Rabbis and Staff

Rabbis

Rabbi - Gary Robuck

Rabbi Robuck has been responsible for initiating various projects at NSTE since his arrival in Australia, including Close Encounters of a Jewish Kind, an outreach to area schoolchildren, The Roz Sinclair Community Walk for Israel, and Rabbi Gary’s Totally Excellent Torah and Travel Camp. Alongside Janet Granek, he has developed Kesher Lanoar, a new approach to post-b’mitzvah aged learning. He has worked on establishing educational pathways for NSTE members through the North Shore Night School, Chevrah Torah lunches, Shabbat eve tisches and the Melton program, now offered at NSTE each Tuesday evening. The summer following 2009 was spent as Rabbi Robuck brought to life his vision of supplementary Jewish education for children and their families, known as Meah.

Rabbi Robuck was born in Cleveland, Ohio and earned his undergraduate degree in Jewish Studies from Ohio State University. He was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1988. In 1988 Rabbi Robuck with his wife, Jocelyn, and son David, came to Australia where “Rabbi Gary” served first as Assistant and then as Associate Rabbi until 1992, during which time daughter Shoshanna and son Aaron were born. While in Chatswood, Rabbi Robuck reached out to interfaith couples through the Times and Seasons program and assisted in the creation of Sasson v’ Simcha, a service for youth.

Rabbi Robuck has been recognised for his deep commitment to Klal Yisrael and for his creative innovations in worship and programming. His work in the pulpit and classroom and his pastoral skills combine a love and respect of traditional Judaism with a forward-looking approach to Jewish life.

As the rabbi of Congregation Shaarey Tikvah in Beachwood, Ohio (the congregation he left to come to Australia) Rabbi Robuck was well-known for his lively and thought-provoking sermons. He has written guest editorials that have appeared in The Cleveland Jewish News, The Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Australian Jewish News. His first, book, Notes from the Rabbi’s Desk was published in June 2003. Rabbi Robuck was the Founder of “Face to Face”, an award-winning Holocaust Education program, reaching out to non-Jewish teens and is Past President of the Greater Cleveland Board of Rabbis.

A pianist and vocalist, he and Jocelyn have frequently appeared on stage performing concerts for various charitable agencies. He is currently involved in the NSTE Jubilee production of Tony Award winner Stephen Schwartz’s musical Children of Eden, playing the role of Noah. Rabbi Robuck remains quite active musically and each High Holy Days joins Benny Kaplinski as the Shaliach Tzibbur (Cantorial Soloist).

Emeritus Rabbi - Richard Lampert

Rabbi Lampert retired as NSTE's Senior Rabbi on 31 December, 2003 after twenty six years.

Rabbi Lampert was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. After spending five years in a printing company, he studied at the University of Witwatersrand and the Leo Baeck Rabbinical College in London. Before taking up the position in our congregation, Rabbi Lampert was the Rabbi of Temple Emanuel, Johannesburg for twelve years.  Rabbi Lampert arrived in Australia in 1977 with his wife, Diane, their two daughters, Sharon and Yael and his mother-in-law, Hilda Wohlgemuth who has since sadly passed away. Under his leadership, the congregation grew from two hundred and seventy families to over seven hundred families. Rabbi Lampert is proud that the congregation is affiliated with the largest organisation of Jews in the world, the World Union for Progressive Judaism, which represents over two million Jews world-wide.

Rabbi Lampert and Diane are the proud grandparents of Zac, Jonah and Zoe.

Staff

Janet Granek - Director of Young Adults, Young Families and Youth Programming

Janet is employed full time at the synagogue as the Director of Young Adults, Young Families and Youth Programming and enjoys a variety of responsibilities. Her focus is to help the younger members of the congregation connect with being Jewish and feel included within the NSTE community.

Janet works with five main groups. She coordinates the weekly playgroup for 0-3 year olds and their parents, and assists the parents in getting involved with craft activities, story reading and, most importantly, social networking. Shabbat Tot, for 2-6 year olds and their families, meets approximately once a month on either a Friday afternoon or a Shabbat morning service, and involves t’fillah (worship), storytelling and craft. Kesher Lanoar, for high school youth, involves an afternoon class, taught by Janet or guest teachers. For Kesher Lanoar, Janet plans social events, assists in youth leadership and service leading skills. Janet works with a small committee for those within the age of 18 and 25, supporting them in the running of Shabbat dinners and arranging social events. Finally, Janet plans, promotes and runs events and Shabbat/holiday-related activities for Shore Thing, a group for young adults in their mid-twenties and thirties.

Janet studied at the University of Technology Sydney, obtaining a BA Communications Social Inquiry, with a special focus on community development. She attended the Shnat Netzer Leadership program in 1999, and she volunteered in the Netzer youth movement, holding the positions of State Head and Federal Treasurer during her service. For one year, she worked at the Jewish Board of Deputies as the Youth Coordinator.

In 2006, Janet participated in the Australian Nachum Goldmann Leadership program, which brought together 25 delegates from across the country for learning and community development. In 2007, she took a work trip to the USA and visited 5 cities, where she met with various youth and young adult directors, sharing information and ideas, and learning about the various programs and initiatives on offer. In December that year, she represented Tamar Australia at the URJ conference in the USA, and enjoyed being part of the large network of young Jewish professionals gathered there.

