”.
Beth Weitzmann is in the heavily Jewish-populated suburb of Caulfield and is home to many of Melbourne’s Jewish organisations, including The Jewish Community Council of Victoria.
The JCCV’s CEO, Naomi Levin, said: “The Jewish community is being targeted for activities half a world away, and the motivation for this can only be defined as antisemitic.
There is no other reason to target individuals and property of a community living peacefully in Victoria.
Vandalising a known centre for the Jewish community in the heart of Melbourne has one objective – to intimidate and instil fear.
And with recent data being released by Victoria Police confirming there has been more than one antisemitic incident in Victoria each day since October 7, the Jewish community has every right to feel unsafe and unwelcome in Victoria.
The JCCV condemns this act of vandalism and all antisemitic incidents. There is no place for racism in our multicultural society. Words are not enough and JCCV calls for actions to be taken to safeguard the Jewish communities in Australia.”
The Wall of Hope, standing on the grounds of the centre and displaying photographs of Oct 7 hostages being held by Hamas, was desecrated in early November.
The community centre, owned by Zionism Victoria, is headquarters to a number of peak community bodies and welfare organisations, including the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, the Australasian Union of Jewish Students, the United Jewish Education Board, the Lamm Jewish Library of Australia, Access Inc, B’nai B’rith, the Netzer youth movement, the Zionist Federation of Australia, the United Israel Appeal and Zionism Victoria itself.
Executive Director of Zionism Victoria & Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre Zeddy Lawrence said: “It’s truly devastating that on the morning the Jewish world marks 100 days since the atrocities of 7th October and the 100th day in captivity of more than 130 hostages, the Jewish community in Melbourne is the victim of such a heinous and hateful attack.
“Once again though, we are left wondering if any action will be taken against those who commit such a brazen act of antisemitism or whether the perpetrators will get away with it once more.
This is the latest in countless public displays of anti-Jewish sentiment and incitement across Victoria and Australia. And yet we hear next to nothing of those responsible being held to account.”
