Rabbinical Council of Victoria

19 Kislev 5771
26 November 2010

RCV Honours Patron at AGM

The Rabbinical Council of Victoria (RCV) this week held its annual general meeting at Jewish Care’s Munzer Community Residence. The meeting was very well attended, with dozens of rabbis and community leaders present.

The meeting opened with a poignant presentation in memory of the RCV’s former long-standing honourary accountant, Mr Peter Lefkovic z”l, who recently passed away. A framed certificate was presented to the children of Mr Lefkovic and a donation in his memory was made to Jewish Care.

Following the pattern of the cycle of the Jewish calendar, the meeting then proceeded from sadness to great joy, with the announcement of the first Patron of the RCV. In recognition of his many years of service to both the RCV and the community in general, the honour of RCV Patron was bestowed upon Rabbi Philip Heilbrunn. In accepting the title, Rabbi Heilbrunn spoke fondly of his many years as Vice President of the organisation under the leadership of the late Rabbi Chaim Gutnick z”l. Recalling his own arrival in Melbourne some decades ago, Rabbi Heilbrunn noted that at the time he was one of the youngest members of the RCV, and that since joining the organisation he has seen many members come and go. Presenting Rabbi Heilbrunn with a silver sculpture in the shape of a flame, RCV President Rabbi Yaakov Glasman explained that “the sculpture symbolises the Jewish idea of the ner tamid (eternal flame). Just as the ner tamid represents the enduring spirit of the Jewish People, so too does the perpetual title of Patron symbolise the positive and everlasting impact Rabbi Heilbrunn has had on the RCV and the Jewish community as a whole,” he said.

An additional highlight of the meeting was the announcement by Vice President Rabbi Ralph Genende that, thanks to a generous grant by The Gandel Charitable Trust, the RCV’s Yad b’Yad initiative – which focuses on fostering and encouraging peace in the home and on providing informal pre-wedding education on the importance of forming and sustaining a harmonious relationship – has received a welcome and necessary boost. A significant number of RCV members indicated their eagerness to join and promote the initiative.

The past year has seen a great deal of activity at the RCV, and at the AGM six new members were inducted, including Rabbi Samuel Altschul, Rabbi Dr Shimon Cowen, Rabbi Avrohom Jacks, Rabbi Daniel Rabin, Rabbi Andrew Saffer and Rabbi Michoel Stern. It is expected that the coming year will be even busier, with a number of exciting projects already planned.