Janet is married to Jonathan Granek and mother of toddler Noa. Both are very involved in the community and supportive of her work." should say "Janet is married to Jonathan Granek and is the mother of 2 daughters, Noa and Lior.  The whole family are very involved in the community and supportive of her work

Judy Campbell – Music Director

Judy has been Music Director at NSTE since June 1999, providing direction to the volunteer choir, youth choir, vocal quartet ZIMRA and a range of professional musicians who are involved in services, concerts and other projects from time to time. Prior to that she had sung at NSTE in the volunteer choir for over 12 years. Over the past decade she has directed the choir on 3 CD releases:

“A Chanukah Cantata” by Shelley Olson (2000)

“A Hallel for Our Times” also by Shelley Olson (2003)

“Celebration”, Jubilee CD release (2009)

In her secular music life, she is a professional vocalist, composer, arranger and producer. She has led and written for a number of bands and vocal groups over a long period of time, and has toured extensively in Australia and South Africa with her world jazz group MOSAIC, who have three CD releases to their name.

Judy studied arranging at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and later taught sight-singing courses there. She has collaborated with other composers as an arranger and lyricist, and sings in the acclaimed Sydney chamber choir Bel Acappella.

In 2007, Judy launched JEWISH ARTS, a multi-artform initiative aimed at fostering Jewish continuity through active engagement with the arts. Now an incorporated association, Jewish Arts has presented and/or supported quite a number of events and continues to explore ways in which to realise its aims.

The philosophy underlying all her work is one of promoting harmony and understanding between people through shared experience of the arts. To this end, Judy actively pursues musical and cross-artform collaborations across genres, different media, cultures and religions.

Anat Baruch – Shlicha - Netzer

Anat arrived in Sydney in November 2009 as the Progressive community and Netzer Shlicha for the next couple of years, and hopes to help Netzer achieve their goals as a Jewish Progressive and Zionist youth movement. She is focusing on building a stronger link between the NSTE community and Israel.

Anat was born in Haifi in 1978 and grew up as part of the Scouts youth movement. She is an Israel Defense Force captain, having served her country for six years. She has a BA in Political Science and History of the Middle East as well as a BA in Economy. She works as a dance teacher and Pilates instructor.

Barbara Holmes – Membership Coordinator

Barbara’s role is primarily to promote the value and benefits of Membership of NSTE to the Jewish Community within the North Shore area of Sydney as well as the wider community, and to encourage Jews who are looking for a spiritual home within a Progressive Jewish Community to become members of NSTE.

She also initiates a number of functions and activities for new members including the delivery of “Welcome Packages” for new congregants.  Barbara undertakes this role on a part-time basis.

In her professional capacity as a business consultant she is the Director of her own company Managing Work|Life Balance International which for the last 20 years has lead the way in promoting work/life balance within Australian and Asian top 100 businesses. Her professional management experience, coaching and people management skills are all put to good use in her role at NSTE.

Barbara has been a member of the North Shore Temple Emanuel for over 25 years. She has worked as a volunteer on numerous projects including the early development of Chavurah Groups, catering for many, many functions and initiating some of the groups and workshops specifically for women. Most recently she project managed the development and implementation of this new web site.

Originally from the UK, Barbara settled in Sydney 30 years ago. On becoming an Australian citizen she switched her allegiances and is now a keen supporter of the Australian Cricket Team and a certified cricket tragic. Any other spare time is spent with close friends sampling many of the wonderful foods available to us here in Australia.

Rebecca Dreyfus – Caring Community Coordinator

An NSTE member for 15 years, Rebecca has recently been appointed as the Caring Community Coordinator.

Her role at NSTE is to continue developing and implementing the Caring Community projects to support congregation members at time of need within four main areas: community transport, home and hospital visiting, meals/cooking roster and the Shiva plate after funerals. She is also responsible for recruiting and training volunteers to support congregation members after illness, bereavement, family crisis or due to social isolation. Rebecca can also provide information and referrals to general community support services. She is responsible for identifying members who would like home visits from Rabbi Robuck or Rabbi Lampert.

Rebecca has many years of experience working in local government community services with children, families and senior citizens in Sydney and Melbourne. She is also a pre-school teacher and works casually in a variety of early childhood settings, in addition to running a small catering business.

During 2010, Rebecca will be planning and implementing  a series of social functions for older congregation members. The first “Shmooz and Chews” event will be held in March.

Rebecca has a commitment to encouraging people of all ages to have a healthy, active lifestyle through participation in community life and is dedicated to encouraging volunteerism at all levels of community life. She has a son, Nathan, who is studying law, and a daughter, Elysa, who lives in Israel. She lives locally with her partner, Steve Freeman.

Pauline Lazarus – Administration

Pauline has been working at NSTE for six years. In addition to being the personal assistant to Rabbi Robuck, Pauline coordinates the b’mitzvah and conversion program, weddings and baby namings, the Judaica shop and the hire of the Valerie Jay Function Centre and the Max Joseph Hall. She also maintains the Yarzeit Board and the Tree of Life, and coordinates the honours for Shabbat and Festival services.

She immigrated to Australia from England at the end of 2000, along with her husband Nigel and her two sons, Josh and Reuben. Both boys have celebrated their bar mitzvahs at NSTE and are involved with Kesher Lanoar and Netzer.

This year, Pauline is very involved with the Jubilee events, and is on the Jubilee executive, helping with the Purim Carnival, the NSTE gala dinner and the Scholar in Residence program. She enjoys singing with the NSTE choir, and will also be part of the ensemble for the Jubilee production of Children of Eden.