Ambassador’s stroll through Meah Shearim

SENIOR members of Australia’s diplomatic corps in Israel took time out earlier this month for a three-hour tour of Jerusalem’s Meah Shearim neighbourhood, including the largest synagogue in the world.

Ambassador Andrea Faulkner, first secretary Susan Denovan and third secretary Chris Gergis took part in the tour, which included a visit to Lendner Bakery — one of the oldest in Jerusalem — and to several charitable organisations.

Bakery owner Matti Lendner, a grandson of the bakery’s founder, Moshe Dov Lendner, is proud of the operation and enthusiastically welcomes guests to see behind the scenes. The modest hole-in-the-wall is a virtual shrine to visiting dignitaries and in honour of his latest guest, Lendner presented the Aussie delegation with three freshly baked challahs spelling out “AUS”.

Faulkner said a highlight of the morning was a tour of the Belz synagogue, lead by Rabbi Chatzki Friedman, a native of Melbourne’s Adass community who has lived in Israel for 14 years.

“[It] is a remarkable building, and I was very interested to hear about its origins and its functions today, along with the special elements of Chassidic religious life,” Faulkner said.

The synagogue, which Rabbi Friedman said is the largest in the world, is 30,000 square meters over seven floors of activity — it includes a study hall containing 60,000 volumns, six ladies’ galleries and several overflow sections for men. There is room for more than 5200 people. Even so, Rabbi Friedman said the shul is full enough on a weekly basis that an additional 700 seats are planned for the main men’s section.

The tour was organised by Rabbi Mattityahu Cheshin, a sixth-generation Jerusalemite in his mid-40s who calls himself the Charedi consul.
Rabbi Cheshin said it is imperative to show the Orthodox world in a positive light, and added he has worked hard to build relationships of mutual respect with foreign embassies and consular staff.
“There are a lot of issues that come up for foreign dignitaries when they come into contact with our community, and also for charedim when they have to deal with foreign consulates and embassies. We try to bridge the cultural gaps that exist and to streamline the process for both sides,” he said.

Both Ambassador Faulkner and first secretary Denovan said the tour gave them new insights into the community.

“Everywhere we go we are happy to meet fellow Australians — some of whom we had been previously unaware — and this day was no different,” the ambassador said. “I was very pleased to know there are a number of Australians in the ultra-Orthodox community, including Rabbi Friedman. In all it was a terrific window into the community.”

ANDREW FRIEDMAN