South Head closes its doors…for less than hour
An ecstatic Rabbi Milecki has announced that it is business as usual in Sydney’s South Head Synagogue where a group of members have provided funds to satisfy the administrator that the synagogue is currently financially viable.
Media were asked to vacate the premises at lunchtime by the shul. Within an hour Rabbi Benzion Milecki contacted J-Wire saying: “South Head lives!”
Rabbi Benzion Milecki
A spokesperson for the group told J-Wire: “A group of members who had attended an emergency meeting in the shule last night had convened a working committee which arranged a meeting with the administrators to forge a deal which would ensure the cash-strapped synagogue will be able to meet its immediate commitments.”
The administrator had called for the lockout on the basis there would insufficient funds to run the operation.
Shortly after the administrator locked the synagogue following the dismissal of the employees, he was advised that the required cash had been deposited.
Rabbi Milecki told J-Wire he had hugged the administrator and announcing that Shabbat services in the synagogue would go ahead this evening.
In the meantime an entity known as the Dover Minyan had emailed members of the community to invite you to enjoy “an independent, modern Orthodox, Zionist minyan with plenty of heart and soul for all ages”.
They confirmed the services for “this Shabbat” at Moriah College’s Hamakom Campus at 66 Dover Road, Rose Bay.
A spokesperson for the volunteer minyan told J-Wire that the minyan was open to all members of the community irrespective of shul.
South Head Synagogue remains in administration and the administrators will shortly call a creditors’ meeting.
Great success for the Rabbi 17 people show up for both Friday night and Shabbat morning services at South Head! This includes his family and non-member supporters! Shabbat morning it took him nearly an hour to get a minyan! So his supporters have just caused the community to waste another $100,000 keeping the synagogue open for him to have a pulpit when he doesn’t have a flock. A waste of money without resolving the issue of his departure.
Meanwhile down the road on both Friday night and Shabbat morning 160+ of his congregants had very enjoyable and meaningful services with fantastic ruach without him!