The Central Synagogue

The Central Synagogue is a Modern Orthodox synagogue and is the spiritual home of the largest Jewish congregation in Australasia.  

CENTRAL NEWS

Chanukah Centres

A directive has gone out to rabbis Australia-wide advising that Westfield shopping centres throughout the country will co-operate in bringing Chanukah to the malls.

 

 

 

Spearheading the drive is Sydney’s Central Synagogue’s Rabbi Levi Wolff.

In a message to colleagues in Australia, Rabbi Wolff wrote: “Westfield Group has kindly offered to donate the use of their malls to help spread the light of Chanukah.

For the past few years The Central Synagogue in conjunction with Westfield has been hosting a public menorah lighting ceremony in their flagship mall at Bondi Junction in Sydney.  Each year Westfield has provided entertainment, music, donuts, drinks and more, and Westfield would like to extend their hospitality and sponsorship to Jewish communities in proximity to their shopping centres around the world.

Interested synagogues will advise staff at the Central who will pass on details to Westfield executives who

We hope this will help in spreading the warmth of Chanukah to communities all across Australia and look forward to working with you all on this tremendous project.

I take this opportunity to give a big Yasher Koach to the Lowy family. May the merit of this great Mitzvah bring ongoing success in all of their endeavours.”

The Westfield shopping centre company was founded by Frank Lowy and John Saunders.

Symphony for the Soul

Jimmy Barnes to Sing at Central

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.

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

Rabbinical Top Ten!

Believe it or not, there is a web site featuring the world’s top ten rabbis… Sydney Rabbi Levi Wolff and Melbourne’s Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick have made the list….

topglobalrabbis.com runs two lists and the highly-popular Rabbi Wolff has hit the number 9 spot in the Top 10 Rising Stars category.

This is what they had to say about him:

Wolff is a refined and charismatic emissary who arrived in 2001 to serve as rabbi of the city’s highly aristocratic Central Synagogue. He has become a recognizable face throughout Australia and was recently in the national spotlight in April 2009 when he presided over the funeral of billionaire Richard Pratt, the country’s fourth wealthiest man.

Tonight, Rabbi Wolff will host the farewell service honoring the NSW contingent to the 18th Maccabiah being held in Israel next month.

Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick is the spiritual leader of the Elsternwick Synagogue in Melbourne.

He made no 15 spot in the top 15 Global Rabbis…and this what they had to say

When research began on this project Rabbi Dovid Groner was the unanimous endearing influence within Chabad Australia. His passing in July of 2008 opened up the gates for a host of new leaders to fill the void. Gutnick is filling a segment of that gaping hole.  His scope of control can be observed in three realms: (1) He directs kosher supervision for the entire continent under his “Kosher Australia” umbrella organization, the premier authority for the entire Australasia region; (2) He is acting head of the Melbourne Beth Din (Jewish Court) and is spiritual leader of the Elwood Hebrew Congregation, a position previously occupied by his late father the venerable Rabbi Chaim Gutnick; and (3) The name “Gutnick” travels far and wide: one of his 3 brothers is business mogul (gold and diamonds) and prominent philanthropist Yossel Gutnick.

Got room for a guest at your Seder table?

Central is looking for anyone willing to host a guest at their Seder table – first night.

If you can, or know someone who can please contact Aviva at the synagogue office…

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