Stonnington Council Delays Chabad Public Menorah Approval, Drawing Community Outrage

A routine request to install a public Menorah outside Malvern Town Hall has unexpectedly become the center of debate in Melbourne’s City of Stonnington—despite such displays being a longstanding Australian tradition led by Chabad Lubavitch.

Public Menorahs, first introduced to the world by the Lubavitcher Rebbe and now displayed in thousands of cities globally, symbolize the message of Chanukah: that even a small amount of light can illuminate great darkness. Melbourne is no exception, with Chabad-led Chanukah celebrations filling streets and plazas across the city for decades.

At this week’s council meeting, Rabbi Reuvi Cooper—Chabad-Lubavitch Shliach to the Malvern area and director of Chabad Malvern—addressed councillors, emphasizing that the Menorah represents light, hope, and togetherness for the entire community. “This is about bringing people together in the City of Malvern,” he said. Chanukah begins this year on Sunday night, December 14.

Yet the council voted to delay approval of the Menorah’s installation. The motion to defer was initiated by Councillor Steve Stefanopoulos and seconded by Deputy Mayor Samantha Choudhury.

Around Australia, Chabad’s public Menorahs serve as a unifying force, proudly sharing Jewish culture in the same spirit with which Australians celebrate Diwali, Christmas, Ramadan, and other faith traditions. Many found it puzzling, therefore, that Malvern’s Menorah—offered at no cost to the council—would face resistance.

In the chamber, councillors expressed frustration over the delay.
• Cr. Jamie Bell called the deferral inappropriate, noting that the Jewish community is already on edge amid rising hostility directed at visibly Jewish institutions and events.
• Cr. Tom Humphries criticized the motion strongly, calling it discriminatory, prompting heated exchanges from fellow councillors.
• Cr. Jami Klisaris said she had not witnessed such poor behaviour in her years on council.
• Cr. Kate Healey stated plainly that given the Rabbi’s assurances, there was no justification for postponing approval.

The vote ended in a 4–4 tie, forcing Mayor Melina Sehl to cast the deciding vote—ultimately choosing to defer. A special meeting will now need to be convened, pushing the decision even closer to the start of Chanukah and heightening community anxiety.

Watch the meeting: Start time 7:30 min – https://webcast.stonnington.vic.gov.au/archive/video25-1201.php

During the debate, Deputy Mayor Choudhury argued that the council needs a broader “cultural events calendar” before approving such installations. But many questioned why that requirement is being raised now, and whether any other faith community would face similar hurdles so close to their holiday.

Claims that the request came “too suddenly” were also contradicted by the Acting CEO, who confirmed that Cr. Stefanopoulos and Rabbi Cooper met months earlier—back in May 2025—where the Menorah request was openly discussed.

In State Parliament, Caulfield MP David Southwick condemned the council’s conduct, calling the meeting “a disgrace” and saying that councillors had sown “division and chaos” rather than fostering unity.

For local Jews, and for many others in the community, the Menorah is not political—it is a symbol of light, faith, and hope. It represents the same message the Rebbe inspired across the world: that every community deserves to shine its light proudly.

As the first night of Chanukah approaches, residents are hoping the council will reverse course and allow Malvern to join the countless cities worldwide that proudly display the Menorah each year—bringing warmth, inspiration, and unity to all.