Torah Portion:	Chayei Sarah
Synagogue:	ARK Centre (modern orthodox)
Walking time from home:	About an hour
Reason for going:	An exploration of shules further afield
Kiddush:	Lovely, small kiddush

Last week I went to Kew shule, which for many decades was the premiere Jewish centre in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, but eventually fell out of favour because of gentrification and other issues. So almost two decades ago a new shule was set up in Hawthorn in a rented house on Auburn Road, and thus was initially called the Auburn Road Kehilla (ARK). Less than a decade later it moved to a purpose-built, dedicated premises around the corner, but the name stuck. After all, a Torah ark is the centre of any shule, so it is a good name for a shule. The new venue is somewhat connected to but not directly affiliated with Bialik College. As a Zionist, secular Jewish school, there is no shule onsite, but once ARK was established, if they ever need to use a shule, they now have one virtually next door. The building itself is essentially one large room, but with two partitions, allowing it to be one room, two or three. This flexibility allows the centre to be much more than a shule.

From the outset it was designed to be a Jewish centre that also encompassed a shule. It therefore also has a large, commercial Kosher kitchen and often advertises itself as a place for events. Even non-Jewish organisations have used it, as have many Jewish organisations, for their corporate or social functions. As far as shule is concerned, whilst Shabbat morning services happen because it is a Jewish centre after all, the focus is very much on Friday nights. Over the years I have probably been to ARK more than 30 times but until this week, never for a Shabbat morning service. Regularly there is some kind of dinner or innovative event at ARK either on a Friday night or during the week. Even their own website says that Friday night is the focus of their Jewish activities, but Shabbat morning services also take place.

In their current venue, the first thing you notice if you’ve ever been to an orthodox shule before, is that at first glance it is impossible to tell which is the men’s side and which is the women’s. The building is single level, therefore without a section upstairs, so the shule has an equal number of seats on the both sides, with all the seats facing inwards (not towards the front). The Bimah (altar) is in the centre with steps on both sides, and the partition, which goes down the centre, is in the form of plants at about shoulder height, so men and women see and face each other throughout. It is orthodox to be sure, but it is probably one of the most progressive-looking orthodox shules in town. This extends to the congregation too.

On Shabbat morning there were 17 men, three women and a couple of kids – the smallest crowd I have ever seen in the building. Most of the men were wearing jeans and/or a t-shirt, and being a hot day, some even wore shorts. In every sense it is a modern-looking shule. The rabbi is affiliated with Chabad and on Shabbat dresses like a Chabad rabbi (with a long black coat), but in every other sense, he like the shule he presides over, is modern, young and very dynamic. This week he spoke about the fact that while Abraham and Sarah eventually succeeded in their mission to have progeny and a legacy, it didn’t come easily and there were hardships along the way. Currently we are seeing Israel struggle, like Abraham and Sarah did, but like them, we will also see Israel prevail. In the meantime, being Remembrance Day, the service stopped at 11am for a minute’s silence, not just for the victims of the various world wars, but for the victims of Israel’s conflict today.

That was the one and only unscripted break this week. The service was very much no-frills, and almost felt like an addendum to an otherwise busy schedule. The entire service went for just over 90 minutes, and then because they have a commercial kitchen, there was a very nice but small Kiddush, which lasted for another 30 or so minutes. In two hours, it was all done – shorter than almost anywhere else. Despite that it was lovely, and I’m glad I finally made it to a Shabbat morning service at a shule that I have been to many times for other things.