The Yeshiva Centre

The Yeshiva Centre is the headquarters of Chabad in New South Wales

YESHIVA CENTRE NEWS

3 Legends rock for Yeshiva

Sydney’s community was treated to a night of Chassidic entertainment with a dose of Aussie country and western thrown in for good measure.

A theatre audience of over 2,000 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre gave a resounding welcome to all the performers following the video shown above featuring Yeshiva students, staff and patrons. The program brought messages of support for the Sydney Yeshiva Centre from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Israel’s ambassador Yuval Rotem, leader of the NSW Opposition Barry O’Farrell, and local Federal and State members Malcolm Turnbull and Peter Debnam.

The gala concert began with a quartet of local well known voices belonging to Yehoshua Niasoff, chazan at South Head Synagogue, his brother Yehuda, associate chazan at Central Synagogue, simcha maestro Hylton Chilchik and the ever popular Joel Scheftz.

In complete contrast, the audience was treated to songs sung by Australian Country and Western legend Lee Kernaghan followed on stage by the sensational multi-instrumentalist Yehuda Glantz.

The South American played a series of stringed instruments before following up with performances on the Andes flutes, piano and harmonica.

Charlie Westhoff is a 13-yr-old violist with huge talent currently under tutelage at the Sydney Conservatorium of music. He enchanted the audience with his musicianship and received  tumultuous applause for his efforts.

The Chassidic legend Avraham Fried closed the show.  Fried made a unique appeal to the audience. Instead of the from the heart plea for funds, the Chassid star asked the audience to look in the bags which had been placed under each seat. Inside was a printed “Mitzvah card” listing a whole array of good deeds each audience member could choose from. With the boxes of choice on the cards ticked, it was on with the show. The Brooklyn-based Chabadnik has 26 recordings to his credit and his performance was a clear indication as to why he is regarded to have rock star status with the Chabad community.

Pictures by Henry Benjamin…..

New Torah for Yeshiva youth

Cheder Chabad Lubavitch in Sydney, Australia celebrated a “Hachnosas Sefer Torah” dedication of a new Torah scroll, complete with filling in the last letters, Dancing Hakofas and a “Seudas Mitzva” .

The Sefer Torah will be used by the Yeshiva Youth minyan, where boys between the ages of 13 till 17 actually learn to read the Torah and pray a serious shabbos davening, followed by their own kiddush every shabbos.

Rabbi Pinchus Feldman made a special mention of blessings to Rabbi Michoel Chriqui of the Sefaridy Synagogue, Rabbi Dovid Leib Wilanski of Yeshiva Youth and Rabbi Shmuel Hacohen Feldman Menahel of the Yeshiva Centre who were instrumental in organising the Sefer Torah and the joyous event.

New Yeshiva college shines in schools’ rankings

The newly established Yeshiva College Primary School in Bondi, first in Australia to have Torah studies approved equivalent to secular studies with regard to Government requirements, ranked within the top 3 Jewish Primary Schools in Sydney and within the top 12% of all Primary Schools in the State of New South Wales.

The rankings were released as part of a national education report published on 29 January 2010. The Australian Government released rankings of Primary Schools based on the average of their results for reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation and numeracy.

This is an exceptional result for Yeshiva, a school which has won plaudits from the Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd and Governor General, Quentin Bryce. Both visited the school and Yeshiva Centre where they received Menorahs.

Yeshiva ranked ahead of the largest Jewish School in Sydney, Moriah College and the Modern Orthodox, Kesser Torah. It also came ahead of the select Reddam College which has a large Jewish student population.

Principal Rebbetzin Pnina Feldman said, “This outstanding result is an expected yet amazing endorsement of our School’s Torah education program.”

“It is particularly pleasing to receive such wonderful news so early in our School’s history.”

“Credit is due to the excellent teaching staff and parents and students who have placed their confidence in a Torah education. Not only has the secular education not been compromised but has indeed excelled.”

The NSW schools ranked as follows

Mount Sinai – 34
Masada College – 67
Yeshiva College – 127
Moriah College – 131
Emanuel – 152
Reddam – 154
Kesser Torah – 220

A Department of Education spokeswoman frowned at the rankings which were created by media. SHe told J-Wire: “It was not our intention to produce a ranking rate per school. The idea is simply to offer the opportunity of comparing school results within a given area.”

