Historic board elections
History was created at St Kilda Hebrew Congregation’s annual general meeting on Monday night (August 24) with the election of the Shule’s first-ever female vice president Janice Furstenberg.
Janice beat a male and a female challenger, the first time the role has been contested. It is also the first time that women have vied for the presidency or vice presidency since the Shule’s bylaws were changed in 2013 to accommodate both genders.
Janice was the Shule’s first female treasurer, serving for seven years until her retirement in March.
A record number of members voted in this year’s elections.
Former board member Henry Buch was thanked for his many years of dedicated service.
Life governorship was awarded to former presidents Peter Cohen AM, Graham Berkovitch and Neville Sackville and life membership was awarded to former choirmaster Adrian Bartak OAM and to long-time volunteer Garry Fabian.
Junior choir members Isaac and Alex Itescu and volunteers Joan and Nat Luft received special recognition for outstanding service.
Next week in Shabbat Shalom we talk to our new vice president and life governors.
Board 2020
President: Harold Sternfeld (second term)
Vice-president: Janice Furstenberg
Treasurer: Alex Swire (second term)
Immediate past president: David Casper
Anton Block
Suzie Brown OAM
Gerry Bullon
Tim Cohen
George Erlichster
Silviu Itescu
Sam Kagan
Melanie Super
Frank Tisher OAM
Rachelle Unreich
Annual Report available now In advance of the ONLINE Annual General Meeting of the Congregation on Monday, 24 August, 2020 at 8:00pm we are pleased to provide you with the attached Annual Report. The Financial Statement will be provided once supplied by the Auditor.
Now more than ever, we want to hear good-news stories – about your happy occasions, fun events and special milestones. So please share the good news about you and your family’s simcha, work promotion or special award. Maybe you have a funny story. Trivia’s good too. And don’t forget a picture tells 1000 words, so photos please. Send your news and photos to Karen Klein: development@stkildashule.org.au
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the Shule’s Library Fund, it’s now easy with a dedicated donation page on our website.
The Library Fund maintains a library which contains a diverse collection of books and memorabilia and supports our education programs and publications.
Though the library is presently closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, its educational programs are continuing online with great gusto, including our Bat Mitzvah and Bar Mitzvah courses; our adult education programs including Rabbi Glasman AM and Rabbi Nagel’s shiurim, which attract a global audience; and Rabbi Glasman AM’s highly-regarded ‘Introduction to Judaism’ course.
The Library Fund also subsidises the weekly ‘Shabbat Shalom’ newsletter which boasts a circulation of more than 1300 readers within our Shule and the wider community;
The library contains a collection of mainly Jewish religious books and objects, but also books about Jewish history, culture, music and literature, education, adult fiction and non-fiction as well as children’s books on Jewish themes, both fiction and non-fiction.
It is home to one of Australia’s largest collection of Jewish music including vinyl LPs of chazanut and Jewish-related music.
It also houses educational materials for the teaching of Hebrew, Jewish history, Jewish culture and religion and music as well as objects and art works of religious significance.
The library has partnered and shares its catalogue with the Lamm Jewish Family Library (formerly Makor) and thus other community-affiliated libraries.
Donors will receive an instant tax-deductible receipt by email. But please note, as the Library Fund is a separate legal entity to the Shule, it cannot be used to pay for membership, offerings or for a simcha.
To make a tax-deductible donation to the Library Fund, click on https://www.trybooking.com/au/donate/StKildaShuleLibrary
To learn more about the St Kilda Shule Library, click on www.stkildashule.org.au/library
Shule speaks on COVID-19 impact
As previously reported, Shule CEO Rabbi Ronnie Figdor OAM was one of three guest panellists at a multi-faith webinar examining the effects of COVID-19 on faith communities in Victoria. Hosted by the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre (SZCC) in June with 100 participants, panellists joined SZCC’s Director Professor Kathy Laster in a wide-ranging discussion reflecting on how faith communities support those experiencing hardship due to the pandemic and how they are managing to worship together while apart.
The other panellists were Rev Ian Smith, Executive Director of the Victorian Council of Churches and Sheikh Muhammad Saleem, Secretary of the Board of Imams.
When discussing organisational responses to COVID-19, the panellists urged organisations to keep their values front and centre when making decisions, remember their legal obligations and where possible seek to balance financial sacrifices with essential financial support.
Go to www.vu.edu.au/about-vu/news-events/news/governing-in-a-crisis-szcc-supports-faith-based-communities-responding-to-covid-19 for the full transcript of the discussion.
