Queen’s Birthday honours ’09
 
Jewish achievers from all walks of life were recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours. The AJN spoke with the WA recipient.
OAM for Perth’s beating heart
GABRIEL FREUND
PERTH Jewish community stalwart Sydney Berinson was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his long-time service to the community, particularly to the Perth Hebrew Congregation (PHC).
Berinson has been the beating heart of the PHC for 27 years, serving as the congregation’s “shammas”. ¬†He said the greatest joy in his work has come from teaching more than 200 of Perth’s soon-to-be-men their bar mitzvah portions.
“In teaching the bar mitzvah boys … to see them performing in shul, and enjoying themselves, that gives me the greatest pleasure of all,” Berinson said.Originally taking the job in 1982, as a temporary favour for a friend who was vice-president of the PHC board, Berinson’s unmatched knowledge of the community has meant that in almost three decades a suitable replacement has yet to be found.¬†”When Syd dies we plan to preserve him in a glass jar so that he can continue the job,” teased Marguerite Zeilinger, office manager at the PHC.
It is not recognition that motivates Berinson, but a selfless love for the community and dedication to the shul, which at more than 100 years old and boasting almost 1100 members, is Perth’s oldest and largest Jewish ¬≠institution.¬†”I do it because I’ve been brought up here, my parents were both members here, my grandparents were also members here.”
Photo:  Sydney Berinson 
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