Yeshivah Gedolah opening and dedication ceremony
Melbourne has witnessed fulfilment of the adage that “great oaks from little acorns grow”.
On Cheshvan 16, 5710/1949, in the little timber Shepparton shule, a yeshivah opened its doors as three students commenced their studies under the tutelage of Reb Zalman Serebryanski and Reb Abba Pliskin. It was a small start but Lubavitch had arrived.
Fast forward seven decades to Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan 5780. In the interim the yeshivah had moved to Burwood and then East St Kilda, schools were established and in 1966 came the Yeshivah Gedolah – now known as the Rabbinical College of Australia and New Zealand.
A fully residential institute of tertiary Jewish studies it now caters for both Australian and international students. Its graduates are found in all areas of professions, industry and commerce, education, the rabbinate and outreach work, serving communities here, interstate and overseas.
Yet in essence it is a direct successor to that yeshivah established in Shepparton 70 years earlier. Its first teacher was Reb Laizer Herzog who had been one of the first three students in Shepparton.
Within a few years of its establishment the college came to occupy spacious premises in Alexandra Street, albeit grand they were old, and over decades lack of renovation funds had led to further decline.
And so, in Cheshvan 2019, 70 years after the previous Rebbe Rabbi Isaac Joseph Schneersohn wrote to Reb Zalman Serebryanski, urging immediate action to open a yeshivah, our contemporary Yeshivah Gedolah of Melbourne signed a contract to begin building its most ambitious project yet – a major extension and redevelopment of its Alexandra Street campus.
The first stage of the new and exciting world-class development focuses on the construction of a new two-storey wing which will include an extension to the study hall (zal), new staff offices, and five new bedrooms to accommodate 15 students.
The development was enabled in large part due to the support and partnership of the Tatarka family in memory of Ronnie Tatarka, a former member of the executive, together with a successful Charidy campaign spearheaded by Shmuel Gurewicz. Yeshivah Gedolah remains profoundly grateful to the matchers and well over 1000 donors who generously and enthusiastically contributed over one million dollars to the campaign.
It will now undoubtedly continue on its path of growth mechayil el chayil – from strength to strength – benefitting the Jewry of Melbourne and beyond.