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Australia - Adelaide Loses Another Rabbi |
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Rabbi Avraham Gutnick
A synagogue spokesperson said Rabbi Gutnick had played a key role in healing wounds created by a long-running dispute between AHC and its former spiritual leader, Rabbi Yossi Engel.
Within weeks of Rabbi Gutnick’s appointment in 2007, Shabbat attendances returned to levels not seen since before the rift with Rabbi Engel occurred.
A search to replace Rabbi Gutnick is well underway and the congregation expects to make an announcement on his successor shortly.
AHC is now looking for a permanent Adelaide-based appointment, so that the community can have the benefit of a local rebbetzin, the spokesperson said.
At one stage during AHC’s dispute with Rabbi Engel, the Sydney Beth Din (SBD), which has jurisdiction over Adelaide, had threatened the shul with a siruv (notice of contempt) if it replaced Rabbi Engel, whose employment the SBD regarded as ongoing.
However, the Supreme Court of South Australia ruled in 2007 that Rabbi Engel’s employment had ended.
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Read Comments (17) — Post Yours »
1
Jun 14, 2009 at 11:21 PM Milhouse Says:
The headline is misleading. It's hardly fair to say that Adelaide has "lost another rabbi", just because a temporary appointment has run its course. As the article acknowledges, Avremky G has done wonderful work there, but unless he's willing to uproot his family and move there, it was always going to be a temporary gig. Now that he's healed the wounds the community is ready to move on and get a permanent rabbi of its own, who will live in Adelaide rather than an hour's flight away.
2
Jun 14, 2009 at 10:17 PM Anonymous Says:
Who cares/ why report some Shul dispute 1,000s of miles away?
3
Jun 15, 2009 at 06:43 AM Jack Says:
The first rabbi was not a loss. It is a blessing to the community that he no longer is their rabbi.
4
Jun 15, 2009 at 06:32 AM Aron Says:
“ Who cares/ why report some Shul dispute 1,000s of miles away? ”
Who cares? "Kol Yisroel araivim zeh lozeh".
Perhaps you should check your lineage.
5
Jun 15, 2009 at 04:42 AM Anonymous Says:
To #2
In case you are interested to know, Jews all over the world read this website including those that ARE interested in what is happening in Australia.
Yiddishkeit exist all over the world NOT JUSt in the USA
6
Jun 15, 2009 at 02:42 AM Izzy,Melbourne Says:
If they are smart the won't take a Lubavitcher as rabbi. There have been two similar cases in Australia, a relatively small community(about 100 thousand)where Lubavitcher rabbis have decided not to leave, and drag the community into a huge fight, though there employment has been terminated.
Lubavitchers should be rabbis in their own communities and regular shuls should take rabbis who follow their customs.
7
Jun 15, 2009 at 02:16 AM aussie Says:
the biggest problem with finding a rabbi to take over in adelaid is, there is not enough yiddishkeit for the (rabbi's) children.
8
Jun 15, 2009 at 07:29 AM Izzy a bigot??? Says:
Izzy, you are an idiot. If you get rid of all the Lubavitchers who are pulpit rabbis you won't have people bothering to get involved with their Shuls &/or communities. Furthermore, if you know anything it's that a Rav must adhere to the minhagim (including Nusach/Davening) of the Kehila. But I guess you object to a Lubavitcher insisting on a Kosher Mechitza, that Kiddushim should be Kosher. It must bother you that he gets young people involved, sets up programs for Seniors, kids, etc etc, rather than just taking a free house, a nice salary, & looking down his nose at the people he is supposed to serve.
9
Jun 15, 2009 at 09:14 AM Anonymous Says:
“ Izzy, you are an idiot. If you get rid of all the Lubavitchers who are pulpit rabbis you won't have people bothering to get involved with their Shuls &/or communities. Furthermore, if you know anything it's that a Rav must adhere to the minhagim (including Nusach/Davening) of the Kehila. But I guess you object to a Lubavitcher insisting on a Kosher Mechitza, that Kiddushim should be Kosher. It must bother you that he gets young people involved, sets up programs for Seniors, kids, etc etc, rather than just taking a free house, a nice salary, & looking down his nose at the people he is supposed to serve. ”
Lubavitch does a wonderful job all over the world to be mekarev yiden. At the same time it is important that wherever the rabbis are they maintain the minhag hamokem and not try to change things to their advantage.
10
Jun 15, 2009 at 11:52 AM Yehuda Says:
When a Lubavitcher becomes the rabbi of a non lubavitch shul he does not try to change their kosher minhagim, just their non-kosher ones (i.e. put up a koshe mechitza if non-existent, make sure all food is kosher, keeping shabbos properly, etc.)
11
Jun 15, 2009 at 05:24 PM Milhouse Says:
“ If they are smart the won't take a Lubavitcher as rabbi. There have been two similar cases in Australia, a relatively small community(about 100 thousand)where Lubavitcher rabbis have decided not to leave, and drag the community into a huge fight, though there employment has been terminated.
