A legend departs: ‘Mr JCA’ mourned

THE Sydney Jewish community is mourning a man it called “Mr JCA”, after Hal Goldstein passed away at the age of 83 last Wednesday.

Goldstein was one of the founders of the Jewish Communal Appeal (JCA) and its president for more than 20 years.

He was also the president of the Sir Moses Montefiore Home for 24 years and was one of only five life governors of Masada College.

The community stalwart was farewelled by hundreds of people at the North Shore Synagogue last Friday.

He was known as “Mr JCA” to a generation of Sydney Jews after realising in 1967 that the Sydney Jewish community needed to raise money as one entity.

It was the year of the Six-Day War, and Goldstein feared continued instability in Israel meant that one day all community donations might be directed towards Israel, leaving vital institutions at home to wither.

He decided the community needed money in the bank to allow organisations to run for at least one year if fundraising dollars stopped flowing.

To this end, he was vital in the establishment of JCA and became the president in 1969.

“Hal dominated without being domineering and he could see things that both helped individual constituents, but also the entire community,” JCA president Peter Philippsohn said.

Philippsohn said without Goldstein, Mount Sinai College would not exist today.

“When I went to him, as JCA president, in 1980 and asked for $10,000 to start Mount Sinai it took less than 48 hours for him to give us a cheque because he saw the benefit the school would have for the community.”

And it seems he was right. Today, many Jewish families are moving to Maroubra and Randwick – where Mount Sinai and the new Montefiore Home are located – as house prices around Bondi soar.

“We have only been able to build the home that it is today because of his leadership and management over those 25 years that Hal was president,” Montefiore Home vice-president Gary Inberg said.

After he stepped down as Montefiore president in 1995, Goldstein remained committed to the organisation and its residents, who became an extension of his family.

Rabbi David Rogut, who was a close friend, said at the funeral that the Montefiore remained his second home.

“Hal continued to attend the Shabbat service at the home’s Hunter’s Hill campus, now known as the Hal Goldstein Campus in recognition of his work,” Rabbi Rogut said.

“His routine was always the same. After attending shul he would walk around the home talking to the residents and giving out sweets and second night seder for the Goldstein family was always at the Montefiore Home.”

Rabbi Rogut said Goldstein was a king among men. “Hal was not born to royalty but he was a prince of a man, one of nature’s noblemen and gentlemen.

Goldstein wrote a short autobiography recently.

“My progression with charitable work has been a great source of satisfaction particularly being part of the management for 25 years of the finest aged care facility in Australia,” Goldstein wrote.

“Equally satisfying was being one of the founders of the JCA charitable trust which provided the income for the organisations which make up the Jewish community.”

Among his many achievements, Goldstein was awarded an Order of the British Empire  in 1977 and was named a Member of the Order of Australia  in 1997 for his service to the community.

During his time leading the community he met former prime minister John Howard on several occasions and the pair became close friends. Howard sent his condolences to the family.

He is survived by his widow, Nancye, children, grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

JOSHUA LEVI