By Melissa Meehan, Caitlin Powell and Kat Wong

The granddaughter of one of the architects of the Adass Israel Synagogue says its blackened walls are not too different to the synagogue it was based on, after it was destroyed by Nazis.

Miriam was one of hundreds of Jewish people who gathered outside the synagogue in a show of solidarity after Friday’s targeted firebombing.

She said her grandfather Philip Ermst, who arrived in Australia after fleeing Budapest in 1948,  modelled the Adass Synagogue on one that was destroyed during the Holocaust.

“I’ve been to the ruins of his synagogue in Budapest, and I’ve seen what looked black after the Nazis finished with it,” she told AAP.

“And this brings back some pretty bad trauma for me, because it’s eerily similar.”

Others at the rally sang and danced to demonstrate the strength of the community but spirits were dampened with news that precious religious articles and artefacts were damaged in the blaze.

Jewish Community Council of Victoria CEO Naomi Levin said she had spoken to Adass leaders and been told that five Torah scrolls, handwritten copies of the book of Moses used during prayers, won’t be salvaged.

“When they brought the Torah scrolls out, those were significantly water damaged, smoke damaged and some of them also burnt,” Ms Levin said.

At least 20 women danced in a circle while others sang “Am Yisrael Chai”,  a Jewish solidarity anthem usually used as an affirmation of the continuity of Jewish people.

Opposition leader John Pesutto and his deputy David Southwick attended the rally alongside Senator James Paterson.

Labor MP Josh Burns, who himself is Jewish and grew up in Caulfield, spoke at the rally amongst cries of “shame” and booing by rally attendees.

The firebombing continues to fuel political division with cabinet minister Murray Watt alleging Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had politicised the incident.

Mr Watt also rejected Mr Dutton’s claims that the government had made Australia less safe for Jewish people and that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had not done enough to address anti-Semitism.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu linked the synagogue attack to Australia’s decision to support a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution.

The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network accused Mr Netanyahu of deliberately sowing division.

Although not part of the Adass Israel congregation, Caulfield resident Hallely Kimchi said it was time for more to be done to protect Jewish people.

“It is not about Israel. It’s about Jews in Melbourne – forget about Israel at the moment,” she told AAP as the rally was getting under way.

“Jews living in Melbourne should feel safe and proud to do whatever they want and to work without being doxxed or boycotted.”

The synagogue remains closed to the public after it was set alight by two masked men in what police have described as a targeted attack.

Two of its three buildings were gutted and two congregants who were inside at the time preparing for morning prayers were evacuated, one suffering minor injuries.

Police have confirmed they are also investigating reports of a bullet found on a footpath near the Synagogue on Saturday afternoon.

The attack has led to a heightened sense of fear in the community, Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion said.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan confirmed increased police patrols to bolster safety into the coming week and pledged $100,000 towards rebuilding.

The incident has meanwhile prompted NSW to consider new laws to better protect religious freedoms and regulate protests outside religious institutions.

A pro-Palestine rally is planned outside the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne CBD on Sunday that will end with a march through the CBD.