 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
2
From the desk of the president
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
DIRECTORY
Hobart Synagogue
59 Argyle Street
Hobart TAS 7140
Telephone:
03 62 344720
Email:
Our web page is
PRESIDENT
Daniel Albert
VICE-PRESIDENT
David Clark
SECRETARY
Debbie Garrick
TREASURER
Stephen Graetzer
BOARD MEMBERS
Tom Schlesinger
Susan Steenbergen
Michal Golebowicz
EDITOR
Michal Golebowicz
LAYOUT
Roz Chapman
Michal Golebowicz
According to the 2006 census there are 235 Jews in Tasmania of which
162 live in southern Tasmania. This is up substantially on the 161 living in
Tasmania at the time of the 2001 census (of whom 105 lived in southern
Tasmania). The numbers surprised me, as it makes our membership only
a fraction of the total Jewish population. Even taking account non-
members who, on occasion, take part in Jewish activities, there is still a
large number of people in Tasmania who consider themselves Jewish but
take no part in community activities and many of whom are not known to
the community. For the congregation there is the challenge to not only
make the congregation and its activities relevant to members, but also to
the many Jews who do not normally get involved with the community. Low
levels of participation in the community is not just a problem in Tasmania,
but an Australia-wide problem. What makes the situation particularly
urgent in Tasmania is that with our small population of Jews we require a
larger percentage of the total Jewish population to be involved compared to
elsewhere. If this does not happen there is the risk that there will not be
the critical mass needed to maintain an active community here.
Despite my opening remarks, much has and will be happening in the
community. In late June the (UPJ) Union for Progressive Judaism’s intern
cantor, Katie Oringel took the Friday night and Saturday morning services
as well as participated in a social musical evening on the Saturday night.
Those who attended will attest to the fact that we do not often get such high
quality singing in out synagogue. A highly successful Friday night service
was led by Karen Rosauer. Karen will return to take the Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur Progressive services in September.
For Progressive services, we will be having four interstate visits in four
months from people who will be taking our services. There will also be a
number of rabbis in Hobart in October taking services while they are here
for the UPJ conference.
Thanks to the hard work of David Clark there was an Orthodox service on
Shavuot morning with enough attendance for there to be a minyan. Plans
for the high holydays had not been finalised at the time this report was
written, but it is expected that Rabbi Gordon and one or two students from
Melbourne will be taking the Orthodox services.
It is an honour for the Hobart Hebrew Congregation to be hosting the UPJ
bi-annual conference and I hope members will attend all or at least some of
the events. There are more details about the conference elsewhere in the
newsletter. One of the visiting rabbis will be Rabbi Aviva Kipen who was
appointed the Congregation’s consulting rabbi earlier this year. I hope
members will attend and take the opportunity to meet Rabbi Kipen.
Our Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday 2 September. This is
your opportunity to have your say on who runs the Congregation so please
make the most of this opportunity and attend.
Wishing you a Happy New Year and well over the Fast.
May you be inscribed in The Book of Life for a good year.
Shanah Tova
Daniel Albert
President
P.S. Remember our website: www.hobartsynagogue.org
and email: shule@hobart.org
(03) 62 344720)
 |