Done deal!
The deal to keep the Sydney Yeshiva operating as a viable entity has been concluded with an elated Harry Triguboff now owning the synagogue and school buildings after finalising and signing the contracts.
Rabbi Pinchus Feldman and Harry Triguboff
The Meriton chief told J-Wire: “I am so happy that things have turned out this way. It is very important to see the significant role the Yeshiva has of maintaining Jewish education continue. Sure, they have had some hiccups but hopefully things will get better for them and it would be nice to see others in the community coming forward and offering help, too.”
The deal, said to be $6 million, will see the Sydney Yeshiva off a fierce financial hook which threatened closure. Triguboff is believed to be party to a deal which will ensure the viability of the Yeshiva through his Charitable Foundation.
Rabbi Pinchus Feldman heads the Bondi Yeshiva/Chabad complex.
He wrote to his members: “With immense gratitude to Hashem, I am taking this opportunity to notify the whole community that as of late this afternoon, the Yeshiva buildings have avoided the recently publicised threat of receivership, with the Flood St campus having been secured for the extensive work of Chabad in our community, as the Harry Triguboff charitable foundation has purchased the buildings and entered into formal nominal leases with the Yeshiva.
There have been many, many people who have assisted us significantly in ensuring this deal including teachers and parents and many community members. However special mention must be made of Rabbi Yossi Feldman and Rabbi Dovid Slavin who have spared no effort and devoted their “every” waking moment for many months in facilitating this landmark achievement.
I am sure the entire community joins with me in extending very special blessings to Harry O.Triguboff A.O. whose magnificent gesture will ensure the continuity of the work of the Yeshiva in our community for future generations. This six million dollar donation is one of the largest single donations ever to have been made to any Jewish Australian institution.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard with Rabbi Dovid Slavin
We are confident that this will enable all of the yeshiva organisations, the Shul, Young Adult Chabad, Our Big Kitchen, Chabad outreach, Chabad Youth NSW, Rabbinical College, Nshei Chabad, Yeshiva Welfare Fund, Yeshiva Benevolent Society and especially the school -Yeshiva College – to properly achieve stability and expand from strength to strength. Indeed this magnificent donation will be a major boost to all Chabad Houses and Institutions and specifically all Chabad Rabbis in Sydney and in all of Australia.
A very major yasher koach to to my wife the Rebbetzin and my son Sholom who through their very significant efforts and dedication over the years have been instrumental in bringing us to this point.”
The Yeshiva has been enduring an extended and acute financial crisis.
Rabbi Eli Feldman told J-Wire that he thought the long period of financial pain experienced by the community headed by his father may have had something to do with a spiritual irregularity so it was decided to check the Yeshiva’s mezzuzot last week.
The non-Kosher Mezzuzah
He said: When we inspected the one up on the main gate we found it was deemed not kosher by the scribe, as the word “Meodecho” (2nd to last word on the 2nd line) had partially faded, with the top of the Aleph and the bottom of the Dalet no longer visible.
This is quite remarkable as our sages interpret the word “Meodecho” “with all your might” to mean “with all your money”. With the word referring to money in the main Yeshiva mezuzah having faded, no wonder we were in trouble!
Just a week after a fully Kosher replacement was put up, the Triguboff transaction was concluded successfully and Yeshiva will embark on a new chapter with a sounder financial footing.”
But the Feldman family will not have financial control of the school. This task will fall to the entrepreneurial Rabbi Dovid Slavin who has become a director of the college along with two other parents of children at the school.
He told J-Wire that he will be responsible for the running of the school and the maintenance of the buildings adding, “I will report back to Mr Triguboff personally. We will move immediately to stabilise the finances. Rabbi Feldman will remain the spiritual head of the community. I am extremely grateful to Harry and I am also grateful to those teachers who have stayed with us through these very difficult times.
The School was started in 2004 and currently has 16 teachers and over 100 pupils. The children receive education up to Year 10.
Q.E.D. ad infinitum, Shirlee !!
Good old Harry does it again.
How many more times does he have to bail out the Yeshiva?
How long does he think that they will pay the rent?
You can’t spend what you don’t have and that’s what the Yeshiva does