Melbourne, June 22, 2025 — The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) strongly condemns the vile anti-Semitic graffiti sprayed on the Toorak Synagogue in Melbourne over the weekend. Defacing a place of worship with hateful messages is a direct attack on the Jewish community and a threat to the core values of respect and coexistence in Australian society.
CAM CEO Sacha Roytman stated, “This shocking act of hate reminds us that no community is immune to antisemitism. We commend the Mayor of Melbourne and the city’s leadership for their swift response and unwavering commitment to standing with the Jewish community. But goodwill alone is not enough — we need a unified, coordinated response from mayors across the country. Every local leader has a duty to act with courage and clarity.”
To help empower municipal leaders, CAM is co-hosting the 2025 Australian Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism, to be held on September 2–3 on the Gold Coast, with over 75 mayors and city leaders expected to attend. The summit will provide practical tools, data, and partnership opportunities to effectively address antisemitism and strengthen social cohesion at the local level.
“We must equip cities with the resources they need to confront hate, not just react to it,” Roytman added. “What happened in Melbourne must not be normalized. We invite every local government to join us in building a united front against antisemitism.”
CAM urges all Australian municipal leaders to publicly condemn this act and reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that Jewish life — and all communities — are protected, valued, and respected.