Rabbi Mirvis rededicates sanctuary
Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis joined leaders of the judiciary for The Great Synagogue rededication.
“This is the first time a Chief Rabbi has addressed a service of this sort at The Great Synagogue since our centenary in 1978,” the shule’s Chief Rabbi Dr Benjamin Elton appreciatively declared when welcoming Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, to the rededication ceremony of the shule’s recently restored sanctuary on March 10.
The event was made even more special as it incorporated the shule’s annual service to bless the start of the new legal year.
It began with a procession of dozens of top level representatives of the judiciary, and included speeches by the Chief Justice of NSW Andrew Bell and Governor General of Australia Sam Mostyn.
After blessing the judiciary and everyone engaged within the legal profession, Rabbi Mirvis celebrated “the rededication of this magnificent house of God”, and emphasised that synagogues “exist for the sake of the people who come into them . . . . and The Great Synagogue also boasts a wonderful minyan.
“What we’re celebrating today is that we’re not just alive here in this building, we are thriving.
“Isn’t this the most appropriate response to what transpired on the 14th of December last year – the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach?
“Our response is to declare that we will never be cowered and intimidated, [that] we’re resilient and strong, and with fortitude we will celebrate our Jewishness, and we’ll thrive even more than we did before.”
He added, “Rabbi Elton – this has everything to do with your success, leadership and inspiration, together with the marvellous lay leaders of this community.
“May we all be blessed with a future of peace, tranquility, success, and security.”
At the centre of the completed 2.5-year sanctuary restoration project was the return of the shule’s bimah to its original central position.
Other key elements were restoring the Ark, its corner posts, a reading desk that dates back to the shule’s 1878 opening, and brass and timber first installed in 1907, plus upgrading the air-conditioning system.
Rabbi Elton thanked all who made the restoration of the sanctuary possible, from the president Max Freedman, the board, and the project committee to the architect, craftspeople, congregation, donors, and NSW Government.
He also expressed gratitude to Rabbi Mirvis, not only for his presence at the ceremony, but for visiting Sydney’s Jewish community just days after the Bondi terror attack “when we needed his strength”.