Hoffman-030119-Shabbat-Candles

The Progressive Jewish Community in Australia has been very appreciative of the wonderful efforts of our Shuls and the Union of Progressive Judaism for connecting us together through digital Pesach services, Shabbat services and the beautiful Comfort and Healing service on Sunday night.

While we have missed our usual family and friends Seders in person, we have been able to celebrate the Exodus and our Freedom in a very different way. For this we are grateful. We know that this experience will bring us even closer and help us give more meaning to our Jewish and normal lives.

Meanwhile our brothers and sisters in Eretz Israel also suffer our plight. It also seems that our Progressive Rabbonim in Israel will be denied the means by which to financially survive because of their lack of governmental support. We know that even in Australia, our Shuls are having to find ways to reduce spending, which may affect some of our clergy. But they will not be left destitute.

If I can ask you one thing, it would be to make sure you are a member of ARZA Australia, so that if and when the World Zionist Congress actually meets in Israel, as members of ARZA and the ARZENU coalition, we can call for the Israeli Government to support Progressive Israeli Rabbis without discrimination in terms of their salaries.

Join ARZA
ARZA President, Helen Shardey

ARZA President, Helen Shardey