Lamm Library Launched
The Lamm Jewish Library of Australia has been opened by the Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu.
ZCV President Sam Tatrka, Rafi Lamm, Premier Ted Baillieu and Dr Danny Lamm cut the tape
The $7 million building in Caulfield houses the combined libraries of the Kadimah, Makor, Jewish Museum and Jewish Holocaust Centres libraries. The building neighbours the Melbourne Jewish community hub at the Beth Weizmann Centre.
The library, containing more than 75,00 volumes has been funded by donations from three generations of the Lamm family, Erwin, Danny and Rafi. Erwin, now in his 90s, lost both his parents in Auschwitz.
His son Danny is currently the president of the The Executive Council of Australian Jewry and a former president of the Zionist Council of Victoria.
Dr Danny Lamm said he hoped the library would form a cultural centre for the community saying that the individual libraries were under sourced both in personnel and funding and that the combined library should eliminate these problems.
The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard sent the following letter read out at the opening ceremony.
Lovely to have commendations from both sides of politics.
Ted Baillieu is such a gentleman, he and his wife did us proud at the brief visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in October last year.