Turning loss into gain
Twin sisters Charley and Alex Cowen shared their moving story about creating meaningful legacy from loss in a Zoom presentation last night (8 July).
After losing their father suddenly in a paragliding accident, the then 12 year olds considered the importance of a child having financial security and decided to help other children under 18 impacted by trauma by establishing not-for-profit-organisation Parachute.
Age newspaper journalist Timna Jacks, who lost her own father (through illness) at a young age, asked them about their personal and very different experiences of grief and subsequent anxieties; the impact of life-affirming support by family, friends and community; how they continue to celebrate their father’s life; the role of strong family dynamics; and their vision for the future of Parachute, which they are hoping to expand nationally.
Parachute gives microgrants to children who have experienced economic disadvantage caused by events such as death, divorce, significant injury or other circumstances beyond their control. All funds received from donors are used exclusively for each child to continue with their passion.
To learn more about Parachute and to make a donation, go to parachute.org.au
To watch and hear the Cowen sisters in conversation with Timna Jacks, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=927xrnN_P1o
‘Mask up’ says COVID expert
‘The rule is to go in hard and early and don’t mess around or the virus will win.’
More than 100 people tuned into radio broadcaster and journalist Dr Norman Swan for an illuminating interview by Shule board member and journalist Rachelle Unreich on Zoom Tuesday night (June 22).
Dr Swan hosts The Health Report on ABC Radio National, the world’s longest-running health program in the English-speaking world. And since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, he has co-hosted ‘Coronacast’, a daily podcast answering listeners’ questions and covering COVID research.
His primary message was that we [Victoria] can turn things around – following the rise in community transmission – by wearing masks when we’re indoors with other people, especially family members.
Dr Swan said there’s nothing new or surprising about the present pandemic. “Not a single textbook needs to be re-written; everything that’s happened has been predictable. He said we must test, isolate and contact trace; that the rule is to go in hard and early and don’t mess around or virus will win.
Takeaways from the interview include:
- The greatest chance of infection is by breathing in the same air as someone else with the virus. It’s unusual to catch coronavirus outdoors and from surfaces, though possible.
- Wearing masks indoors and when you can’t socially distance outdoors is the key to being able to open up the state. Melburnians should have to wear a mask on public transport and in cinemas.
- Generally, most masks don’t protect the wearer, but they significantly prevent a asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic person who’s carrying the virus from spreading the disease to other people.
- Masks should contain three layers – waterproof on outside, densely-woven cotton on the inside and another cotton middle layer. N95 masks are fine, but not those with a one-way valve which are designed for dust and can spread the virus. It should cover the face. A good test is to put on a mask and spray perfume in your vicinity. If you can smell the scent, the mask is ineffective.
- Large public events are problematic because contact tracing isn’t possible, but we could hold them outdoors if everyone wore a mask. There was no fall-out from the protest march because 60 percent of people wore masks.
- If you sneeze and have COVID-19, the spray particles can travel eight metres in only three seconds and hover for two to three hours, which is why the government has curtailed family contact. This is borne out by the China experience.
- Social distancing, hand hygiene and being super careful are unnegotiable.
- A ‘curve of mental health problems’ is predicted to start quite soon as well as a ‘curve of disadvantage’ due to people being out of work.
- Suffering will increase if we go into austerity mode to pay back debt. We need to keep spending for about a year to continue to stimulate the economy.
- Herd immunity requires an immunised population of 60-70 percent.
- Workplaces in identified ‘hot spots’ areas should make masks compulsory.
- The tests aren’t perfect. If you’ve lost your sense of taste or smell, assume you have COVID-19 whatever the tests may show. If symptoms persist, have another test.
- Grandparents are at most risk from family members aged 18 to 30 who should wear a mask and socially distance if they visit. Young children are not thought to be spreading the virus.
- We should stay on high alert until there is a vaccine, which is unlikely for at least a year.
- General health and wellbeing are vital. Get out in the sun, exercise and keep your body fit. Also, it’s imperative to control any chronic illness.
In lighter, more personal moments:
- Dr Swan agreed his television profile has made him more recognisable on the street, though as medical host on The Biggest Loser, he was widely recognised by eight and nine year olds, “the core audience”. Ironically, now people come straight up to his face at the supermarket asking about coronavirus. “It takes me a lot longer to shop,” he quipped.
- Dr Swan grew up in Glascow (as his cousin by marriage, Shule VP Gerry Bullon) and was in the Habonim drama group. He did a lot of acting as a youngster and loved it, but sacrificed those aspirations for the “safe option”, medicine, to escape his mother’s wrath. “I decided it was much safer to be a second-rate doctor than a second-rate actor.”
