Who are we?
History and heritage
Growing out of Wednesday afternoon ‘Religion School’ classes which began
in 1956 in the Dispensary Hall at Chatswood held under the guidance of
Rabbi Brasch and others from Temple Emanuel Woollahra, NSTE established
itself as a cornerstone of Jewish life on Sydney’s North Shore. Seven
children were enrolled at that first.
Dr Max Joseph accepted the task of forming a school for Liberal Jewish
studies on the North Shore, the early nucleus of the North Shore Temple
Emanuel. Dr Joseph had immigrated to Australia from Berlin just before the
second World War and had been instrumental in forming the Association of
Jewish Refugees, later known as the Association of New Citizens, to help
newly arrived emigrants from Europe to etablish themselves in Australia.
(When NSTE was established, Dr Joseph served as president for the first
seven years.)
A parents committee was formed, chaired by Lou Rose.
March: Dr. Max Joseph formed a committee to organise a new Liberal
Congregation, calling it the Council of the North Shore Temple Emanuel.
8 May: the first Friday night Shabbat service was held in the
Dispensary Hall, Victoria Avenue, Chatswood. The Religion school was held
there on Wednesday afternoons, run by teachers from Temple Emanuel
Woollahra.
December: land was purchased at 28 Chatswood Avenue.
8 May: land was dedicated for the temple, twelve months after the first
Liberal Service on the North Shore. Over two hundred people attended and
more than $8,000 was pledged. At this time there were ninety members of
the newly formed congregation and eighty pupils in the Religion School.
15 July: North Shore Temple Emanuel was incorporated and the constitution
presented.
24 July: the first general meeting held in the Dispensary Hall.
Office bearers: President, Dr M. Joseph; Vice President, N. Bersten; Hon.
Treasurer, L Port; Hon Secretary, H. Jensen.
the first High Holy Days Services were held in local halls.
November: building contract signed for a multi purpose building (now the
Max Joseph building housing the Pre-School).
12 December: the North Shore Temple Ladies Guild was formed to raise
additional funds for the Chatswood Temple.
President, Ursula Jensen, Vice Presidents, Mrs S Simmons and Mrs M
Heideman; Secretary, Mrs H. Witton; Treasurer, Mrs B Joseph.
26 February: Foundation Stone laid by Mr Phillip Goldstein and Dr Max
Joseph. The first step in a three stage $200,000 building project for the
synagogue and centre for Progressive Judaism on the North Shore.
3 September: The new building was dedicated by Rabbi Brasch from Temple
Emanuel Woollahra assisted by Rabbi Abecassis, a newly inducted assistant
rabbi from France, Rabbi John Levi of Temple Beth Israel Melbourne and
Cantor J Blits. Mr. Phillip Goldstein, the main benefacor lit the
perpetual lamp. Temple membership at that time was two hundred and twenty
people.
|
|
13 March: First Bar Mitzvah, John Landau conducted by Rabbi Brasch..
8 June. First Bat Mitzvah ceremony, Participants Jennifer Burger, Janet
Buckwalter, Rosemary Hirschl, Vivienne Center, Barbara Jensen, Dorothy Rosebery, Marian Scharf and Mary Walder conducted by Rabb Brasch.
At this time there were one hundred students and two hundred and twenty
five members.
Choir formed by Murray Lewis.
9 August: Reverend Claude Schwarz was inducted by Rabbi Brasch before a
congregation of more than one hundred and sixty people. Services extended
to each Friday evening, Saturday morning and festival.
Rev Schwarz started a Youth Group, assisted by parents. organised
dancing classes, soccer team, table tennis teams and karate lessons.
Sefer Torah donated by Mr and Mrs Garrett
A Chuppah donated by Mr and Mrs Jensen
A library was established in these early days by Hans Jensen. During the
1960s and 1970s the library was run by Max Ariev, Henry Blanks, Gerald
Lippman and Mr Jaegers.
February: Sefer Torah donated by the
Youth Group of the Congregation was dedicated.
March: Hatikvah (The Hope) magazine of the North Shore Temple was first
published. Editor was Max Ariev.
30 April, first wedding in the log book. Jack Braude married Ursula
Israelski.
December: The congregation was represented by seven delegates at the
Tri-annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Union of
Progressive Judaism. During this month the congregation joined the NSW
Jewish Board of Deputies as a constituent body.
31 March: Congregation had grown to 211 family units (382 individuals).
Enrolment at the religion school was 173 students.
19 December: first single Bat Mitzvah, Susan Porges.
December Sunday morning classes began for youth aged between 13 and 17.
Adult education classes in Modern Hebrew and general Jewish knowledge were
conducted by Reverend Schwarz with guest lecturers.
