Chabad of Bondi’s grand opening
"The synagogue is a beautiful body and the Sefer Torah is the neshama, a soul," says Chabad of Bondi spiritual leader Rabbi Yehoram Ulman.
Hundreds of people joined a joyous street parade to celebrate the opening of Chabad of Bondi’s new centre on Sunday.
The event, which was held in the presence of former Israeli Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau, also marked the completion of a brand new Sefer Torah.
“We welcome everybody from far and near to this auspicious occasion of the dedication of our new synagogue and new community centre,” Chabad of Bondi Assistant Rabbi Eli Schlanger said.
Chabad of Bondi spiritual leader Rabbi Yehoram Ulman called it “fitting and appropriate” that “the inauguration of our beautiful centre on which we worked and toiled for so many years” was coinciding with the completion of the Torah.
“The synagogue is a beautiful body and the Sefer Torah is the neshama, a soul,” he said.
“And together the body and the soul make a living organism, which is our everlasting heritage.”
Rabbi Ulman blessed the new building by saying “Shehecheyanu”.
In a rare accomplishment, Rabbi Lau was present in 2017 for the beginning of the Sefer Torah and present again for its completion.
“I am sure that this building, this new and nice shule, will be a place of kiruv, to make people close to God,” Rabbi Lau said.
“Everyone will be closer than they were before they came to this building, because of Rabbi Ulman, because of Rabbanit Ulman and because of all the people here in this community.”
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin, who is a member of the Chabad of Bondi community, said the dedication of “a glorious new temple … reminds us how blessed we are to be Australians”.
“It also makes us appreciate belonging to something, being a part of something, which is the very essence of community,” he said.
“We, the Russian-speaking Jewish community of this great city are but a collection of families. As the decades passed, many expected our numbers to dwindle, our identities as Jews from the Soviet Union to be chipped away until we blended with the other parts of our Jewish community and ceased to be a distinct group.
“Instead, we have remained who we are, and the final proof of our resilience and our survival is that today, we finally have a home worthy of us.”
Political dignitaries present included federal MP Allegra Spender, state MPs Kellie Sloane and Marjorie O’Neill, Waverley mayor Paula Masselos and former federal government minister Philip Ruddock.
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