A rabbi and his young family were forced to flee their home after their car was firebombed in a pre-dawn attack on Christmas morning. 

The family’s silver sedan was torched in the driveway of the religious leader’s home about 2.50am, in St Kilda East, Australia.

The religious leader and his young family were evacuated from their Balaclava Road home, in the heart of Melbourne’s Jewish community, by police as flames tore through the vehicle. The car, parked in the driveway of the family home, bore a “Happy Chanukah” sign on its roof.

No one was hurt in the attack.

Victoria Police have launched manhunt for a person they have identified in connection with the arson attack.

“Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating a suspicious fire in St Kilda East on Thursday, 25 December. Emergency services were called to a vehicle displaying a mobile billboard which had been set alight in the driveway of a property on Balaclava Road about 2.50am.

“No one was inside the car at the time of the incident. The occupants of the house were evacuated as a precaution.”

The police spokesperson added: “Detectives have identified a person who may be able to assist with their investigation and they are actively searching for and making enquiries into their whereabouts. Enquiries into the incident are ongoing.”

The burnt out car was removed from the driveway of the Balaclava Road home on Thursday morning, reports The Age, with the home located across the road from a well-known Jewish school. Although the vehicle had been towed away, shattered glass was left scattered across the driveway on Christmas morning. 

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told The Express: “Australia’s Jewish community is in mourning after the Bondi terrorist attack. The firebombing of a car in Melbourne is another terrible act of suspected antisemitism. Federal authorities stand ready to assist.”

The Aussie PM added: “There is no place in Australia for this kind of hatred and it has to stop.”

The antisemitic attack comes just over a week after the terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, where two alleged gunmen opened fire into crowds at a Chanukah celebration. Chanukah ended on December 22.

Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with 59 offences in connection with the terrorist attack that killed 15 people at a Jewish festival on Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Police allege father-and-son Sajid and Naveed Akram allegedly opened fire on more than 1,000 people attending the event to mark the first night of Hanukkah on December 14. Sajid Akram, 50, was shot by police and died at the scene.

Local MP and Member for Macnamara Joshua Burns has also been approached for comment.