Shabbat in St Ives
Over 140 leaders from the full spectrum of society, including federal and state Members of Parliament and civic,education, faith and community leaders, coming together at a Shabbat service and dinner in Sydney last week.
Rabbi Gad Krebs
The unprecedented event was organised and hosted by Kehillat Masada Synagogue and the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies. Guests were welcomed by synagogue president Howard Sher and taken on a tour of the synagogue by Rabbi Gad Krebs, after which they attended the service and sat down to a Shabbat dinner in the Pelerman Centre.
Participants included Member for Bradfield Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Berowra Phillip Ruddock MP, Member for Kuringai Alister Henskens SC MP, Member for Davidson Jonathan O’Dea MP, Scott Farlow MLC, Kuringai Mayor Jennifer Anderson and Kuringai Councillor David Ossip.
They also included representatives of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Australia, Brigidine College, Broken Bay Catholic Schools Office, Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay, Chinese Australian Forum, Chinese Australian Services Society, Corpus Christi Primary School, Frenchs Forest Catholic Parish, Holy Name Catholic Parish, IABBV Hindi School, the Liberal Party, Lindfield Community Bank, Lindfield East Public School, Macquarie University, Manly West Public School, Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Parish,
Vic Alhadeff
Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral Parish, Peter Canisius House, St Ives Family Church, St Ives Lions Club, St Ives North Public School, St Ives Rugby Club and St Ives Uniting Church.
Guests were welcomed at the dinner by Board of Deputies Community Relations Committee chair Julian Leeser, who urged all present to work together in the interests of an inclusive society.
“While Jews have been in Australia since the First Fleet, the north shore Jewish community began life in 1940 with the Northern Sydney Hebrew Congregation in Mosman, followed by North Shore Synagogue in
Julian Leeser
Lindfield,” he said. “As the community developed and spread further north, Masada College was founded in 1966 and this synagogue three decades ago. Today there are some 3000 Jews living in this area, making a proud contribution to the upper north shore community. “This Shabbat dinner is an opportunity for the north shore Jewish community to invite the civil and political leadership of the local community to understand more about our community. It is something that we probably have not done enough of in the past.”
Closing the evening, Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff said: “No such event has ever been held in this part of the world, and as leaders of our individual communities and of this collective community we have the opportunity to work together towards our shared goal of building a harmonious and inclusive society. This reflects the values of all the organisations represented at this event and mirrors the core Jewish belief that is captured in the Hebrew expression Tikkun Olam, which translates as `Healing The World’.”
