Chabad CBD toasts 10 years

Chabad CBD toasts 10 years

tali borowski

MELBOURNE'S central business district (CBD) is often the venue for business lunches and high-powered meetings. But for the past 10 years, Chabad of Melbourne CBD has also offered spirituality and religious support to the area's Jewish workers.

The shul's annual Purim function last Sunday doubled as its 10th birthday party, with about 400 guests, including Melbourne Lord Mayor John So, Melbourne Ports MP Michael Danby and Member for Caulfield Helen Shardey, hearing a Megillah reading by rabbinical student Sholom Ber Ceitlin. Guests also enjoyed live music and other Purim festivities.
Established in 1997, Chabad of Melbourne CBD was the brainchild of Rabbi Chaim Dov Ber Herzog who noticed "a need and a void" for Yiddishkeit in the city.

After its first official function – a Purim luncheon – proved a resounding success, Rabbi Herzog was appointed shaliach of Chabad of Melbourne CBD, a position he still holds to this day.

Ten years on and the organisation now holds regular "Lunch'n'learn" lectures, attracting an array of local and international guest speakers. Each Friday, students from local rabbinical colleges also visit businessmen to distribute weekly newsletters and help them lay tefillin.

"Their connection to Judaism is sparked by that Friday ... their spirit boosted for the week," Rabbi Herzog explains.
Weekly kabbalah classes have also been a success, with plans underway to hold shabbatons in the near future.