Annual Report 2016 / 5776 Index to Reports
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ANNUAL REPORT 2016 / 5776 INDEX TO REPORTS Life Cycle Events ....................................................................................................... 03 ACTJC Board of Management ................................................................................ 04 President ................................................................................................................... 05 Rabbi Meltzer ........................................................................................................... 09 Secretary..................................................................................................................... 11 Treasurer .................................................................................................................... 12 Building Committee ................................................................................................. 15 National Jewish War Memorial Committee......................................................... 16 Scholar in Residence ............................................................................................... 17 Orthodox Congregation .......................................................................................... 18 Progressive Congregation ...................................................................................... 19 ACT Zionist Council .................................................................................................. 20 Australian Jewish Historical Society ACT.............................................................. 21 National Council of Jewish Women (Canberra Section) ................................... 22 Cheder Program ....................................................................................................... 23 Youth Movement ...................................................................................................... 24 Playgroup ................................................................................................................... 24 JewishCare .................................................................................................................. 25 Ladies Who Lunch .................................................................................................... 25 Grumps R Us ............................................................................................................. 26 Security ....................................................................................................................... 26 PAGE 2 | ©ACT Jewish Community 2016 - Annual Report 2016 LIFE CYCLE EVENTS IN THE ACTJEWISH COMMUNITY July 2015 - November 2016 Farewell to Sylvia and Andy Deutsch on their Births move to Sydney Anita and Alan Shroot’s grandson in Jerusalem Consecration of Pam Fein’s grave Nicole and Pete Lisle’s daughter: Alice Renee Our short-term shlichim Kelila Slonim and Liat Ravia arrive in February 2016 Graciela Stifelberg-McNamara's granddaughter: Harriette Graciela Celebration for conversion of Tamsin Sanderson in March 2016 Lori and Ben Hand’s daughter: Stella Rose Celebration for conversion of Claire Solomon in Joseph and Claire Solomon’s daughter: Dalia March 2016 James Farewell to Shraga and Carole Shoval on their Peggy Gould’s granddaughter and Adam and return to Israel Renee’s daughter: David Rosalky (70 years) Mark and Debra Hurwitz’s grandson and Romy and Brendan Doherty’s son. Our shlichim Raz Sofer and Rotem Dvir and our Scholar in Residence, Eryn London, arrive. Renee Pollak and Jamie Horsfield’s son Farewell to Gilon Smith on his move to Barbara and Ronnie Butow’s grandson and Ella Melbourne. and Kyle’s son Margaret Beadman OAM (90 Years). Rabbi Alon and Linsay Meltzer’s daughter: Meira Sibella Stern and Tim Riegerix’s son: Deaths Bat Mitzvah Mother of Anne Marks Ruth Doobov Naomi Leydman Jonathan Ashkenazy Mother of Peggy Gould: Hettie Rosin in South Bar Mitzvah Africa Mother of Leonie Webb: Hilde Jenny Jospe Ron Itav Father of Sharon Polishuk in Israel Father of Merrilyn Sernack: Sidney Sernack Significant Events David Weisser Leslie Witting Landmark wedding anniversary of Len and Val Leitch Walter Blumenfeld Avi and David Solomon donate new Machzorim and Siddurim for the Orthodox Congregation in September 2015. ©ACT Jewish Community 2016 - Annual Report 2016 | PAGE 3 ACTJC BOARD OF MANAGEMENT 2015 - 2016 Executive President: Yael Cass Vice President: Robert Cussel Treasurer: David Rosalky Secretary: Merrilyn Sernack Assistant Secretary: Yvette Goode (until 1 June 2016) Board members Karen Tatz Peter Wise David Reiner Veronica Leydman PAGE 4 | ©ACT Jewish Community 2016 - Annual Report 2016 REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT Yael Cass