New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies

The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies is the umbrella organisation for almost every Jewish group within the State.

Contact details

CEO: Vic Alhadeff

Tel: 9360 1600

NSWJBD NEWS

50 years’ service to the NSW community

The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies has honoured Joyce Falk, who has completed more than fifty years of service as a Deputy.

Board President Robin Margo recalled the outstanding contribution that 88-yr-old Joyce, her husband Gerald, and their children, Jacki and Anthony, have made to the community.

“Gerald Falk was President when the Six-Day War erupted in June 1967 and the very existence of the State of Israel was in the balance,” he said. “He sprang into action, with Joyce by his side, co-ordinated the largest solidarity rally Sydney had seen, helped organise an action committee of the presidents of more than 50 organisations and chaired an emergency fundraising appeal for Israel.

“Donations came in from Jews and non-Jews, and more than 400 volunteers were sent to Israel, 133 of them non-Jewish. Within 14 days, 73 medical volunteers were also on their way to Israel.”

“In that same year, 1967, inspired by the communal unity forged during the Six-Day War, Gerald set up with others the Jewish Communal Appeal. He was still President of the Board but, for the crucial first two years of the JCA, he served also as foundation Chairman of the JCA Presidents Council, known today as the Board of Governors.

“The JCA concept results in more efficient collection of funds from the community than multiple separate appeals, and in fairer distribution of community donations so that smaller organisations are also taken care of. It is an aspirational model for Jewish communities and non-Jewish communities throughout Australia.  The JCA was set up `by the people, for the people’, and the Board of Deputies was midwife at its birth.”

Margo also referred to the Falk family’s tireless work for Soviet Jews.

“Gerald continued to work for the community for another 24 years after he stepped down from the presidency. When Jacki served as chair of the Youth Committee, father and daughter were members of the same Executive – something that, as far as I am aware, has not happened since. Joyce and Anthony were also Deputies.

The service provided by Joyce, as constant supporter of Gerald, and by their family, has become part of the fabric of our community and always will be.”

At the plenum to watch Joyce receive her award were Joyce Falk; Jacki, her husband Joseph Gluck and their children and Joyce’s grandchildren, Aryeh, Devora, Dovid and Akiva; Antony’s son, Ben Falk, his mother Roslyn, and Roslyn’s husband, Dovid Fraser.

Sorry again

The Jewish community was strongly represented at a moving interfaith ceremony on Sunday to mark the second anniversary of the national Apology to the Aboriginal People.

Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Hindu leaders joined Indigenous people at the Kamay Botany Bay National Park to acknowledge their original ownership of this country, the continuing pain suffered by survivors of the Stolen Generations and their unique culture and tradition.

Addressing the gathering on behalf of the NSW Jewish community, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies President Robin Margo referred to some deep affinites that exist between Aboriginal and Jewish people. “Jewish people know too well the silence that follows atrocity.  We recognise in the depth of our being the genocidal atrocities that were inflicted in the past on Aboriginal people and know how the crippling effects, the fear and the pain pass down, from generation to generation.” And he referred to the famous protest in December 1938 by William Cooper and other Aboriginal leaders against the Nazis’ persecution of the Jews. “This was a maginificent gesture of humanity by people who were then not even recognised as citizens in their own country. We will never forget it.”

“While we have much still to learn, we also have an intuitive understanding of the importance to Aboriginal people of their ancient connection with the land.   Because we are a people united, not only by our religion, but also by our historical and spiritual attachment to a land, which was taken from us by force … Aboriginal and Jewish people also know what it is to endure, yet not to harden our hearts, or to lose our capacity love.”

Emanuel Synagogue Rabbi Paul Jacobson offered a prayer, as did representatives of the Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Aboriginal communities.

Also in attendance from the Jewish community were Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff, Social Justice Committee Chair, Professor Bettina Cass, and Ilona Lee, a member of the Committee and President of Shalom College.

The event was organised by the Sutherland Shire Citizens for Native Title and Reconciliation and by Shaping Our Future Together.

A fleeting meeting with Prince William

Jeremy Spinak was the only member of the Jewish community to meet Prince William on his recent visit to Sydney.

