SHABBAT SHALOM 28 The Australian Jewish New s – jewishnews.net.au Friday, June 27, 2014 The and Australian Jewry Elisha Greenbaum reflects been to events of this nature that similar m on the exponential development of functions are now staged by many other community organisations. over the last two decades, The positive influence Lubavitchers especially across Australia. have had on the Australian Jewish com - munity is out of all proportion to the o HE Lubavitcher Rebbe never vis - number of actual Lubavitchers. I would ited Australia, yet he transformed estimate that at any one time there have l the face of Judaism in this country probably never been more than 450 fam - T forever. Rabbi Menachem M. ilies in Australia who would consider Schneerson had not left New York for themselves as being fully committed over 40 years, yet his impact on the entire Chabad Chassidim, though many thou - a Jewish world was immeasurable. Untold sands of others had a relationship with numbers of people, many of whom were the Rebbe or enjoy occasional to regular born after his passing or who never met interaction with the movement. the Rebbe in person, proudly claim to be At the urging of the Rebbe, over the

h inspired by his teachings and example last 65 years Lubavitch opened schools, and, though he had no children, hun - yeshivot, rabbinical schools and institu - dreds of thousands of Jews will observe tions for higher learning for women. his 20th yahrzeit next week. Much after-school programming for s In his decades of public life the Rebbe public school children is now organised revealed almost nothing personal about The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson holds a sefer at a week by Chabad. The first kollel on Australian himself, preferring to direct attention to soil was established in 1979, attracting a t day service at Chabad headquarters, 770 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York. the needs of others; yet within the space Chanukah menorah lightings and the What accounts for this willingness to stream of talented and motivated young of the last few weeks alone, no fewer than “mitzvah tanks” that dot urban city serve? One factor is undoubtedly the men and women to the community. three separate biographies about the streets, to ministering to Israeli tourists in attention paid by the Rebbe to the needs These kollel graduates contribute to the Rebbe have been published to critical and pool of religiously educated and engaged a the Far East, it was the Rebbe’s contention of Australian Jewry. In thousands of let - public acclaim. that every single Jew deserves a chance to ters addressed to individuals and commu - laymen, many of whom assist the com - Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, author of The be introduced to our common faith, and nity organisations, and in hundreds of munity in various volunteer functions, New York Times bestseller Rebbe , makes no locality is too physically distant to be private meetings, the Rebbe demon - while a significant percentage of the reli - the somewhat audacious claim that Rabbi abandoned or ignored. strated an almost obsessive interest in the gious functionaries employed in b Menachem Mendel Schneerson was Lubavitch has more than doubled in state of Jewish life in this country. In many Australia over the last 35 years were ini - “inarguably the most well-known rabbi in the years since the Rebbe’s passing and public talks he specifically referred to tially attracted to the country to study in the 800 years since ”, while continues to grow exponentially. Australia as being geographically distant kollel. Every night of the year sees hun - Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz – himself a world- Currently over 4000 Chabad shluchim from major Jewish population centres, dreds of people attending dozens of famous teacher and guide to thousands – b and shluchot couples have accepted life - and consequently warranting an inversely adult-education classes, offered through - describes the Rebbe in his My Rebbe as long postings to spread the Rebbe’s proportional degree of consideration. out the country, and it was the Rebbe “the greatest man I ever met ... whose life approach to Torah and mitzvot in every The Rebbe emphasised that wherever who commissioned the first regular work constitutes one of the most remark - corner of the world. possible a Chassid’s primary responsibil - Torah periodical ever published in able religious tasks every undertaken”. a In Australia, Chabad is identifiably ity is to serve the local population. The Australia ( Kovtzei Torah , published by the From my perspective, as a follower of part of the mainstream Australian Jewish Chabad educational system emphasises Rabbinical College and highlighting orig - the Rebbe, I don’t feel the need to defend or experience and Lubavitchers could service to the community and this has inal research and Torah thoughts). debate these contentions; history, after all, almost be described as the unofficial produced motivated graduates, armed The confident and open-minded is not a popularity contest. However, I “Jewish public servants” of the country. with the tools and training to make a pos - nature of Australian society renders the h would posit that the revolution that the So many congregations Australia-wide itive difference to their surroundings. approach of the Rebbe particularly attrac - Rebbe engendered in Jewish life and the are represented by who identify Complementing the shluchim is the tive to local Jews. The Rebbe passionately attitudes to Judaism that he promulgated with Chabad. Many of these congrega - cadre of ideologically committed lay believed that authentic Judaism belongs have permanently changed the way Jews s in the public sphere, and a believing Jew relate to