Jewish Online News from Australia and New Zealand
The Jewish House is a community support organisation offering Sydney’s only refuge and is headed by Rabbi Mendel Kastel.
They hold a regular Shabbat dinner on the first Friday of each month featuring the Rebbetzin’s famous kugel open to all members of the community.
Contact details: 0413 098250 [Rabbi Kastel] or email to mendel@jewishhouse.org.au
August 8, 2009 by Odile Faludi - Maccabi NSW
Steven Goldberg, a longstanding member of Maccabi Tennis Club who played in the Maccabiah representing Australia in Masters Tennis is the only current “male match-maker” for j-junction.
The matchmaker playing a match!
Yes, that’s right. A new aged sensitive guy who has decided enough is enough. When you speak to Steven you feel his passion for j-junction. Steven openly explains, “j-junction is an organization which actively brings Jewish “single” people together. It’s an old practice with a modern twist. Confidentiality is the key together with a highly personalized service.”
j-junction has a lot to brag about with 5 engagements, 2 weddings, 15 current relationships under its belt in just seven months. It is keen to have more singles aged 23-50 register on its database and even more eager to take onboard more matchmakers. Steven believes the success is due to the dedication of each matchmaker who devotes quality time in really understanding what their member is looking for. Steven’s motivation is driven by his own love of family and the appreciation he has of being fortunate enough to have been married for 31 years with three wonderful children.
Steven has proudly been involved with Maccabi Tennis for the last 20 years and also served as President twice. Being 52 and having a stable home life he feels he has a lot to give back to the community and this is just one of the ways he feels he can make a difference. There is certainly a lot of nachas in seeing two people happy! Loneliness is often the aftermath of success … too much time spent on reaching those career goals not enough time on formulating relationships. Networking through the Jewish Community is a means of keeping us all connected and helps to formulate new friendships. This is a very big goal of j-junction.
To register on j-junction simply log on to the website www.j-junction.org.au No charge. Or call us on 02) 9387-3499 or email us at
admin@j-junction.org.au All communications are treated with the highest level of confidentiality. We hope to hear from you soon!
August 6, 2009 by admin
Australian rock icon Jimmy Barnes will perform at Sydney’s Central Synagogue’s cantorial concert later this month.The former lead singer of Cold Chisel will pull a surprise out of the bag but there is no clue as to what it will be according to Rabbi Mendel Kastel,CEO of the Jewish House and a good friend of Barnes.
Jimmy Barnes
Rabbi Kastel told J-Wire: “In May, Jimmy and I were dining at the Hakoah Club and met up with Shimon Farkas who was eating at another table with Tel Aviv’s Chief Rabbi Israel Lau. All four of us engaged in conversation and Shimon mentioned the Symphony for the Soul event being planned at the Central for August. Jimmy has since accepted an invitation to perform at the shule’s concert.”
This will not be the first time Barnes has sung in a synagogue. A few years ago he entertained a packed Great Synagogue.
On December 1, he will join other entertainers at the Sofitel Wentworth Hotel performing at the Jewish House’s Gala Dinner.
Symphony for the Soul will take place at the Central Synagogue on August-20. Details in Up and Coming Events
June 19, 2009 by Henry Benjamin
The St Vincent de Paul Society organised a sleep-out for 250 CEOs last night to show how the homeless fare on a winter’s night. The CEO of The Jewish House, Rabbi Mendel Kastel was one of them.
Rabbi Mendel Kastel, sleeping bag and tomato soup
The sleep-out ran from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m at Sydey’s Lunar Park and has raised over $250,000 for the charity.
The rabbi arrived at the park clutching his son’s sleeping bag and a container of his homemade tomato soup. The other CEO’s dined on the vegetable soup dished out by volunteer workers to the city’s homeless but consideration was given to Rabbi Kastel’s need for Kashruth.
