New congregation on the North Shore
A NEW Jewish congregation has been established to encourage Torah study on the North Shore.
A NEW Jewish congregation has been established to encourage Torah study on the North Shore.
Kehillat Masada, in conjunction with several local families, have hired Rabbi Avraham Colman to establish the Ohr HaTzafon community.
“We came because a group of young guys are looking to build a Torah community and we want to be able to participate and help them facilitate their dream,” Rabbi Colman, from Lakewood, New Jersey, said.
The community, which is based out of Kehillat Masada, runs lessons during the week, an independent service on Shabbat, and is designed to be a family-orientated minyan and a social hub for spiritual growth and development on the North Shore.
Rabbi Colman saw an advertisement for the position on the Ner Le’Elef website, a world centre for Jewish leadership training and community outreach.
He applied for the position and was successful, moving to Australia with his wife and four children recently.
“We have our own Shabbat services, my eldest children attend Kesser Torah College, and we are very happy here in Sydney because it’s a great city,” he said.
And the community has certainly welcomed him — within two weeks of arriving in Australia, the rabbi had already performed three brit milah ceremonies, led two Shabbat services and presented several lectures on Torah topics.
The 30-year-old rabbi grew up and studied in Toronto, Canada, before moving to Lakewood after school.
Ohr HaTzafon spokesperson Gary Sher said with Rabbi Coleman on board, the community is growing well.
“Our dream is to create an atmosphere and an environment where people can feel comfortable growing in their Judaism in an authentic way,” Sher said.
“If we can achieve that, then the infrastructure will follow and perhaps one day we can have a kosher restaurant on the North Shore and more education institutions.”
Kehillat Masada president Cecil Bass said he is very excited to have the new congregation as part of the community.
“There were a lot of young people in the community that were becoming more observant and they wanted to have a minyan that better reflected their views,” Bass said.
He said the shul will always stay a part of Masada.
“We think what they are doing is great and it reflects growth and a different and exciting new aspect of Judaism in our community.
JOSHUA LEVI
comments