Torah Portion: Kedoshim Synagogue: Caulfield Shule, traditional orthodox Walking time from home: 10 mins Reason for going: Two speakers Kiddush: Large, plentiful Since I started this blog, I’ve been trying to go to a different shule every week and I only come back to one I’ve been to before if there is a compelling reason to do so. This week I was back at Caulfield Shule, and the compelling reason was that there were two speakers ahead of this coming week’s Israeli Independence Day. Caulfield shule, as I have said before, is one of the most traditional and prominent shules in all of Melbourne, and the largest orthodox congregation. Yet despite that, when I first arrived soon after starting time, there was almost an embarrassingly small crowd in such a large space. Just as well the speeches were going to take place towards the end of the service. Because it is a lar
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Torah Portion: Acharei Synagogue: Hasifriya @ Blake Street Walking time from home: 40 minutes Reason for going: Something different Kiddush: Not quite as advertised After a lovely Pesach, it was nice to be back at shule for a regular Shabbat. And after taking some time to decide where to go, partly based on where I needed to be later, I ended up at Hasifriya. Literally the word means ‘library’ in Hebrew, which is fitting because it meets in the library at Blake Street shule, which of course is on Glenhuntly Road and not on the street it is named for. Hasifriya formed a few years ago essentially as the young adult congregation of Blake St, though most are in their late 20s to late 30s, with some even older so I didn’t feel too out of place. These days about a third of the people who go there regularly have some kind of familial connection to Blake St, but the rest s
Pesach (first days and Chol Hamoed Shabbat) Day 1: Caulfield Shule; Day 2: Hamerkaz; Shabbat: South Caulfield Shule Generally for all festivals, but particularly for Passover, I usually arrange meals out or get invited out to families. As such, I tend to go to the shules where my hosts go even if I have been to those shules before or recently. This year for the first days of Pesach that was definitely the case, and will be the case for the last days too. Despite the first days of Pesach falling on weekdays this year, the two shules I went to for the first days were relatively full and with a lot of positive vibes. Most people probably had late nights at their Seders but came to shule in the morning energised and invigorated. If this festival is about freedom, then this year more than most, that sense of praying for our freedom was on greater display than I have ever seen before. Not only were there extra prayers added to the service, but there was als
Torah Portion: Metzora Synagogue: Elsternwick Jewish Community, modern Orthodox Walking time from home: 35 mins Reason for going: A speaker and a lunch Kiddush: Catered lunch This week, with Pesach just around the corner, many shules had pre-Presach Friday night dinners. Although I only went to one, since I subscribe to many synagogue newsletters, I knew of at least 11 communal dinners across the Melbourne Jewish community. But whereas many shules had dinners, almost none had communal lunches. So as soon as I found out that one shule was advertising not just a lunch but a speaker at the lunch, I booked immediately. When I last came to Elsternwick shule (on the campus of Yavneh College) over a year ago, it was a little disappointing. Not the shule itself, but I happened to have come on a week when almost all the regulars were at a celebration elsewhere. The minyan onl
Torah Portion: Tazria Synagogue: Mifgash Centre (independent Chabad) Walking time from home my sister’s: Almost 15 minutes Reason for going: Close and different Kiddush: Sit down kiddush with two Cholents There are some shules that make themselves known; there are others that stay away from the limelight and are therefore hidden in plain sight. Mifgash (lit. meeting) Centre in Bentleigh is one of those. I first encountered Mifgash a few years ago when I was invited to a Bar Mitzvah at a place with a Hebrew sounding name in an industrial park in Bentleigh. I had no idea it was even a shule. Initially I had just assumed it was a Jewish-owned meeting hall that had been set up as a shule for the celebration. But since then I have discovered that Mifgash was actually founded in 2017 as the ‘Bentleigh Synagogue & Jewish Hebrew Centre’, according to its website
Torah Portion: Shemini – HaChodesh Synagogue: Kedem (lay led, reform) Walking time from home: Almost 20 mins Reason for going: To join their monthly service Kiddush: Plentiful kiddush with Challah There are some shules that I have known about for a while but had never had the chance to visit. Since starting this blog, as well as the larger, better known shules, I have tried to seek out the ones that are niche, small or away from the mainstream. Kedem is all those things, and it was great to finally see it in action. Kedem actually started about 30 years ago, but without the fanfare of many other shules. Since the beginning it has been intentionally lay led, small and diverse. Although officially under the auspices of the Progressive movement, and with the official siddur of the Progressive movement in use, lay leadership means that it doesn’t always follow all
Torah Portion: Tzav – Parah Synagogue: Shira Chadasha (Partnership Orthodox) Walking time from home: 25 minutes Reason for going: My sister and I sponsoring the kiddush Kiddush: Lots of variety For the last twelve years, my sister and I have sponsored a kiddush in memory of our mother at the Shira synagogue, and I have given the sermon, partly connected to the portion of the week, and partly to our mother. What follows is the highlights of the edited speech. ------------ I want to start by thanking this shule because this continues to be the place our family comes to for special occasions. Last year my niece celebrated her Bat Mitzvah here, and today we are all back again for this milestone – the 32nd Yahrzeit and the 11th drasha for our mum’s Yarzheit in 12 years. This week is the first Shabbat after Purim. For me this is significant because I always associate