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20 HASHALOM March
2017
March 2017
HASHALOM
21
COMMUNITY NEWS
Valedictory Service at the Great Synagogue
It is with sadness and joy that the Great Synagogue is now moving to a
new location after 55 years. The emotional Valedictory Service of the
landmark, the Great Synagogue was attended by close to 400 people
including Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein and Rabbi Moshe Kurtstag,
Rosh Beth Din.
The Valedictory Service began with Mincha led by our Cantor Yaron
Kalmonovitz accompanied by the Shul Choir and Cecile Levin followed
by an address by the Chairman, Maurice Sacher who said being Chairman
at the DUHC in the past few years had been a challenging time and a
privilege, finalising the transition to our new Shul. He thanked all those
involved including our spiritual leader of the past 32 years, Rabbi Dr
Pinchas Zekry, for leading the process of the transition; Julian Beare for
his project advice and David Levin for his legal advice. He also thanked the Shul staff and Allan Cohen for administering the logistics
of the move. He assured the congregation we will have a magnificent new home. Akiva School choir then beautifully sang a selection
of Hebrew songs.
Rabbi Zekry then addressed the congregation, referring to the weekly portion in which Moshe told Pharaoh that the Children of
Israel were going out to pray to Hashem. Rabbi Zekry said that occasion was the first Shul and first form of national prayer which
has perpetuated to this day. He added it was with mixed feelings that we leave the Great Synagogue which has been blessed with
a wonderful congregation and served us over the many years. Rabbi expressed his gratitude to Hashem for guiding us through this
transition process which is beneficial to the future of the congregation. Heralding the development was the establishment of the UJC
and the Jewish Day School, even bearing in mind the size of our community. Rabbi Zekry stressed that we are not closing down but
rather moving forward, tailoring our institutions to continue serving us.
Rabbi Zekry then called on Dr Jonathan Beare to open the Ark for the Hakafot with Sifrei Torah around the Shul. Rabbi paid tribute to
Jonathan for his outstanding contribution and vision for securing the future of our community. Jonathan has played a major role in
establishing UJC and continues to give support to our community in his unassuming manner.
Participating in the Hakafot ceremony were Rabbis and officials of the Shul Council led by Maurice Sacher the chairman who has been
thanked for his outstanding service of over 25 years to the DUHC. Benefactors and representatives of beneficiary organizations were
also honoured with Hakafot and so too, leaders in the youth movements and representatives of the schools. Cantor Kalmonowitz
intoned a Hazkara in memory of departed members of the first Shul Council of the Great Synagogue and Rabbi Zekry extended his
good wishes to those members of the 1961/2 Council who were still alive.
Chief Rabbi Goldstein then addressed the congregation, saying the Shul has seen so much over the past 55 years. He said the Shul
had not been just a building but a place of prayer, simchas and other life cycle occasions. He calculated how many Minyanim had
been held over the past 55 years. Rabbi Goldstein said we may be leaving a building we take the Mitzvot we have performed at the
Shul with us on our journey to the new Shul because the Mitzvot we perform are stored for eternity.
Rabbi Kurtstag, Rosh Beth Din, spoke of his long-standing relationship with the Great Synagogue and Rabbi Zekry going back few
decades. He emphasised the importance of unity in the congregation and in the community and believed the new Shul will be a place
of prayer and unity.
This milestone occasion ceremony concluded with the singing of Hatikvah, the anthem of hope and faith in the future for all Jews
and Israel.
The evening ended with a magnificent cocktail dinner catered by Selma Lurie and her team.
We now are looking forward to moving to our new Shul which will continue the magnificent service to our community in our next
chapter in the chronicles of the congregation.