Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins to retire as Emanuel Synagogue’s Senior Rabbi, Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio to succeed him

After nearly four decades of service, Rabbi Jeffrey B. Kamins will retire as Senior Rabbi of Emanuel Synagogue on 30 June 2026. This marks the end of a defining chapter for Australia’s largest Jewish congregation.

From 1 July 2026, Rabbi Kamins will become the synagogue’s first Rabbi Emeritus, where he will continue to play an active role while stepping back from formal responsibilities.

Rabbi Kamins first joined Emanuel in 1989 and became Senior Rabbi in 1999. With a background in English literature, law, and rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, he brought to Emanuel an intellectual rigour, a passion for egalitarian values, and a deep commitment to Judaism’s place in modern life. Over his tenure, he guided thousands through life’s most sacred moments, championed interfaith dialogue, promoted social justice, and led the synagogue through a period of significant growth and transformation.

 

“Rabbi Kamins has guided us with great vision, wisdom, and integrity,” said Emanuel Synagogue President Grant McCorquodale. “His leadership has enriched our congregation, strengthened interfaith dialogue, championed social justice, and inspired generations. We are profoundly grateful for his deep dedication, inclusive values and active service.”

Rabbi Kamins has also served in a number of broader communal roles, including as rabbinic advisor to Emanuel School, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. He has been active in interfaith initiatives, particularly through the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, and served as a chaplain to the Australian Army for many years.

Reflecting on the transition, Rabbi Kamins said, “Having completed 36 years as rabbi at Emanuel Synagogue, and with such gratitude for who our community is, I know that now is the time, with the blessing of the board, to transition to becoming our synagogue’s first Emeritus Rabbi, with great pride and confidence in Rabbi Ninio succeeding me (in every meaning of the word) as Senior Rabbi.”

“As I approach my 70th birthday and with a growing family in Los Angeles, I look forward to having more time with them while continuing to maintain my deep, personal relationship and presence with the members of our community in the years ahead. These are extremely challenging times for our people, for our planet, and for humanity, and we have much about which to think and speak these Yamim Noraim (High Holy Days), my last ones as Senior Rabbi.”

The synagogue board began succession planning in 2023, looking both locally and internationally before determining that the right leader was already within the community.

Emanuel has announced that Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio will become the next Senior Rabbi, effective 1 July 2026. Rabbi Ninio, who has served Emanuel for 27 years, is a highly respected leader within the Jewish and wider Australian community. She has been a strong advocate for marriage equality, inclusivity, and the rights of the marginalised. In 2024, she became the first female rabbi to be recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia.

“Rabbi Ninio is deeply respected for her breadth of wisdom, experience, compassion, and proactive courage,” McCorquodale said. “She will lead us into our next era with immense communal knowledge, experience, momentum, strength and vision, building on Rabbi Kamins’ great legacy while shaping Emanuel’s future.”

As Emanuel’s first female rabbi and among the earliest in Australia, Rabbi Ninio has spent nearly two decades at the forefront of milestones, including joining Rabbi Kamins to officiate Australia’s first religious same‑sex marriage. The synagogue’s 2024 Silver Jubilee honouring her tenure drew hundreds, underscoring her role in growing Emanuel into the largest Jewish congregation in Australia

Rabbi Ninio said she was humbled to follow Rabbi Kamins in the leadership role: “It has been my honour and privilege to walk beside Rabbi Kamins for 27 of his 36 years with our congregation. He has connected with many generations, celebrated with us in moments of joy, held us when we mourned and inspired us with his vision for our synagogue, for Judaism and for the world.”

“He is a mentor, a wise guide, a teacher and a friend. I am so honoured that the leadership of our community will be handed to me, and I hope together we can continue to dream, create and build a congregation grounded in our shared values, where everyone can find a home.”

She will lead Emanuel’s clergy team alongside Rabbi Rafi Kaiserblueth, Rabbi George Mordecai and Rabbi Sam Zwarenstein, with the support of Rabbi Kamins in his new role.

The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies also paid tribute to Rabbi Kamins’ monumental tenure. President David Ossip said, “For nearly four decades, Rabbi Kamins has been a pillar of our community. His vision, service, and steadfast commitment to egalitarian Jewish values have guided us through life’s most sacred moments and strengthened the moral fabric of our communal life.” He added that as Rabbi Kamins transitions to the role of Rabbi Emeritus, “he leaves behind a legacy defined by integrity, warmth and service, and we look forward to his continued contributions in this new chapter.

The congregation will celebrate Rabbi Kamins’ final High Holy Days as Senior Rabbi this September, beginning a series of events over the coming year to honour his legacy.

Founded in 1938, Emanuel Synagogue is Australia’s largest Jewish congregation, known for its pluralistic, egalitarian, and inclusive approach to Jewish life.