Sufrin quits Elsternwick to join Gorelik at FREE

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ELSTERNWICK Jewish Community is searching for a rabbi as its current spiritual leader, Rabbi Yisroel Sufrin (pictured), prepares to take up a new post.

The Mizrachi-affiliated shul, located at Leibler Yavneh College’s Elsternwick campus, is preparing to farewell Rabbi Sufrin, who has led the congregation for nine years.

Elsternwick shul has advertised for a rabbi with “pulpit experience” to take up the reins at the 18-year-old synagogue.
In time for the coming High Holy Days, Rabbi Sufrin will join Friends of Refugees from Eastern Europe (FREE) to move the organisation into a new era, in coordination with FREE founder Rabbi Elozor Gorelik.

Rabbi Sufrin will be joining FREE at a seminal point in its history: the shul, which began about 35 years ago to welcome Jewish arrivals from the Soviet Union, is on the verge of completing its new premises, which will open in time for Rosh Hashanah.

The new building, located on FREE’s existing Carlisle Street, Balaclava, site, will incorporate “a brand new shul” with additional facilities, completing a seven-year construction project.

Rabbi Sufrin said the requirements of Melbourne’s Russian Jewish community had changed markedly since FREE began more than 30 years ago.

Russian immigrants’ material, educational and religious needs “have been catered for with love and care that is legend among the Russian community,” he said.

“Who has not heard of Rabbi Gorelik, if not a circumcision then a bar mitzvah, if not help finding a job, then a visit in the hospital and so on?

“The Russian community is far more settled than the early years, the voice and needs of the younger generation is dominant. Many are now second and third generation Australian,” Rabbi Sufrin said.

“FREE plans to restructure its vision and programming to focus on meeting the needs of this younger demographic,” he said.

PETER KOHN