Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Fire Rescue and Victoria Police are treating the fire as suspicious. Klein said it appeared to be a deliberate firebombing.If so, it was the second time the synagogue has been targeted by arsonists, he said. In 1995, the shule was severely damaged by a deliberately lit fire.Sixty firefighters fought the blaze in Ripponlea.Credit: Simon Schluter“My grandfather was the president at the time,” Klein said. “He was a holocaust survivor and I will never forget him standing among the smoke and ash and just crying. “It is the jewel of the crown of the Jewish community.”The damage inside is believed to be significant. There were many holy books and expensive Torah scrolls inside, and the congregation was waiting to get access to assess the extent of the damage, he said.He was among dozens of congregation members who gathered outside the synagogue on Friday morning alongside other neighbours, police and firefighters, who pumped water from trucks inside the building.Up to about 300 people usually begin gathering at the synagogue from 6am each morning.The fire has significantly damaged holy books inside.Credit: Nine NewsKlein said the congregation and community were in shock and the alleged arsonists’ motivation was unclear.“It’s hard to know. We’ve been on very high alert. We’ve had security patrols, we’ve had increased cameras, we’ve had a lot of increased security the last few months,” Klein said.“We all think about what happens overseas, and it’s possible, and we are just hoping it’s not that. But we are very shaken up.“Obviously, the synagogue is the jewel of the crown, and it’s a large synagogue and a large community. To see a bomb, or a firebomb, or fire rip through a synagogue, [we’re] quite nervous.”A handful of congregants were inside the synagoge at the time.Credit: 9NewsNeighbours called triple zero and fire crews arrived to find the entire single-storey building alight.Sixty firefighters and 17 firetrucks had the fire under control just before 5am on Friday.There were no injuries.Glen Eira Road was closed in both directions between the Nepean Highway and Hotham Street because of the fire. The road has now reopened.The level crossing at Glen Eira Road was also blocked early on Friday morning and public transport was disrupted.Police have set up a crime scene around the synagogue and the arson squad is investigating.A community advice warning was issued for smoke in surrounding suburbs.Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here.