On the buses – the Yeshiva’s 3 Legends

In a unique advertising move, a concert being produced to raise funds for the Sydney Yeshiva Centre is being advertised on the back of Eastern Suburbs buses.

The concert will feature Argentian-born Israeli Yehuda Glantz, Brooklyn-based Chassidic singer Avraham Fried and Australian country singer Lee Kernaghan,

Glantz has composed music for Israeli Symphony Orchestra and plays a multitude of differenct instruments including guitar, accordian and piano and is himself an accomplished singer.

Well-known in Israel, Glantz has developed music form Latin Klezmer and focuses his musical abilities on promoting faith, peace and happiness to people from vastly different cultural backgrounds. His huge following enjoy his style of a fusion of contemporary folklore. His performances have been described as being “electrifying and colorful”.

Avraham Fried has been singing Chassidic melodies for 30 years and has released 26 recording of his music in thatt time. A true performer of world music, Fried has performed in every major city in the world.

…and where does an Aussie Country and Western singer fit in to all of this?

The Yeshiva’s Rabbi Eli Feldman told J-Wire: “It seemed somehow obvious to introduce an Australian theme into the concert. After all, this country has been wonderful to our community and we somehow wanted to embrace that. Lee is the quintessential Australian and was, in fact, Australian of the Year in 2008. We are proud to have him participate.”

Kerneghan is expected to sing one or two songs in Hebrew during his performance.

The concert will be staged at the Bayside Auditorium at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour on Thursday, Feb-18.

…and the buses? “It’s a novel way of getting the message read throughout the Eastern Suburbs on a daily basis”, said Rabbi Feldman.

The concert has had huge support and many political and business leaders have already confirmed their attendance. The funds are earmarked for the Yeshiva’s community projects.

For more information and for bookings, click on the banner ad on this page….

Still Chanukah in Los Angeles

It may be over in Oz/NZ but there is still one day of Chanukah to celebrate in L.A….and an Australian rabbinical student has wowed the glamour city with his Menorah motor-bike.  

Mendy Kaye, from Sydney Australia, spread the light and warmth of the menorah to the streets of Los Angeles in an innovative way, He strapped a 3 foot menorah to the back of his sportbike motorcycle. Mendy, the son of a shliach of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, in Sydney, said “There are so many Xmas trees and lights in LA, that some Jewish people feel left out. I wanted to bring the symbol of Chanukah to people in a way that they could really appreciate. A way that makes them feel proud of their Judaism”.

Throughout Chanukah, Kaye organized many parties, led the parade around Los Angeles on the fifth night of Chanuka, and gave out menorahs to hundreds of appreciative Jews. He explained the story of Chanukah to all that would listen. The response to Mendy was overwhelming. Rabbi Steinberg, Senior Chaplain of Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department said “I was concerned at first for the safety of Mendy, however, I observed people beeping their horns, screaming “Happy Chanukah” to him. I believe Mendy’s sincerity is his best protection”.

Mendy was quoted as saying, “The menorah was so big that many doubted that I would manage to get it on the bike, let alone ride it! But after a few hours of brainstorming and sawing, the menorah was up and running like a charm”. The menorah was powered by a small motorcycle battery that was under the seat, so when  the battery was drained right before a parade Mendy had to think quick, as in order to jump start it, he would have to take off the menorah and get jumper cables etc.. After a quick call to a friend, He was told an alternative way to start the bike would be to pop start it, while rolling it. Thankfully it worked and the parade could continue

Mendy Kaye, a young Rabbinical student, and teacher at the Jewish Educational Trade School, has won the hearts of Los Angeles Jewry, with his unique Aussie way of bringing Light to the city of lights, on the back of a motorcycle.

Meanwhile, back in Australia, Chabad took Chanukah to the general community with celebrations in Melbourne’s Federation Square, Brisbane  and Sydney’s Martin Place where a cherry-picker was used to light the menorah.

Check our gallery for more photos from the Sydney Martin Place celebration:-

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