Judaism, and that Australian Jewry It has been 20 years since the Lubavitcher Rebbe was has nothing to apologise for when confi - in particular has been positively trans - dently demonstrating his faith to the formed by his example and teachings. taken from us, yet the positive ramifications of his world. The Rebbe called for public The Rebbe reached out to the world. leadership are felt more strongly today than ever before. demonstrations of Jewish pride and urged Having grown up in communist his Chassidim to look past the narrow Ukraine, the Rebbe took personal tions are Chabad Houses or explicitly members, who, feeling committed to the insularity of focusing only on one’s social responsibility for the maintenance of any Chabad-affiliated institutions, but even religious needs of their fellows, volunteer group or dues-paying members of one’s semblance of organised religion behind of the “establishment shuls”, a significant their time and donate generously to the own synagogue, and to think globally and the Iron Curtain, and it is his followers percentage have chosen to entrust their cause. Additionally, many of those edu - demonstrate care and affection for all. In who now spearhead the effort to rebuild spiritual leadership to members of the cated in the Chabad school system or a fascinating letter to one of the Chabad Judaism in the former . Lubavitch movement. inspired by the shluchim, though they pioneers to Australia, the Rebbe urged Prime ministers and presidents of In the 20 years since the Rebbe passed don’t consider themselves Chabad, have local Chabadniks to absorb and reflect would meet the Rebbe in New York; away, more than 30 new Chabad Houses absorbed the ethos of public service and Australian values, and not just blindly Tzahal chiefs of staff and Israeli diplo - and institutions have opened throughout the importance of every individual replicate the American experience. mats would consult him regularly, solicit - Australia and New Zealand, while the 134 action, and add immeasurably to the It has been 20 years since the ing his advice at crucial junctures of couples currently serving the community common weal. Lubavitcher Rebbe was taken from us, yet history. as shluchim minister to every conceivable The Rebbe did not restrict his efforts the positive ramifications of his leader - Over 250 volumes of the Rebbe’s demographic age group and segment of to developing the Chabad institutions ship are felt more strongly today than Torah teachings have been published to society. Chabad operates in every state but evinced keen interest in the progress ever before. You don’t have to be a date, and the ideas he espoused, his orig - capital, as well as in the ACT. Additionally, of many local schools, institutions and Lubavitcher to recognise the benefits he inal scholarship and his unique educa - Chabad of Rural and Regional Australia youth movements. Chabad Chassidim brought to the entire community and for tional approach are transformative in (RARA) sponsors regular visits to small model themselves on the Rebbe’s sense of every individual. The Rebbe never sought nature and intellectually compelling. towns across Australia, also keeping in responsibility towards Jewish continuity, credit nor demanded recognition for his The Rebbe, according to a third biog - constant email contact with hundreds of and the need to render material and spir - efforts; his goal was Jewish unity and con - rapher, Chaim Miller, was the “man who relatively isolated families itual assistance to all. tinuity. However, Jews throughout the turned Judaism outward” and the revolu - Every full-time sofer (scribe) currently Another factor in the success of world – and specifically those of us in tionary concepts he pioneered are writing and checking mezuzot and Torah Chabad in Australia derives from the Australia – owe a debt of gratitude to groundbreaking in their vision and reach. scrolls in Australia is a Chabadnik. A large benefits of networking and sharing in the him, and now is an appropriate time to From worldwide public celebrations of majority of the mohelim who currently experiences of international colleagues. learn from his teachings, to strive to emu - Shabbat circumcise Jewish newborn boys are Programs and events that have been suc - The three newly published late his love for all and to thank God for times biographies of the Rebbe are: Lubavitchers. If you buy kosher meat cessful overseas can be copied and giving us the Rebbe. anywhere in Australia the schochet (rit - adapted for Australian conditions. Public Friday, June 27 Telushkin, J , Rebbe: The Life and ual slaughterer) is very likely to be a menorah lightings on Chanukah, model The Rebbe’s 20th yahrzeit will be on Tammuz 3, – Sivan 29 June 30/July 1, 2014. For details of public Teachings of Rabbi Menachem M. Lubavitcher. Chabadnikim act as hospi - matzah bakeries, shofar factories, Candle-lighting Schneerson. (Harper Collins, 2014) functions planned to honour the Rebbe and 4.52pm tal, prison and army chaplains, religious Shavuot ice-cream parties and rallies and learn from his legacy go to: (Melbourne): Steinzaltz, A , My Rebbe. (Maggid, studies teachers and campus rabbis, and parades for children are just some exam - timelessteachings.com.au; (Sydney): Sat, June 28 2014) the kashrut authorities around Australia ples of ideas first developed elsewhere yeshiva.org.au. – Sivan 30 Miller, C , Turning Judaism Outwards: are staffed almost entirely by Lubavitcher that have been successfully transplanted Shabbat ends A Biography of the Rebbe. (Kol Elisha Greenbaum is rabbi of Moorabbin Hebrew 5.53pm chemists, administrators and rabbinical to local conditions. In a welcome devel - Menachem, 2014) authorities. opment, so receptive have Australians Congregation and L’Chaim Chabad – Kingston