Cremorne’s new rabbi
CREMORNE Synagogue has appointed a new rabbinical team to replace the departing Rabbi Yossi and Rebbetzin Chana Raizel Friedman.
Rabbi Chaim and Rebbetzin Dina Koncepolski have been appointed for an initial three-year term starting in the first week of June. The couple, who have three children, spent last Shabbat with the community.
Cremorne Synagogue president Garry Hyman said the board was delighted with their appointment.
“They are the ideal couple to continue the good work that Rabbi Yossi and Chana Raizel Friedman started just under three years ago,” he said.
“Over that time, the Cremorne community has grown by some 20 per cent and membership now stands at a record level of 120 families with many younger members.”
Though young, Sydney-born Rabbi Koncepolski brings significant international experience to the role.
He has worked and studied in Israel and Brazil, obtaining his rabbinic ordination in the latter, and served as a cantor in the United States, Russia and Australia.
He met Dina while studying in New York and the couple were most recently based in Jerusalem.
He told The AJN that while they were “very happy” in Israel, he felt a strong passion to return to Australia and give back to the community where he grew up.
“When the position opened, we started looking into the [Cremorne] community and we loved it,” he said.
“We really loved the vibe, the people are just really warm and there’s a certain cohesiveness in the community. I think it was perfectly suited to both my and my wife’s personalities.”
He acknowledged the work done by Rabbi Friedman to grow the shul over the last three years.
“We want to ride that wave of helping the shul grow and to bring in more young people, [and] obviously to cater for the older members as well,” he said.
Rabbi Koncepolski said he looked forward to opening his home to members of the community, and also said he planned to use his musical background to benefit the congregation.
“I’m a cantor and a musician, I play guitar, and I hope to incorporate that into as many programs as I can,” he said.
He added: “We want to bring a lot of energy and excitement to the shul, to make the shul environment a very exciting environment.
“And do as much as we can to enable the members to also take part in the service as well, that is a very important thing.”
GARETH NARUNSKY
Rabbi Chaim and Rebbetzin Dina Koncepolski with their three children.
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