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2
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
DIRECTORY
Hobart Synagogue
59 Argyle Street
Hobart TAS 7140
Telephone:
03 62 344720
Email:
Our web page is
PRESIDENT
Daniel Albert
VICE-PRESIDENT
David Clark
SECRETARY
Debbie Garrick
TREASURER
Stephen Graetzer
BOARD MEMBERS
Patsy Zadik
Susan Steenbergen
Michal Golebowicz
EDITOR
Michal Golebowicz
The last newsletter was the High Holiday edition. The High Holidays
are now well behind us, with both Orthodox and Progressive
services being held and now it is time to look forward to Chanukah.
We will be holding the annual Chanukah party, our last major event
for the year, on Sunday 9 December and all are welcome to attend.
More details are to be found elsewhere in this newsletter.
In mid-October the Congregation hosted the biennial UPJ (Union of
Progressive Judaism) National Conference. It was a great success.
It was pleasing to see so many members of the Hobart Hebrew
Congregation being involved both at the seminars and on the cruise
on the Saturday night. The cruise offered an opportunity for people
from all over Australia and overseas to socialise at a more relaxed
pace to the heavy schedule of the conference. A highlight for me
was the Havdalah service which was held while the boat was in the
middle of the Derwent River. This was definitely a first for me and
more than a little different from the usual surroundings of the
Synagogue. The Shabbat services on Friday night and Saturday
were also an uplifting experience. Not only did we have more rabbis
attending than I have ever seen in our synagogue at the one time,
we also had a cantor, choir and a full synagogue. The newsletter has
a full report on the conference as well as photos. I would like to
extend a very big thank you to Susan Steenbergen who spent
countless hours organising the conference in conjunction with David
Robinson, the UPJ conference coordinator. The generous input of
her time and energy was a great contributor to the success of this
conference. A thank you is also extended also to the other members
of our organising committee, Debbie Garrick and Patsy Zadik.
Now that the conference is over painting of the synagogue and
placing protection on the front windows can go ahead. The outside
of the building will be painted as well as the area inside next to the
Ark, which has had water damage.
The most pressing matter for the congregation at present relates to
burials. Firstly there is the state Government’s privatisation of the
Cornelian Bay cemetery and the effect it will have on the Jewish
section. It is not known to what extent the congregation will continue
to have a say in who is buried in the Jewish section of the cemetery.
Secondly, there is the issue of the congregation deciding who is
eligible to be buried in the Jewish section. Discussions are ongoing
on both issues and regarding the latter, rabbinical advice has been
sought and further advice will be sought if needed.
Daniel Albert
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