Mizrachi forges on without rabbi or court ruling

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CHANTAL ABITBOL

MORE than a month after Bondi Mizrachi Synagogue and its estranged rabbi, Moshe Gutnick, faced off before the London Beth Din over an ongoing contract dispute, there’s still no word of when a ruling can be expected.

The three-day hearing over the rabbi’s proposed redundancy — which saw both parties, along with their counsel, fly to London — concluded on June 8. Since then, the parties have indicated that they have not been contacted by the Jewish court as to when it plans to hand down its judgement.

In the meantime, Rabbi Gutnick continues to go without a wage, which he agreed to beforehand, while Mizrachi shul operates without a rabbi.

“We are patiently waiting and will comment after the judgement,” Rabbi Gutnick, who is currently abroad in New York, has told The AJN.

Mizrachi president Mark Schneider also declined to comment directly on the case. However, he admitted the uncertainty over the forthcoming ruling was “making it hard to raise funds” for the already cash-strapped congregation.

From the onset, the shul’s board has maintained its decision to make the rabbi’s position redundant was because it couldn’t afford to continue paying his $80,000 annual salary. It had also said the shul was facing the possibility of insolvency. But at present, such talk appears to be put on hold.

“The fact that Rabbi Gutnick agreed not to receive a salary over this period has reduced our operating costs over the past few months,” explained Schneider, adding that the shul was “operating fine” without a rabbi.

“Our Baal Tephillah and Baal Koreh are doing a great job with the help and involvement of many able congregants. We had a successful Kiddush last Shabbos, and another is planned for this week,” he said.

The board was also “working through a few contingencies” on how to run services for upcoming Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur festivals in September, he said.

The case first appeared before the NSW Supreme Court in April when the rabbi won a last-minute injunction blocking the shul from voting on a proposal to make his position redundant after 22 years of service.

The rabbi had argued that the board’s attempt to remove him went against his contractual life tenure, and only a Jewish court had the right to decide on whether to make his position redundant.

The court ultimately ruled it was a matter for the Jewish courts.