Lubavitchers should be rabbis in their own communities and regular shuls should take rabbis who follow their customs. ”
Two cases? Since at least half the rabbonim in the country are Lubavs, any time a community has an argument with its rov there's a good chance that he's a Lubav. Of course there have been more than four cases of such trouble over the years, so if only two of them involved Lubavs then they're doing well.
In this particular case your advice is completely off the mark; they did have a problem with Engel, but they've been very happy with Avremky.
12
Jun 15, 2009 at 07:29 PM ZR Says:
“ If they are smart the won't take a Lubavitcher as rabbi. There have been two similar cases in Australia, a relatively small community(about 100 thousand)where Lubavitcher rabbis have decided not to leave, and drag the community into a huge fight, though there employment has been terminated.
Lubavitchers should be rabbis in their own communities and regular shuls should take rabbis who follow their customs. ”
The only reason places like Adelaide take Chabad Rabbi's as their pulpit rabbi is because it is almost impossible to get any other Orthodox rabbi to move to a city lacking basic frum amenities like appropriate frum schools for their kids etc.
These shuls know that. They know that the only hope they can get a rabbi to move to their city is if they find a Chabadnik who's brave enough to move his family to their spiritually isolated city.
Why any rabbi would agree to take his family into such a city with knowledge his contract can be terminated at a moment’s notice, is beyond me. Which Orthodox rabbi would be crazy enough to move on a permanent basis to Adelaide now, after how they treated their first rabbi? Is it any wonder why they have failed to find a new permanent rabbi, for the last few years?
13
Jun 15, 2009 at 06:53 PM ZR Says:
“ If they are smart the won't take a Lubavitcher as rabbi. There have been two similar cases in Australia, a relatively small community(about 100 thousand)where Lubavitcher rabbis have decided not to leave, and drag the community into a huge fight, though there employment has been terminated.
Lubavitchers should be rabbis in their own communities and regular shuls should take rabbis who follow their customs. ”
The only reason places like Adelaide take Chabad Rabbi's as their pulpit rabbi is because it is almost impossible to get any other Orthodox rabbi to move to a city lacking basic frum amenities like appropriate frum schools for their kids etc.
These shuls know that. They know that the only hope they can get a rabbi to move to their city is if they find a Chabadnik who's brave enough to move his family to their spiritually isolated city.
Why any rabbi would agree to take his family into such a city with knowledge his contract can be terminated at a moment’s notice, is beyond me. Which Orthodox rabbi would be crazy enough to move on a permanent basis to the spirituel desert of Adelaide now, after how they treated their first rabbi? Is it any wonder why they have failed to find a new permanent rabbi, for the last few years?
14
Jun 17, 2009 at 12:35 AM in the know Says:
“ the biggest problem with finding a rabbi to take over in adelaid is, there is not enough yiddishkeit for the (rabbi's) children. ”
The biggest problem is the the way they treat their Rabbis. To maseh on one, just because he practiced his right to dispute through din torah or court and now gloat that he has been charged doesnt say much for the kehillah . The second was
treated apallingly because he stood for Torah true values. There isnt enough Yiddishkeit because they dont want it. Its too inconvenient. Now that there is no Rabbi the remaining spark of Judaism rests with Rabbi Engel and the sparks of Yiddishkeit, and warmth, left behind by Rabbi Gutnick and his family...
15
Jun 17, 2009 at 12:15 AM Anonymous Says:
After the way they treated the last Rabbi and especially Rabbi Gutnick of late, they will be lucky to get any Rabbi and we should all feel sorry for the next Rabbi. Rumour has it that Rabbi Gutnick couldnt wait to leave..
16
Jun 17, 2009 at 09:14 AM Anonymous Says:
Rabbi Gutnick and his family will be sorely missed in Adelaide. The next Rabbi will have a hard act to follow.
17
Jun 21, 2009 at 06:26 PM nigel Says:
“ The first rabbi was not a loss. It is a blessing to the community that he no longer is their rabbi. ”
Jack is quite right.
It should be stated that once the official investigations are all over the actions of the SBD should be reviewed and its fitness for purpose considered.
Some Lubavitch emissaries or members across the world do very great work, in very difficult conditions. This is not, however, always the case - and there have been disturbing incidents past and current in communities across the world that give rise to great concern.
The arrogance of persons who dare to call Adelaide a spiritual desert is impudent. As the Haggadah instructs about "the wicked son", these persons should have their "teeth set on edge".
Orthodox Judaism involves the observance of ritual Mitzvot - but it also requires adherence to the ethical and moral guidelines set out very clearly in the codes. The first without the second is abhorrent - the Prophet Isaiah is very clear on this point, when he records the Divine condemnation of such behaviour in terms as "incense is an abomination to me"!
The Prophet quotes simply "seek justice, learn to do well, remove evil". Some of these injunctions appear to have been overlooked by some so-called Orthodox supporters.
We are all responsible for each other and while it is right to support greater adherence to the Mitzvot - some sanctimonious persons need reminding that the Divine spark is present in all Jews (and others!) and that those who simply adhere to ritual Judaism and ignore its ethical diktats do not occupy a higher level than those who behave decently - but have not yet come to the position where they can keep the Mitzvot fully. Indeed who can and does?