$5.6 million available for community organisations
Contrary to published reports $5.6 million dollars, the proceeds from the sale of Sydney’s Strathfield Synagogue, have still to be allocated to approved community organisations.
Inside Strathfield Synagogue
Neumann told J-Wire that there was still time to make submissions before the members vote on March 1 to decide how the proceeds are allocated.
He said: “According to our constitution, the balance of the assets are to be given or transferred to some other institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Association, which prohibits distribution of income to the members.”
He added: “The distribution of the assets can only be made based on a majority decision of the members at a general meeting. If the members cannot agree the matter goes to the equity at the Supreme Court.
Eddy Neumann
Strathfield has sent a letter to various synagogues and organisations asking for submissions to be considered at a March 1 meeting for a share of the $5.6 million.
Other assets of the synagogue included kindergarten equipment which was sold with the property. North Shore Chabad and pews for 200 were collected by North Shore Chabad in St Ives along with the soul’s bima.
Strathfield Synagogue owns six Sefer Torahs but only one is Kosher.
Neumann said: “The kosher one is on loan to Southern Synagogue at Allawah but Parramatta Synagogue has indicated that they are interested in acquiring it…the members will decide which shul will get.
Rabbi Ritchie Moss at Nefesh Shul has told Neumann that he will take the five non-kosher torahs but they may be sent to an institution in Israel which tries to repair them.
The shul still has siddurim and machzorim are earmarked for Parramatta Synagogue.
Eddy Neumann said: “There is still time to get submissions in for consideration by the March 1 meeting.”
The Strathfield Hebrew Congregation was established in 1954 with the shul being built five years later. The membership currently stands at 80 according to Eddy Neumann.
Interested parties should email Eddy Neumann at [email protected]
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Just to make it quite clear. On 1 March 2015 there is only a Board meeting to decide on how we will proceed. There will be no members meeting that day and there will be no decision distributing funds made that day.
My own view – for what it is worth – is that Strathfield Synagogue should not rush in and make its decision on 1 March.
It should only proceed to distribute the funds after it has given community organisations – including the JCA – sufficient time to lodge proper submissions that at least enable the Strathfield Board to make its recommendation to members as to what it considers the most appropriate course of action.
Maybe the Board should also consider establishing the Strathfield Synagogue Foundation to keep the funds intact and distribute the income annually to organisations having similar objects to the Synagogue – with the discretion to make capital grants when it thought necessary.
This would ensure that the vital contribution that Strathfield Synagogue made to Jewish life in Sydney was preserved and remembered.
To proceed with a decision on March 1 is unseemly.