- Over Pesach, lockdown provided the opportunity to hone his kneidlach-making skills, though they didn’t stake up to his cousin’s recipe, enjoyed in previous years at family seders.
Last chance to make the ‘Dome’
This year’s special 150th birthday edition of Under the Dome (part 1) will be jam-packed with great reading and we’re inviting stories (or story ideas), photos and memorabilia. As a prelude to next year’s 150th anniversary, Under the Dome 2020 will illustrate our Shule’s first 75 years, in words and pictures, and much more. Among the highlights, members across the generations will tell their personal stories of life in a COVID-19 world; we’ll learn about the Choir’s exciting new directions; long-time members will reminisce about their special relationship with our Shule; and Jeffrey Rosenfeld will share family memories of Sir John Monash.
If you have any story ideas, photos and/or memorabilia, please contact Gerry Bullon (gerry.bullon@insor.com.au) byJune 30.
Babies start a new cycle of life
Our third weekend of face-to-face Shule services (for limited numbers) could not have been more exciting.
On Saturday, we shared the nachas of three baby girl namings with proud new parents James and Jess Rosengarten (Asha Pearl); David Cukierman and Ariella Sweet (Zara Jude) and Josh and Tarryn Guest (Chloe) and their families.
Rabbi Glasman AM named the babies by Zoom just after they were born, but Saturday’s services cemented the occasions in Jewish law.
The main shule, Adele Southwick Centre and the Danglow Centre hosted services at staggered times and of course Rabbi Glasman AM made sure to make a ‘mazel tov’ call to each of them. Regular congregants joined in too.
Friday night’s service had a sombre tone, providing the first opportunity of a minyan for a member mourning the recent death of her father.
Shule president Harold Sternfeld said the weekend of services reflected the near-gamut of Jewish life-cycle events, having also included the celebration of a Bar Mitzvah anniversary on Saturday. “It’s great to be back as the ‘life-cycle event shule’,” he said.
Rabbi Glasman AM reiterated Harold’s sentiments and noted the palpable excitement and warmth. “It was very special for all the families, whether in mourning or in celebration, and I felt honoured to participate.”
Sunday’s Shacharit service welcomed special guest, a Getty Images photojournalist, who attended as part of the newswire service’s coverage of the resumption of religious services and gatherings. Some of his beautiful images are featured above.
Shabbat and Sunday services will continue this weekend with social distancing and age limitations as required (see pre-registration details above). The Board will decide next week whether to lift present age restrictions.
To see all the photos taken on Sunday, go to www.gettyimages.com/editorial
Queen’s Birthday Honours for members
Three Shule members received Queen’s Birthday Honours on Monday. We wish them a hearty mazel tov on their well-deserved awards.
Prof George Werther received an AO for distinguished service to medicine, to paediatric endocrinology and research, and to professional medical organisations.
Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne: Senior Endocrinologist, 2016-2018; Director, Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, 1999-2015; Deputy Director of Endocrinology, 1984-1999; Paediatric Endocrinologist, 1982-1984; Member, Campus Research Committee, 2010-2013.
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute: Founder and Director, Centre for Hormone Research, 1994-2013; Member, Commercialisation Committee, 2005-2014.
Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group: Council Member, 1997-2002; President, 1988-1991; Treasurer, 1986-1988; Life Member, since 2017; Founding Member, 1993.
National Health and Medical Research Council: Member, Growth Hormone Advisory Committee, 2000-2008; Member, Project Grant Review Panels – Endocrinology, 2007-2008; Chief Investigator, 14 grants, since 1985.
Antisense Therapeutics: Member, Data Safety Monitoring Board, since 2015; Chair, Scientific Advisory Board for clinical development project, 2013-2014; Non-Executive Director, 2001-2012.
Other: Consultant Endocrinologist, Mercy Maternity Hospital, 1990-2018; Visiting Paediatric Endocrinologist, Royal Women’s Hospital, 1994-2018; Visiting Associate, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 1985-2018; Chair, Scientific Advisory Committee, Neuren Pharmaceuticals, New Zealand, 2004-2008; Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Tercica Pharmaceuticals, California, 2003-2005; Board Director, Medisense Australia, 2000-2003; Chair, Australian Growth Hormone Advisory Committee, 1999-2002; International Coordinator, Coordinating Office of Paediatric Endocrine Societies, 1989-1995.
Other Professional: Life Member, Endocrine Society of Australia, current; Life Member, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, since 2018; Member, European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology, current; Member, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, since 1979 and Member, Specialist Advisory Committee (Paediatric Endocrinology), 2013-2017; Honorary Professor, Division of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, since 1999; Treasurer, Australian Diabetes Society, 1990-1992 and Councillor, 1988-1992.
