‘Heebs in the Hills’: Discover Victoria’s hidden Jewish community

The Dandenong Ranges, known to locals as ‘the Hills’, is renowned for its natural beauty and small-town charm, with around 40,000 residents spread across suburbs including Belgrave, Olinda and Emerald.

Less well-known is its quiet yet vibrant Jewish community, which comprises 80 to 100 families – a figure that is growing – with many joining for the area's affordability, nature and slower pace of life.

“It’s like you’re living in a postcard,” Jewish local Naomi Kopitko told The Jewish Independent. “The moment you enter the hill, the terrain shifts… there are cows and sheep, forests and valleys. People’s jaws drop when they visit."

In 2015, Kopitko and her husband left the cramped inner-city suburb of Windsor for sprawling Belgrave, looking for a bang for their buck.

“It started with finances,” she explained. “It’s the difference between a small two-bedroom apartment and a three-bedroom house with a garden and beautiful surroundings."

Kopitko and her husband run 'Heebs in the Hills', a Facebook group that serves as an informal hub for the area’s Jewish residents. “We got a vibe that there were quite a few Jews and Israelis in the area. We started the group to wave our hands around and say, ‘We’re here.’”

The Facebook group’s playful name reflects the spirit of the area – ‘Heebs’ is shorthand for Hebrews – but it also speaks to the blend of irreverence and deep connection that defines Jewish life in the Hills. Many in the group are Israeli expats, drawn by what Kopitko calls “the hippyness, the bohemian, alternative lifestyle”. 

The communal feel of the Hills is also reminiscent of Israel, where neighbours are more open, welcoming and connected.

For Mikhaela Musat, who grew up in Melbourne's dense ‘Bagel Belt’ of Jewish suburbs, moving to the Hills was initially a daunting decision. But she's come to see it as a gift, embracing the strong sense of community, and especially enjoying the way her children share their Jewish culture with others.

“Last year, my daughter was talking about Channukah at school, and the teacher asked if she could bring in a Channukah book. She did, and the teacher photocopied a latke recipe. That evening, a mum texted me to say, ‘We just made latkes, thanks so much for sharing'," Musat told TJI.

Life in the Hills is often described as country-style living with a distinctive warmth and openness. “It’s a great alternative to the hustle and bustle of the suburbs. Neighbours know each other, and there’s a real sense of community,” explained Abe Melinger, a Belgrave South resident of 25 years.

Melinger and his wife, who own Eagle View Park Equestrian Centre, moved from Armadale as soon as their youngest child finished Year 12. “I always wanted to be on the land, on a farm,” he said.

The Hills also holds a surprising Jewish history. Caroline “Lynka” Isaacson, a pioneering journalist, once lived in Ferny Creek. Known for her work at The Age, she later founded the Dandenong Ranges News and was active in Jewish community life, including refugee resettlement and advocacy for a Jewish homeland in Tasmania.

Earlier still, David Andrade, a radical anarchist and early Kallista settler who was Jewish, opened the area’s first store and campaigned passionately for social justice and communal living.

Judy (who wanted to keep her last name private) has lived in the Hills for nearly two decades and feels the area is an escape from city life.

“It’s a village lifestyle rather than urban… I feel more protected here,” she explained.

For several years, Judy ran packed events for the local Jewish community at her house, but being Jewish in the Hills hasn’t always been easy. Judy’s children, who attended local schools in the early 2000s, experienced antisemitism including physical violence. Her son, who became observant at one point, was taunted for wearing a kippah. Deeply affected, he later joined the Israeli army in search of connection and belonging.

Others like Kopitko feel compelled to keep their Jewish identity hidden. “I keep a low profile,” she said. “Given the political climate right now, I am reluctant to describe my heritage should that come up.”

The Hills’ Jewish community faces other challenges too – isolation, a lack of formal infrastructure and a greater need for Jewish friends and connection post October 7.

Distances between homes in the Dandenong Ranges can be vast, and there is no synagogue or kosher stores nearby. Connection often relies on grassroots efforts, like holiday and Shabbat gatherings or the “Heebs of the Hills” Facebook group. Upwey resident Jonathan Levin recalls the last grassroots Channukah party he attended drew 60 people.

Chabad of Rural & Regional Australia (RARA) also services the area and runs a popular annual Purim party.

“Soon after we moved here, we went to a RARA Purim party with about 40 people. That’s how I started building my Jewish community network,” said Musat.

Parents have also organised a UJEB-inspired Hebrew class at a local community centre, to ensure children maintain Jewish literacy – but when their kids reach bar and bat mitzvah age, they face limited options.

“There’s no local infrastructure for that stage, so unless you’re willing to drive down the mountain every week or do it all on Zoom, it’s hard. We want our kids to feel connected, but it takes a lot of effort to make that happen up here,” said Musat. 

Jodie Dunn, owner of Ananda Yoga Studio in Belgrave, has become an unexpected connector within the Hills’ Jewish community. After October 7, she opened her yoga studio for a “ceremony of hope and peace” that brought together people from across the area.

“Many of us know each other, though we are dotted up and down the mountain. There is a sense of community here, a friend's kids who grew up in the Hills now babysit for my kids,” Dunn told TJI.

Today’s Dandenong Ranges Jewish community may be less likely to be newspaper editors or anarchist utopians, but they still share a reverence and love for the Hills – despite the challenges.

”People come up here to get away… but this is my every day. It’s my Monday to Friday,” Musat concluded.

For the Heebs of the Hills, the postcard-perfect scenery is more than a backdrop, it is home.