Rosh Hashana – bumper edition

Day 1 – Synagogue:	Melbourne Hebrew Congregation – Toorak shule
Walking time from home:	55 mins
Kiddush:	Lavish and extravagant

 

Day 2 – Synagogue:	Kehilat Kesher (Rabbi Genende)
Walking time from home:	30 mins
Kiddush:	Coffee and cake available throughout

This blog came about as a result of a conversation with my cousins and nieces at Rosh Hashana dinner last year. A few weeks later, it was a reality. This year the blog was again a hot topic of conversation, and though I had recently thought about ending it, the guests at dinner convinced me to continue it, at least for a while. After all, there are quite a number of shules that I haven’t been to yet, or at least haven’t written about yet.

One shule that I have already visited however was Toorak shule, but for Rosh Hashana – at least on the first day – I couldn’t help but return. Last year for the first time, to attract a larger crowd, Melbourne Hebrew Congregation (aka Toorak shule) brought out Dudu Fisher to be their lead cantor for the Days of Awe, and this year he was back. Dudu Fisher at one point was one of the most sought after cantors in the world, and also a Broadway star, playing Jean Valjean in Les Mis, but in keeping with his religious practices, never performing on Shabbat. On a few previous occasions he has visited Melbourne to do concerts, and some of his renditions of the songs from Les Mis in particular were some of the most stirring things I have ever heard.

Therefore last year, when I heard that he was coming to be a Chazan in Melbourne, I made sure to come to Toorak shule, and I was back again this year. He was only the Chazan for Musaf, and he had a few guys in a choir to help him out, but there was no doubt that he was the star of the show and led the performance. A few times he even turned to the audience and indicated for them to join in to make it even more of a show. Although every word he sang was of course in Hebrew and from the prayer liturgy, the tunes varied from the traditional to the very untraditional. My favourite were the more audacious ones. He did tunes from Fiddler on the Roof, from Broadway shows including of course from Les Mis, and even tunes from boy bands and other pop songs. Some people suggested that doing so distracts from the prayers, but when Dudu Fisher or other world class cantors perform, I will always be distracted and mesmerised by their talents, so changing the tune only made it more familiar and appealing to me.

One of the other reasons why I specifically went to Toorak shule on the first day was because immediately after the rabbi’s sermon, there was a speech by Linda Dessau AC, the most recent Governor of Victoria, who also happens to be Jewish. She began her remarks by saying that she is still a member of this shule, but more importantly, that for many years her late father was a well-regarded and very active member. What was particularly remarkable about her address though was that in the shule’s 182 year history, this was the very first time that a woman had ever spoken in the shule during the service, and she did so from the rabbi’s podium. It shouldn’t be remarkable, but it was. Whilst the rabbi preceded her by speaking about the Babylon that we all have inside of us, ie: the demons, she spoke about the hope that we all have for the future, especially as we mark the start of a new Jewish year.

Her speech coupled with Dudu Fisher’s performance made the entire experience worthwhile. The shule wasn’t full, but had a very substantial crowd and the service was topped by one of the most lavish Kiddushes I have ever seen. There were two large tables set up with five different varieties of fish along with sushi, as well as salads, mini sandwiches, cakes, honeycomb, toffee and biscuits. If that wasn’t enough, there was gin and tonic along with a variety of other drinks on a separate table, as well as a coffee station. For me and for many others, the Kiddush doubled as lunch.

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For a complete change of pace, I arranged to go to Kehilat Kesher on second day. For many years, Rabbi Ralph Genende was a communal rabbi in Melbourne, initially at Beit Aharon (Gandel Besen) and then for nearly 15 years at Caulfield shule. Whilst he is now the rabbi at Jewish Care, he no longer runs a shule, but to maintain his community, he created Kehilat Kesher, which is a platform for him to share his weekly musings on the Torah, and to still officiate at weddings and other simchas. Last year, just for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, he set up the Kehilat Kesher pop-up shule, and this year has set it up again.

Toorak shule is housed in one of the most exquisite Jewish buildings in Melbourne; Kehilat Kesher by contrast meets for the Days of Awe in a bowls club. But the rabbi and his team have transformed it, with lovely plants throughout the room, along with a borrowed cupboard and table to act as the ark and Bimah. More importantly though, he has curated a service that doesn’t feel like it goes for too long, is interspersed with readings and explanations designed for a thinking audience, and has involved others in delivering some of those mini sermons, so that there is a genuine communal vibe.

On this occasion many of the explanatory speeches were delivered by members of Zooz, which is a Friday night gathering of ex Scopus students. Since they wanted somewhere to go for Rosh Hashana, partnering with Kesher made a lot of sense for them, and thus the vibe of the service was even more casual and relaxed. The room was almost full for most of the time, and unlike the previous day, all of the tunes were very traditional and familiar in their own way. It meant that unlike at Toorak, many people could sing along and felt like they were participants and not just spectators.

To add to the relaxed nature of the service, just outside there room there was coffee, tea, biscuits, cake and fruit available throughout, along with seats in the beautiful sunshine. In his sermon, Rabbi Genende spoke about blowing one’s own horn (a metaphor for the Shofar) and standing out in a crowd, but in a good and respectable way, and all in all, it was an extremely welcoming atmosphere, with explanations that enhanced the service. Women were also made to feel very welcome, with many women involved in delivering the readings or mini speech and opening the ark, which made it as inclusive as possible within an orthodox setting.

Overall, this was a Rosh Hashana to cherish, with melodious tunes, inspiring sermons and speeches, delicious food, great conversations, welcoming environments and lovely people. If this is a prelude for the year, then I am excited about what is to come!