The Syna-blogue

Torah Portion: Tetzaveh Synagogue: Rambam Shule (Sephardi, Chabad) Walking time from home: 15 minutes Reason for going: Something completely different Kiddush: Small, sit-down kiddush Since I started this blog, I have been to all kinds of shules, including ultra-orthodox ones, Sephardi ones and reform ones. But I hadn’t yet been to a shule that combined some of these traits. The Rambam shule in Melbourne is a unique combination. For one thing, it is a Sephardi shule, but different to the other Sephardi one in town because a large number of the congregants are of Moroccan / French heritage. But more than that, it is shule that is technically under the auspices of the Yeshivah Centre because it is also a Chabad shule. The only other time I have seen such a combination was in Shanghai, where apart from the regular service at the Chabad centre, there was also a secondary, ...

Torah Portion: Terumah Synagogue: Beit Aharon (Gandel Besen), Orthodox, modern Walking time from home: Less than 20 minutes Reason for going: A farewell Kiddush: Relatively large kiddush with Cholent Sometimes I come to certain shules for the uniqueness of the service or simply to attend a shule that I am not very familiar with, but sometimes I come for a reason. This week was one such occasion, and it was a special reason indeed.  By rights, a shule like Beit Aharon (Gandel Besen) should not exist. It started close to four decades ago and thrived for a while, but like many small synagogues the world over, it soon lost many of its congregants to other larger shules. Plus, in a city like Melbourne, numerous other specialist, smaller shules popped up around it. In fact, within a five minute walking radius, there are at least three other shules, and that number ex...

Torah Portion: Mishpatim Synagogue: BINA (Orthodox, Chabad influence) Walking time from home: Under 10 mins (from my accommodation) Reason for going: Bat Mitzvah Kiddush: Catered, large kiddush SYDNEY: For the second time in two weeks, I am in Sydney for a Bat Mitzvah, but this time the service related to the celebration was on Shabbat morning at BINA. In some ways, BINA is a unique Sydney institution because in Melbourne, there are numerous shules and learning centres that are all separate, whilst in Sydney, BINA is a centre on its own that combines daily Jewish classes for men and women, services during the week and on Shabbat, and Jewish inspiration for all ages and backgrounds under the lite auspices of Chabad. It is not a Chabad institution per se, but all the teachers are affiliated with Chabad, even if almost none of the students or congregants are. It started as a ...

  Torah Portion: Yitro Synagogue: Or Chadash at Caulfield Shule (orthodox) Walking time from home: 10 mins Reason for going: Just to check it out / a celebration Kiddush: Large, sit down kiddush Some shules in Melbourne are not part of the count of 61 total shules. Or Chadash is one of those because it is hidden and entirely absorbed within Caulfield shule. Starting out as a post Bar Mitzvah minyan close to 60 years ago, it then became the Young Marrieds minyan at Caulfield shule, and then soon after developed an identity of its own. These days it is housed in the little shule upstairs that is used for daily prayers during the week, and many of those who started out as young marrieds are still there, though now they are in their 60s and 70s. In fact, when I walked in at around starting time, the half a dozen men who were already there were having a chat, and it alm...

  Torah Portion: Beshalach Synagogue: Central Synagogue (Orthodox, traditional) Walking time from home: 25 minutes (from my accommodation) Reason for going: Close to lunch plans Kiddush: Catered, large kiddush SYDNEY: I am in town for a Bat Mitzvah staying at my friends' place in North Bondi. Though there was a service as part of the celebrations on Shabbat, it was a Mincha (afternoon) service, so I therefore had the morning to myself to go to any shule. I chose Central partly because it was on the way to where we were going later, partly because I was invited to a lunch not too far away, and partly for nostalgic reasons. Twenty years ago I lived in Sydney, and for the entirety of those three and a bit years, although I moved a couple of times, Central was always my closest shule. I didn't go there every week, but certainly quite often.  Central in many ways is like Caulfield shule...

  Torah Portion: Bo Synagogue: Chabad St Kilda Walking time from home: 35 mins Reason for going: An invitation / close to the beach Kiddush: Sit down meat lunch Melbourne has an uncanny ability to support and sustain a surprisingly vast number of shules. I’ve said it before but it never ceases to amaze me, especially since every now and then I hear of new shules popping up, especially Chabad ones. About three years ago this happened in St Kilda, a suburb that is already teeming with shules and Jews. The task of setting up such a shule was given to a young, dynamic local rabbi, and the initial shule was moderately successful but in an area in the middle of the suburb that was hard to get to. Since then, the rabbi and his family have moved into a much larger house, about as close the beach as I can imagine anyone can live. Within a minute of leaving the house, after ...

  Torah Portion: Vaeira Synagogue: Kollel Beth HaTalmud (Chareidi) Walking time from home: 10 mins Reason for going: Something different Kiddush: N/A There are some shules in Melbourne that are essentially hidden in plain sight. Kollel Beth HaTalmud is one of those. It is on a prominent corner but most people who see it likely don’t venture inside. In a way, it is for insiders, though they do welcome visitors. In truth though, Kollel Beth HaTalmud is not actually a shule. It was found in 1981 as the Yehudah Fishman Institute and is actually a seminary and adult education centre. It offers Bachelor degrees and tertiary education in Torah law, and was the fist overseas outpost of the well-known, New Jersey based Lakewood Yeshiva. It is housed in a converted and renovated old house, and though the study hall and main sanctuary look like a shule, with a Torah ark at the ...