Rabbis pay tribute to ‘a giant of a man’
"St Kilda Shule is exceptionally fortunate to be connected to Monash."
Rabbi Ralph Genende and Rabbi Yaakov Glasman represented the Jewish community last week at the annual Sir John Monash commemorative event.
The event, hosted by the Spirit of Australia Foundation following a two year hiatus due to COVID-19, took place at Parliament House in the Legislative Assembly.
Rabbi Glasman was representing St Kilda Shule where John Monash was a long standing member and served on its board for nine years.
Senior chaplain to the ADF Rabbi Ralph Genende recited the Memorial Prayer in English and Hebrew, as well as a Prayer for Australia during the event.
He told The AJN, “This annual service not only recognises that Sir John Monash was a scholar, engineer, soldier and nation builder but also proudly acknowledges his Jewish identity.”
He added, “This was emphasised this year by the eloquent address of Sarah Schwartz who proudly spoke of both her Jewishness and the Jewish character of General Sir John Monash.”
Schwartz was one of the keynote speakers at the occasion, and she was the 2019 Roden Cutler NSW John Monash Scholar.
Also in attendance from the Jewish community were Doron Abramovici, Executive member of the JCCV and Ben Hirsh representing the Victorian Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women, who jointly laid a wreath on behalf of the Jewish community.
Rabbi Glasman said, “Sir John Monash was a giant of a man and arguably the most famous Australian Jew. The esteem in which he is held within our Australian Defence Force, the government and indeed the entire Australian population is unparalleled.”
He added “St Kilda Shule is exceptionally fortunate to be connected to Monash, who served on my Shule’s Board for nine years in such a meaningful way.”
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