One Year On: The Reality Has Changed. So Must We.
“In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.”
- David Ben-Gurion
It’s a reminder that Jewish life has always demanded a dual posture: to see the world as it is, and still commit to shaping what it must become.
Tomorrow marks one year since the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue, a moment that shattered any illusion that threats to Jewish life in Victoria were distant or symbolic. It forced our community to confront its reality with clarity rather than comfort.
A year later, the landscape is sharper. The stakes are higher. And the responsibilities on our communal organisations are heavier.
A Year Marked by Escalation
The past twelve months have revealed a clear, sinister pattern:
A second attempted firebombing, this time at East Melbourne Shule.
The violent assault at Miznon, directed at a restaurant simply carrying out the ordinary work of their business.
Confirmation that the Adass attack was orchestrated by foreign terrorist actors linked to Iran.
These are not isolated moments.
They form a continuum - one that demands serious attention, coordination and long-term planning.
Where We Stand Now
Despite these events, our community did not recede.
We adjusted and stayed present.
Jewish life in Victoria remained active, visible and coherent. Organisations collaborated more deeply; individuals continued to engage, attend, participate and support one another. This resilience is the result of deliberate effort, not chance.
Zionism Victoria’s Focus: Tangible Outcomes This Year
Across this challenging period, Zionism Victoria has prioritised practical, measurable work that strengthens the Victorian Jewish community:
Representation on government taskforces, including the Anti-Hate Taskforce and the Local Escalation and Help Group (LEAH) Taskforce, ensuring Jewish concerns are reflected in state wide policy responses.
Regular engagement with state MPs, resulting in clearer communication channels, responsiveness during incidents and more visible political accountability.
Affiliate support, assisting organisations facing operational strain, reputational pressure and increased community needs.
Serious communal conversations, including high-level events such as the recent Michael Gawenda & Julie Szego conversation, creating space for nuance, honesty and intellectual depth.
Community identity and continuity, through major events including Yom Ha’atzmaut, Yom Hazikaron, The 7th Commemoration and leadership awards.
Strengthened emergency preparedness, through closer coordination with relevant agencies and stakeholders.
Visible leadership and rapid response, ensuring the Victorian Jewish community is represented clearly and consistently in public discourse.
This is the infrastructure of resilience; dynamic, deliberate and essential.
Looking Ahead
The anniversary of the Adass firebombing is more than a date.
It is a turning point.
We cannot rely on assumptions that belonged to previous years.
We cannot afford complacency.
And we cannot allow external threats to define our identity.
We stand as part of Am Israel, a people defined by responsibility, purpose and the belief that our future is shaped by what we choose to build.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks expressed it with profound clarity:
“Hope is the belief that, together, we can make things better.”
That is the work ahead and Zionism Victoria will continue to lead it with resolve, seriousness and integrity.
Shabbat Shalom,
Zionism Victoria