May: Board of Management adopted Stage 2 of the original plan, providing
an upper floor to the building for additional classrooms.
Second storey added.
October: Rabbi Dr J Funkenstein, having arrived in time for the High Holy
Days was inducted. Dr Funkenstein came from a teaching post at Munich
University and had numerous professorial and rabbinic postings in Europe
and South Africa. Reverend Schwarz had returned to Melbourne for family
reasons.
November: Hans Jensen took over the Presidency from Dr Joseph who was
subsequently made the first Honorary Life Vice-President.
Lou Rose became President.
|
|
Rabbi Funkenstein resigned.
16 May: Rabbi George Ruben was inducted as Rabbi, a position he held until
1977. Rabbi Ruben had been a pioneer of Liberal Judaism in Australia and
came to NSTE after thirteen years in Perth where he had been the first
minister of Temple David.
Rabbi Ruben conducted a model Jewish service at the Wayside Chapel at the
invitation of Rev Ted Noffs.
Lou Rose was elected for a third consecutive term as President. The
Finance committee looked into extending the building and adding a
sanctuary.
July: NSTE celebrated the tenth anniversary of its foundation with a
special service and dance which more than two hundred and fifty people
attended.
Upgrading of temple building and grounds
Community Support Group established by Garry and Nola Braude
|
 |
NSTE celebrates its Bar Mitzvah (counting from 1959)
NSTE’s first fete convened by Garry and Nola Braude. This was the first of
three fetes convened by Garry Braude and Nola Braude (both later awarded
the honour of OAM)
President Lou Rose reported that the Board was considering the idea of a
new sanctuary.
As senior member of World Maccabi Sports Association, Lou Rose represented
Australia in Israel.
Dr Max Joseph, founding President of NSTE died at the age of 80.
Cantor Murray Lewis was inducted as Reverend to assist Rabbi Ruben.
The congregation had grown to three hundren and eighty two members.
Clive Banks was appointed Youth councellor having spend a year in Israel
as NSTE’s first student on Machon.
Rabbi Ruben left the congregation and Cantor Lewis died suddenly.
In December Rabbi Richard Lempert arrived in Sydney to take up a three
year contract after eleven yars as minister of Temple Emanuel in
Johannesburg, a congregation of seven hundred families with a Hebrew
school of two hundred and fifty pupils.
|
|
22 January: Rabbi Lampert was inducted by Rabbi Dr R. Brasch. More than
four hundred people attended the ceremony.
Laurance Splitter became Cantor.
Rabbi Lampert introduced new Prayer Book Gates of Prayer.
13 March: The Shalom Group “a friendship club for seniors” was
established.
24 June: The recommendation that a new permanent sanctuary be constructed
was overwhelmingly approved at the Extraordinary General Meeting.
August: Hans Jensen took over the Presidency from Lou Rose who had served
a continuous eleven years as president. Lou Rose (later MBE) was elected Honoraroy Life
Vice-President. The Articles of Association were amended to place a limit
of three consecutive years for a President to hold office.
August: Ground breaking ceremony for the new Temple.
|
|
February: Netzer, the Progressive Jewish Youth movement was founded.
“Netzer” means “a new shoot from an older branch”. The first madrichim
were Jennie Lewy and Steven Klipin.
8 April: Construction of the new sanctuary.
8 June: Foundation stone of new Temple laid.
August: NSTE affiliated to ARZI.
30 November: the new Sanctuary was officially opened by the Governor
General of Australia, Sir Zelman Cowan, making NSTE the first synagogue
with access for people with disabilities plus special equipment for people
with hearing impairment.
Ladies Guild was changed to Kahilla Group, allowing couples to work
together. Leah Corne was voted President. By December this was changed to
NSTE Guild. Milton Renham was voted President.
The War Memorial was dedicated. This had been designed by artist and
congregation member, Lou Rose, MBE.
In August the Martin and Emma Hannes Pre-School opened, endowed by Jack
Hannes and his sister Eva Holmes in memory of their parents Martin and
Emma Hannes.
Dr Graeme Tier joined as associate cantorial soloist.
Julia Blanks became President.
Record enrolments in Religion school.
Eliot Baskin arrived as first student Rabbi.
March: Adjoining property, 32 Chatswood Avenue was purchased.
Torah Scroll was donated by Mr and Mrs S Jaffe.
Student Rabbi: Josh Plaut
Inaugural Senior Citizens Concert convened by Garry and Nola Braude. Held
annually ever since.
NSTE celebrated its 25th Anniversary at a ball at Boulevard Hotel and
produced an anniversary booklet.
Peter Schlesinger became President.
