home page
JCCV lends a helping hand

Cudgewa community able to gather once more

'This hall, that you have had an impact on, it is hugely used, it is where everyone comes together, it is the heart of every town, and that was identified during the fires.'

By Amanda Gunn August 8, 2022, 1:23 pm Edit
Daniel Aghion, JCCV president (back left) with Cudgewa residents at the opening of the Cudgewa community hall, rebuilt with donations to the Victorian Jewish Bushfire Relief Appeal.
Daniel Aghion, JCCV president (back left) with Cudgewa residents at the opening of the Cudgewa community hall, rebuilt with donations to the Victorian Jewish Bushfire Relief Appeal.

Following the loss of 15 homes due to the Black Summer fires and a community left devastated, the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) rebuilt the Cudgewa community hall to provide locals with a place to gather.

The town in north-east Victoria is home to around 300 people. The new hall was opened in May 2022 by former governor-general Sir Peter Cosgrove with JCCV president Daniel Aghion and CEO Judy Fetter.

BizRebuild, an initiative of the Business Council of Australia that assists communities affected by local disasters, was responsible for reconstructing the hall.

Cosgrove shared his appreciation for the Jewish community after the devastation of the fires.

“When these fires first struck the east coast of Australia … communities [were] devastated. Not only homes and families find themselves in terrible trouble, but businesses go to their knees, with their premises destroyed,” he said.

“At Cudgewa … that’s where the Jewish Community Council of Victoria stood tall. This is not business we are talking about giving to BizRebuild, it was, if you like, a semi-institutional philanthropist. People bonding together, assembling their means through the experts they asked to work for them, to apply the funds in a … deep sense of philanthropy.

“Those representing the JCCV today, we want you, from the BizRebuild community to convey back to the council and to your constituents our deep gratitude.”

Cudgewa local Josh Collings shared his appreciation for the Jewish community’s rebuild of the hall. “Thank you so much for all you’ve done for the community. This hall, that you have had an impact on, it is hugely used, it is where everyone comes together, it is the heart of every town, and that was identified during the fires,” he said.

“[Community halls] became the emergency centres, everything, communication, and just to connect with your neighbours. It’s amazing what has happened, it is not perfect yet, but we are getting there. This makes it better.”

read more:
comments