Friday,March 4, 2005 THEAUSTRALIANJEWISHNEWS- www.ajn.com.au Orthodoxyblendswith egalitarianismat newshul DARRENLEVIN AVIGAYILSztokmancreated commu- nal history when she celebrated her bat mitzvah by reading from the Torah in an Orthodox service last month. Considered history-making at the time, the ceremony was a forerunner for a new congregation, Shira I Hadasha Melbourne, which begins services in Melbourne this week. The shul is situated in Caulfield North and aims to create an egalitar- ian minyan within the confines of halacha. "We call ourselves Orthodox egal- itarian, while recognising the limita- tions of how egalitarian we can be," The building on the comer of Elmhurst and Balaclava roads, Caulfield North, which houses the new shul. said Dr Mark Baker, one of the founders of the new shul. something new by adopting the for- Dr Baker, 45, a lecturer at the mat of Shira Hadasha in Jerusalem." University of Melbourne, said the Dr Bakersaid he recognisedthat .Ah new synagogue has been modelled some sectors of the community may on the Shira Hadasha congregation not initially embrace the egalitarian in Jerusalem. format. i.!~ And like its Israeli counterpart, it "Each rabbi will make their own ... will not have a rabbi and its services assessment. We recognise there are - willbe run collectively.Sermons willbe a lot of Orthodox rabbis who are given by members of the community. uncomfortablewith any innovation "The main innovations relate to that makes Judaism more relevant women," said Dr Baker. "While and enlightened," he said. there is still a mechitzah [partition] in place, women are allowed to lein "Werecognisetherearea [learn] from the Torah. "At the moment there are barri- lotofOrthodoxrabbis ers to how far we can go. Women whoareuncomfortable aren't technically counted in the minyan, but out of respect to withanyinnovationthat women, we'llwait for 10 women to makesJudaismmore DrMarkBaker:UA very spiritual approach to come as wellas 10 men. prayer." Photo:EmmanuelSantoslAfNfile "A woman can't be a chazan for relevantand "Here is a halachicOrthodox syn- the entire service,but there are sec- enlightened~ agogue that allows me to take my tionswhere they can leadthe prayer. DRMARKBAKER valuesinsidethe door." "Beyond that, the main differ- ShiraHadashaMelbourne Dr Baker stressed that Shira ence of this shul is that we have a Hadasha is not about "building a "How mainstream will this veryspiritualapproachto prayer.Our bridge" between Conservativeand styleof prayerisverymuch based on become? Women's prayer groups Orthodox communities, but is a the Carlebachformat where a lot of were initiallyrejected by Orthodoxy, wholly Orthodox phenomenon. but have now become mainstream. I the prayer issung collectively." "I see ourselves as part of the It's not the first time that thinkthis kind of worshipwill be one Orthodoxcamp,eventhough Irecog- AustralianJews have experimented conventionof prayerwithin Orthodoxy nisethat our innovationsare creating with the Orthodox model. In 1996, whichwill be widelyaccepted." certain structures that will be chal- Dr Bakersaid that Shira Hadasha members of the community began lengingthe Orthodoxestablishment. " HaMakom,an Orthodox-egalitarian aimed to attract people who were - -- -...-----.- congregationwhich operated out of raised in Orthodox homes, yet felt Shira Hadasha Melbourne begins privatehomes in Melbourne. alienated by traditional Orthodox services this week at 173 Balaclava "There was a feeling that services. Road, Caulfield North. HaMakomhad evolvedto a degree "My life and the life of my family For more information email that it required a new structure," revolvesaround Judaism,yet I'vefound [email protected]. said DrBaker. that there'sa discrepancybetweenmy "Shira Hadasha Melbourne is valuesand the synagoguesI've been OUTlOOK16 absorbing HaMakom and starting goingto," saidDr Baker. MarkBakeron ShiraHadasha.