When the time came to sleep, the CEO’s were given a sheet of carboard and then left to use their own initiative to find a spot to sleep. Rabbi Kastel settled for the dodgem car ride area while others found doorways and spots under awnings.
Rabbi Kastel told J-Wire: “It was very tough. People were moving around, talking, snoring…I just managed to grab an hour here and there. I can now sympathise on a very personal level with the plight of the homeless as they look for accommodation each night…even to the point of finding suitable carboard to soften the hard ground beneath them.”
He was not the only Jew at the Catholic organisation’s event. He added: “We almost had a minyan. I think there were ten of us. In the morning, when the other said prayers, we got together and said the Shema.”
Dick Smith, Rabbi Mendel Kastel, and Luna Park CEO Peter Hearne
During the course of the evening, the CEO’s were entertained by Dave [St Vincents never use surnames] whose mother is Jewish and father is Papua New Guinean. Dave was abandoned as a child and has only recently quit alcohol and drugs. He has written a play about his life’s experience and performed for the CEOS. Gary was a homeless man who told the CEOs that he sends off 10 job applications a day…but without success. A spokesperson for St Vincents told J-Wire that Dick Smith had offered him a year’s rent. Rabbi Kastel spent time with Dick Smith, telling him about the Jewish House’s activities.
Other CEOs sleeping out included NRMA’s Tony Stuart who spent the night in a doorway and CBA Group Executive Ian Gaines.
As Mendel Kastel finishes Shabbat dinner this evening and heads upstairs to a warm, cosy bedroom…he will raise his eyes to the sky and give thanks for the roof and walls that keep his family in comfort through another cold Sydney night.
May 16, 2009 by Rabbi Mendel Kastel
The Jewish House, Lifeline and the Wolper Hospital worked in conjunction to present an evening of education on Suicide prevention at the Hakoah Club on Wednesday 13 May, 2009.
It was very well attended with over 100 people there. Wolper Hospital’s CEO Graham Einfeld hosted the evening presenting the first speaker, Rabbi Mendel Kastel. The Rabbi spoke about the Jewish and spiritual view on suicide and related some of his personal experiences, which unfortunately are too many and too often. Through his investigations, Rabbi Kastel reported that of all the Jewish deaths, at least one a month is through suicide. or accidental death
The next speaker was Lindy McGregor of Lifeline whose introductory words were that “Suicide is preventable”. She discussed the making the connection, facts and figures and what to look for. She said that the biggest killers are stigma, taboo and misinformation. The statistics say that in the last year or two that suicide numbers have decreased slightly, and she believes that one of the reasons for this is that we are addressing the issue and getting it out into the open and discussing.
The four issues to be aware of when someone may be at risk are:
Watching for changes
Hearing changes
Learning – situational
And sensing
Be vigilant for the signals that the person at risk is caring less about life and activities of daily living.
She concluded her brief with references to the resources available in our community including your GP, Helpline, Lifelines, Jewish House and Mental Health services
Christina from Sydney clinic discussed her role as the risk assessor for the clients that present at the Sydney clinic. She discussed the two different therapy approaches used which are CBT and DBT.
The question and answer session which followed was very vibrant and Di Gaddin, who has been working tirelessly to upgrade the Gap using fencing, lighting, signage and telephones reaffirmed how important it is following her own family experience of tragedy at the Gap.
The important information that patrons went away with was the practical information about what to do and who to call when faced with a potential suicide.
The first point of call should always be 000, and then there are further facilities such as The Jewish House, Hatzollah and before the emergency presents, we hope that lifeline and the other help lines would be utilised.
April 22, 2009 by admin
The Jewish House will host a panel to discuss the prevention of suicide within the community.The meeting, to be held next month at the Hakoah Club, will be chaired by David Wooley, the Chairman of Lifeline.
Rabbi Mendel Kastel of the Jewish House told J-Wire that the Chervra Kadisha currently reports that they deal with one suicide or accidental death every month.
The panel will discuss how to respond to a visible sign of risk of suicide within family and social circles.
