Arson Attack on Adass Shul in Melbourne, Australia, Chabad Steps Up

An arson attack at the renowned Adass Shul in Melbourne, Australia has left the Jewish community in shock. At approximately 4:10 a.m. local time, two individuals smashed windows, entered the Shul, and poured gasoline before setting it on fire. The shul, one of the most famous in Australia, is a central hub for the Orthodox Jewish community.

Two people learning inside the shul at the time witnessed the incident but were bichasdei Hashem unharmed. Emergency services responded quickly, but the building and surrounding streets remain closed due to ongoing investigations.

Baruch Hashem, no injuries have been reported and, the status of the sifrei Torah are fine. The shul features fireproof aron kodesh in its main Shul, providing that the Sifrei Torah were spared significant damage.

In the meantime, Chabad has graciously opened its mikveh, and the Yeshiva Ketana building is hosting minyanim, including a Cheder Minyan at 7:00 a.m. Despite the disruption, the community is rallying to maintain their Minyan schedules.

Adass Shul, which typically hosts minyanim every 30 minutes from Netz until mid-morning, serves hundreds of Mispallim daily.

Authorities are investigating the attack.