Student Rabbi Don Goor
Student Rabbi Jonathan Black organised a musical production of Joseph and
his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat .
Membership topped 1600
Ron Sinclair became President.
Laurance Splitter left to take up an academic post in Melbourne.
Student Rabbi David Feder
Rabbi Gary Robuck was appointed as Assistant Rabbi and later as Associate
Rabbi.
Membership 1800
Sefer Torah donated by Major Maurice Randolph
NSTE’s Chanukkah service was televised on ABC TV.
Mazon Australia was incorporated as a benevolent institution which raises
funds and distributes them to the hungry.
Tree of Life (Etz Chayyim) donated by Mr & Mrs H Jensen
Lex Blank became President.
Chavurah meets for the first time.
August. Valerie Jaye Hall (later Valerie Jaye Function Centre) and
classrooms were completed and dedicated.
Funds were donated for a Library by Mark and Nancy Herzberg, hence the
Herzberg Library
|
|
26 January, fire badly damaged Max Joseph building (the original shul).
First Rookwood Cemetery Cleanup organised by Garry and Nola Braude.
Mike Lyons became President.
Building restored.
Rabbi Robuck left to lead his own congregaton in USA.
Benny Kaplinski assisted as cantorial soloist.
Rabbi Jonathan Stein from USA spends three months at NSTE.
Rabbi Jordan Cohen and Cantor Janec e Erman Cohen joined the congregation.
Lex Blank became President.
Stained glass windows designed by NSTE member Deirdre Hart were installed
Danny Marcus became President.
NSTE celebrated its 35th Anniversary with a ball at Willougby Town Hall
and an anniversary booklet.
Rabbi Lampert conducted a tour of Jewish Spain.
Allison Henteloff arrived as student rabbi.
Rabin memorial dedicated.
Yahrzeit Board - donated by David and Yona Bornstein
Gender sensitive siddur, Or Chadash formally introduced.
Jeff Sharp became President.
Rabbi Jordan and Cantor Janece Erman Cohen leave the congregation.
Rabbi Allison Henteloff Conyer, the Temple’s first female rabbi was
appointed.
Death of Julia Blanks.
David Bentley assisted as contorial soloist.
Shabbat Shalom and chag Samei’ach too (Prayers for around the table for
daily, Shabbat and festival observance) booklet and CD introduced .
Refurbishment of Max Joseph building.
Benny Kaplinski appointed as Cantorial Soloist.
Shore Thing for Young Adults began.
NSTE celebrates 40 years
Rabbi Cheryl Nosan appointed as Assistant Rabbi while Rabbi Conyer on
leave.
Special Hatikvah Journal edition celebrated the 40th anniversary of NSTE.
Sefer Torah donated by Jensen Family on the occasion of the shul’s 40th
Anniversary
The new ark was installed.
Peschool upgraded.
New Ark, designed by Dennis Rabinowitz installed. The curtain was designed
by NSTE member Ricki Adler
Death of Jeff Sharp
Dr Frank Wolf became President .
Jews for Social Action established followng Rabbi Allison Conyer’s High
Holy Day sermon. This was followed soon after by the establishment of
NSTE’s Jewish Muslim Dialogue Group.
Rabbi Lampert retired and became Rabbi Emeritus.
|
|
Rabbi Gary Robuck ordained as Senior Rabbi with Rabbi Conyer as Associate
Rabbi.
26 August Honorary Life Member Hans Jensen died.
Ralph Pliner became President.
NSTE celebrates 45 years.
Death of Lou Rose MBE.
Inaugural event for Kesher Lanoar, a new approach to post b'mitzvah aged
students.
December Rabbi Conyer returned to the USA to take up the position of
Director at Santa Barbara, Hillel at the University of California, Santa
Barbara.
Close Encounters of the Jewish Kind, an outreach to area school children
introduced.
Inaugural Roz Sinclair Community Walk for Israel.
First of the Totally Excellent Torah and Travel Camps for school age and
teenage students.
Chevrah Torah lunches began.
Janet Granek employed as part-time Young Adult Coordinator (For young
adults in their 20s and 30s).
Establishment of North Shore Night School.
Melton program offered at NSTE for the first time.
Janet Granek employed as part-time Youth Coordinator (ages 13-17).
Community Support Group celebrates 35 years of service.
This congregation has come a long way since 1957
yet the strength and sustenance of the community has remained constant.
Most involved with NSTE would agree that one of the most important
facets of our community is our inclusiveness.
We have a well-deserved reputation for warmth, friendliness, caring and
service. The support and dedication of our members to each other, the
wider Jewish and Australian communities is commendable and contagious.
|
 |