Editorial Boards: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, current; Pediatric Endocrine Reviews, current; Pediatric Diabetes, current; Hormone Research, 1998-2004.
Awards and recognition include: International Award for Scientific Achievement, European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology, 2016; Norman Wettenhall Medal for Distinguished Achievements in Paediatric Endocrine Research, Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group, 2009; Chairman’s Medal for services to Paediatric Endocrinology, Royal Children’s Hospital, 1997.
While George Werther believes that the award is a great accolade, he says it is also an acknowledgement of all the people with whom he has worked.
“The doctors, nurses, paediatric specialists, it is a recognition of all the amazing people I have worked with,” he told J-Wire.
He said that his department was like his medical family.
One of the things which has given him the most satisfaction is all the trainee doctors – about 40 of them – whom he trained over the years.
“I learned as much from the young doctors with their fresh idea as I taught them. Many of them went on to be successful, both here and overseas, and that is something I take great pride in.
It was always a wonderful privilege to look after so many children and families with diabetes and other hormonal disorders,” he said.
Philip Munz received an AM for significant service to the community through philanthropic initiatives, to medical research, and to business.
Community: Board Member, Baker Institute, 1995-2005; Board Member, Kooyong Foundation, 2002-2020; Member, Executive Council of Australian Jewry, 1968-1970; Board Member, South Caulfield Hebrew Congregation; Member, Jewish Board of Deputies, 1966-1968, and Chair, Orthodox Congregations, 1967-1968.
Philanthropic supporter to: Jewish Care Victoria; Major Supporter, Arts Centre Melbourne; Baker Institute; Howard Florey Institute; Munz Chair of Genomics of Cardiovascular Disease, 2019.
Professional: Chair, Reliance Worldwide Corporation/GSA Group, 1986-2016; Partner, Rivers Dickinson Stirling and Munz, 1965-1988; Life Member, Law Institute of Victoria.
“When I came here as a penniless 18year old, Australia gave me shelter,” Philip Munz told J-Wire.
He is so grateful to the country that took him in, he believes the award belongs to Australia.
“The award itself is a celebration,” he said.
Providing philanthropic support is his way of giving back to the country that took him in and gave him so much.
Professor Natalie Rebecca King Weissman received an OAM for service to the contemporary visual arts.
Contemporary Arts: Curator, since 1994; Chief Curator, Melbourne Biennial Lab, Melbourne Festival 2016; Creative Associate, MPavilion, 2014-2016; Series Editor, Mini Monographs, Thames and Hudson, since 2019.
Curated Exhibitions include: My Horizon: Tracey Moffatt, Australian Pavilion, 57th Venice Biennale, Venice, 2017; Co-Curator, Monyet Gila: Episode One – The Episode with the Crazy Monkey, Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney, 2016; Chief Curator, Melbourne Biennial Lab: What happens now?, Melbourne Festival, 2016; Co-Curator, Conversations: Endless Acts in Human History, Entang Wiharso and Sally Smart, National Gallery of Indonesia, Jakarta, 2016; One Night Stand: Slow Art Collective & The Telepathy Project, MPavilion, Melbourne, 2014; Whisper in My Mask: TarraWarra Biennial 2014 (with Djon Mundine), TarraWarra Museum of Art, Victoria, 2014; Episodes: Australian Photography Now, 13th Dong Gang International Photo Festival, Dong Gang Museum of Photography, Korea, 2014; Co-Curator, Jitish Kallat: Circa, Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne, 2013; Shadowlife (with Djon Mundine), Bangkok Arts & Cultural Centre; Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan; Nanyang Academy of Fine Art, Singapore; Bendigo Art Gallery, Victoria, 2012; Co-Curator, Gigi Scaria: Prisms of Perception, Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne, 2012; Up Close: Carol Jerrems with Larry Clark, Nan Goldin & William Yang, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne, 2010; Destiny Deacon: Walk & don’t look blak, Adam Art Gallery, Wellington; Tjibaou Cultural Centre, New Caledonia; Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Japan and Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, 2004; Supernatural Artificial, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Japan, 2004; aero-zone, Rosemary Laing, National Museum of Art, Osaka, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne, 1999; Rapport: Eight artists from Singapore and Australia, Singapore Art Museum and Monash University Gallery, 1996; Bad Toys, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne, 1994; Primavera, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, 1994.
Education: Enterprise Professor of Visual Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne, wince 2020; Enterprise (Hon) Professor, Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne, 2018-2019; Former Director, Asialink, University of Melbourne.
