Jewish Care Rabbi Wins Police Community Accolade
Jewish Care’s Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant has been awarded this year’s Police Community Exemplary Award.
Rabbi Meir Shlomo Klugwant
This award is presented to a member of the public who has demonstrated innovative strategies and initiatives aimed at promoting positive relations between Police and Victoria’s Multicultural Communities.
Rabbi Kluwgant, Jewish Care’s General Manager, Cultural and Spiritual Services has been a voluntary Police Chaplain since 2009. He is responsible for five police stations, including Caulfield, Bayside, Prahran, Moorabbin and Malvern (and shares a sixth with another Chaplain). Duties include helping police in times of personal crisis and assisting police in their interactions with the Jewish community.
Bill Appleby, Jewish Care CEO said Jewish Care was delighted by the award and proud to have Rabbi Kluwgant as a long-term leader of the organisation.
“Rabbi Kluwgant has been serving as Rabbi of Jewish Care, and formerly at Montefiore Homes for the Aged, since 1988,” Mr Appleby said. “At
Jewish Care, Rabbi Kluwgant manages a team of rabbis and staff to give pastoral care, Kashrut observance, festival observance, staff education and training, and a host of other cultural and spiritual services for the benefit of our residents, clients, volunteers, staff and the community as a whole.
He said: “This award is fantastic as it provides some well-deserved recognition of the wonderful work that Rabbi Kluwgant does in addition to his role at Jewish Care. It is pleasing to see his tireless work for the Jewish and broader community recognised and appreciated.”
As well as offering a wise and sympathetic ear, Rabbi Kluwgant has initiated a number of programs and projects within the chaplaincy department. He presents regularly at police training sessions, has been a ongoing supporter of the Community Encounters sessions for new recruits, and initiated the ‘Cops and Rabbi’s’ annual luncheon, which brings over 100 local police and members of the orthodox and wider Jewish community together in an atmosphere of respect, learning and culture.