Introduction interfaith forum for the entire ADF chaplaincy. Over 2015 -2016 the Board of the ACT Jewish In December 2015 we jointly hosted the annual Community (ACTJC) has continued to implement our ECAJ Chanukah on the Hill event held at Parliament ambitious and innovative programs to support a vibrant House sponsored by Josh Frydenberg MP, Mark Jewish life in the nation’s capital and to cooperate with Dreyfus MP and Michael Danby MP. Messages our national Jewish peak bodies in their work to from the Prime Minister and Leader of the represent Australian Jewry to the political and Opposition were presented and the event was well diplomatic communities. attended by Federal MPs and Senators across all political parties, parliamentary office staff, ACTJC This report provides a summary of the key events held community members and representatives of the by the ACTJC in 2015-2016, our priorities and Australia/NZ Rabbinic Council and Chabad ACT. achievements in 2016 and our strategic priorities for 2017. In December 2015 we held a Chanukah Under the Stars cocktail party for 80 community members and a Chanukah kids carnival which brought the entire community together in celebration. Significant Events In February 2016 R Meltzer and I represented the There has been a plethora of significant events over the ECAJ at the launch of the exhibition “Raoul past year, including: Wallenberg – To me there’s no other choice”. The exhibition was co-hosted by the Swedish Institute In August 2015 a contingent of ACTJC Board and the Embassy of Sweden with support from the members (David Rosalky, Robert Cussel, Yvette Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Professor Goode and I) and R Meltzer gave a presentation to Frank Vajda and Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign the JCA Building and Capital Committee to support Affairs gave moving speeches on the brave actions our submission for the JCA 2016 Capital Appeal slot. of Raoul Wallenberg as a beacon of righteous On 30 November 2015 the JCA advised that our gentiles. submission had been successful and that the official campaign period would run in NSW from 9 In February 2016 we hosted the Canberra visit of October to 6 November 2016. Eldad Beck, the Berlin-based correspondent for the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth to speak on ethics in In October 2015 we hosted the Canberra visit of a journalism and Jewish and Israeli life in scholar in residence Dr Navras Aafreedi who gave contemporary Germany at forums at the ANU and several presentations on the Jewish community in within the community. India and Indian Jews in Israel. Over February 2016 we convened thirteen ACTJC As part of the national Shabbat Project initiative in community consultation sessions to gauge October 2015 Linsay Meltzer hosted a Great community priorities for the short to medium term Challah Bake with 40 community members who and to frame our 2016 ACTJC Capital Appeal to delighted in this hands-on demonstration. rebuild and expand the National Jewish Memorial Centre. In November 2015 we commenced a thorough ACTJC community consultation process to revise In April we held our Community Seder night with our 2016 Youth and Child Education Program. A over 160 guests in attendance; draft program proposal was distributed and community Q&A session held to refine the format In April we held a national Jewish ANZAC Day and scope of our education program for the 2016 ceremony in conjunction with NAJEX and the NZ calendar year. The key elements of this program High Commission. are delivery of an expanded child, youth, teen and young adult education program under the In May 2016 we held our annual Yom Ha’Shoah leadership of two shlichim as specialist educators; memorial service in conjunction with the ECAJ with over 120 guests featuring a perspective on the In November 2015 we hosted the Australian March of the Living; Defence Force Chanukah function in association with Rabbi Genende, Rabbi to the ADF. This annual In May 2016 we jointly hosted a Yom Hazikaron event is an important opportunity to provide an memorial in conjunction with the Israeli embassy ©ACT Jewish Community 2016 - Annual Report 2016 | PAGE 5 for over 100 guests and an ACTJC Yom Ha’atzmaut into running the ACTJC Capital Appeal with over 100 celebration. meetings with potential donors and philanthropic organisations in Melbourne and Sydney, events In May 2016 we hosted the Canberra visit of the held in Sydney and Melbourne and development NCJWA scholar Dr Elana Sztokman to speak on the and promotion of our Capital Appeal prospectus status of women in Israel at the ANU Gender and supporting material. Diversity Institute and to hold discussion sessions within the community. In June 2016 we held the second ACTJC Limmud Priorities and Achievements in 2016 Shavuot program with 210