“I am both elated and overwhelmed by this accolade,” said Natalie King.
“It is a tremendous affirmation of my contribution to the arts over 25 years and I am immensely grateful to whoever put me forward.
She looks forward to sharing the occasion with her family and the news with colleagues.
She added: “Projects are always done collaboratively and collectively. In this time of turbulence and upheaval, we have had to recalibrate how we work.
Art has taken me to places I would never have imagined.”
As the Curator of Yuki Kihara, Aotearoa New Zealand at the 59th Venice Biennale 2022, she says it will “be a dream come true”.J-Wire
Under the Dome 2020: call for submissions
Do you have any stories (or story ideas), photos or memorabilia for our special 150th birthday edition of Under the Dome (part 1)?
A highlight of High Holidays at St Kilda Shule – as well as our stirring services – is the eagerly-awaited publication of Under the Dome.
Each Rosh Hashanah, congregants can be seen savouring the stories and photos in our jam-packed glossy magazine.
Last year, stories included a neighbour’s fond reminiscence concerning a former rabbi; a unique tale of a family’s long relationship with the Shule’s Ark; a bride’s description of her wedding linking generations; and a board member’s reflection on March of the Living.
Usually there are plenty of travel stories, but for obvious reasons, this year will be different.
Instead however, as we near our 150th anniversary year, 2021, Under the Dome 2020 will contain stories about our Shule’s first 75 years, in words and pictures. The second 75 years will be covered in next year’s bumper edition.
Please contact publisher Gerry Bullon (gerry.bullon@insor.com.au) by June 30 with story ideas, photos and/or memorabilia.
Helping to slow down COVID-19
In his early 20s, Anthony Goldbloom, son of Shule members Deena and Rodney Goldbloom, created start-up Kaggle in his Melbourne bedroom. In a recent edition of The Australian Jewish News, he relays his journey to Shane Desiatnik, explaining how it has grown to a Google-acquired company with millions of users around the world and its latest work assisting the White House to analyse COVID-19 research findings.
Click here to see the full story
Alternatively, copy and paste the following link into your browser:
https://ajn.timesofisrael.com/a-start-up-trying-to-slow-down-covid-19/
Rabbi explains Coronavirus impact on mourning
Rabbi Yaakov Glasman AM last night (Wednesday) appeared on ABC Television’s The Drum which focused on how the current pandemic has affected funerals in the Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths. Rabbi Glasman AM was filmed in the Shule and spoke about the impact of social distancing and isolation on mourners who are unable to be visited by family and friends during their time of grief.
To view the interview click here and scroll to approximately 48 minutes into the program. https://iview.abc.net.au/show/drum
Shule premises used for supplying COVD-19 care packages
Sarah Bendetsky, the Director of Souper Kitchen, posted a thank you to the Shule on Facebook and LinkedIn for providing our premises to the organisation’s volunteers to prepare care packages for individuals and families in need.
“… ? Our wonderful volunteers helped us collect the ingredients, pack and deliver. Special thanks to @foodbankvictoria Foodbank Victoria and St Kilda Hebrew Congregation! Join us next time and support us to help even more people in need.”
Cat in a Shule: a new convert?
Two weeks ago CEO Ronnie Figdor OAM was alerted that the Shule’s alarm had started going off randomly at night after he received four unexpected call-out invoices.
During the same period, he was contacted by a neighbour, Kristen, asking if he’d seen her cat Frankie. He went for a wander and couldn’t find her.
Last week, Kristen called again. Frankie had been missing the whole night.
‘Could Frankie be in the Shule building setting off the alarm?’, they both wondered.
Kristen came around in the pouring rain and she and Ronnie went to look inside the Shule. When Kristen called out ‘Frankie’, they heard a meow from ladies’ gallery landing.
Understandably Frankie had been terrified. During the night she was hiding in a corner, but each time she had come out, the alarm went off and so she ran back into her spot.
Kristen and Frankie were happily reunited and Kristen was very thankful and apologetic.
The cat’s hiding spot in the Shule
Postscript: Kristen wrote on her Facebook page that Frankie’s becoming Jewish. Could that the source of the Jewish name ‘Katz’?
Shule staying connected with Emmy Monash
During lockdown, Emmy Monash continues our close relationship remotely by screening our Facebook and YouTube videos of Kabbalat Shabbat and of our rabbis for residents. Previously we ran Kabbalat Shabbat at Emmy Monash on the first Friday night of each month and Rabbi Ronnie Figdor OAM led staff training prior to the chagim.