The 27-yr-old Honorary Secretary of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies was chatting to a friend from Youth on the Streets at a barbecue lunch at Lady Macquarie’s Chair when the 27-yr-old Prince strolled over for a chat.

Spinak piped in with “Hello, Your Highness” and got a royal reply from the second in line to the  throne which ignored his name tag asking “and what organisation are you from?”.

Spinak told J-Wire: “I then explained to Prince William what the Board’s main activities are specifically in combating racism and anti-Semitism. He asked me how many members we had but I didn’t get a chance to reply as Premier Kenneally whisked him away.”

J-Wire asked the consultant to the property development industry what his lasting impressions from the fleeting meeting are. Spinak, who lives in Potts Point, replied: “He was polite, engaging and seemed genuinely interested in what the Board does.”

It may have been fleeting, but it will be a meeting the Potts Point man will remember all his life.

Emergency Rabbis

Two Jewish chaplains have been appointed to the newly-established NSW Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network.

Established to work with the Department of Human Services (formerly known as DoCS – the Department of Community Services), the Network will be responsible for providing pastoral care following a large-scale disaster in NSW.

Rabbis Jeremy Lawrence from the Great Synagogue and the Emanuel Synagogue’s Paul Jacobson attended the inaugural two-day training course for the group in Westmead. The course was also attended by JEMP Executive Director Yair Miller as an observer.

The group currently comprises about 15 chaplains and will be expanded over the next few months.

Founded by Uniting Church Rev Dr Stephen Robinson, the Network aims to provide highly skilled chaplains to respond to major disasters anywhere in NSW when support and pastoral care for victims is required and to provide assistance for local clergy.

The need for the Network has been identified in numerous disasters around the world, where, if the pastoral care provided by local ministers was inadequate, it has exacerbated the scale of the disaster as local clergy are often personally affected in a disaster.

Miller stated: “The Network is an extremely worthwhile initiative, and the Jewish community has been very supportive of its establishment. We are fortunate to have two excellent chaplains from our community to represent us and our community’s needs.”

The Network will be activated by the Department of Human Services in times of disaster. Only recognised chaplains who have completed the training and been certified will be able to participate, and this will ensure uniformity and consistency in practice across the state.

Seder gets an unexpected Eliyahu!

A Seder organised by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies at Sydney Girls High school had an unexpected visitor when a curious local resident investigating the activity, refused security personnel’s request to leave and was held handcuffed by them until police arrived, resulting in the visitor suing the then NSWJBD president and the 22 others present as well as the security company. Sydney’s Supreme Court this week heard Justice Robert Hulme’s decision denying 68-yr-old pensioner Evangelous Rouvinetis’s  request for a trial by jury on the evidence so far presented in his case against former president of the NSWJBD, David Knoll and 22 others.  The request was based on the presence at the Seder of a Supreme Court judge whom it is alleged the sole director and shareholder of the security company which is the second defendant.

The court heard that Rouvinetis claims he was not unknown to the school and often visited it and had talked with the principal. In 2008, out for an evening stroll, he spotted an open door and, concerned about the school’s security,  decided to investigate. Inside the school the NSWJBD was holding a special Seder. The Community Security Group members confronted the pensioner asking him to leave. When he tried to move past them, he was brought to the ground and restrained hand-cuffed for 25 minutes awaiting the arrival of police. He was released following their arrival.

Rouvinetas is suing on the basis that the 23 defendants “allowed or permitted excessive force by the second defendant [security] to be used after it became aware that the Plaintiff represented no threat” as well as false imprisonment. The judge ruled any claim of false imprisonment or negligence had no bearing as the Board members were not liable for Security’s actions. He claimed false imprisonment citing that security were not instructed to release him after the school’s principal Dr Varady had let it be known that Rouvinetis was known to the school and did not present a risk.

His request for a trial by jury has been refused, but the judgement has permitted the pensioner to file an amended statement.

A previous case in which Rouvenitis sought to sue the school’s principal, the Department of Education and the State of NSW was dismissed in March this year.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff said the Board of Deputies could not comment on the case “as the matter is still before the courts”.

Rouvenites has until December 18 to file an amended statement.

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