Chabad Australia celebrated its centenary with a Hachnasas Sefer Torah and Gala banquet in Melbourne on Sunday night. This year 5761 is the 100th year since Moishe Zalmen and his brother Bere Feiglin arrived and settled in Australia in 5671.
Head Shluchim from every state in Australia came to Melbourne for the event and graced the head table, together with Member of Federal Parliament Mr. Michael Danby M.P., as well as the event organiser, Mr Mordechai Feiglin.
More than 400 people filled the Werdiger Hall at the Yeshivah campus in Melbourne, to be treated to a journey through a century of Chabad activities in Australia.
The night was highlighted by Historian Mr Yossi Aron, presenting a historical perspective of a century of Chabad in Australia. Mr Aron’s research concluded that the Feiglin family are “unique in the world in that all 9 of Reb Moshe Zalman’s children and decedents, although brought up in the early years without the benefits of reinforced Jewish schooling, retained their complete level of Frumkeit.”
Reb Moshe Zalman Feiglin has been given the title of “Avraham Avinu of Australia” by the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
An additional highlight was the premier release of a 20 minute comprehensive video presentation documenting the development of what Chabad in Australia has become today. This brilliant work has been created by Chaim Mehlman and has incorporated much movie footage from the 50’s and photos from decades earlier.
In honor of the event, a Sefer Torah was commissioned in Eretz Israel over a year ago by Mordechai and Esther Feiglin and family. This was organised through the Melbourne Sofer Rabbi Eli Gutnick.
A celebratory street parade, with many hundreds of participants, commenced at Mr & Mrs Shmuel Feiglin’s house, then wound its way through Green Meadow’s Park and into Beis Chabad Ohel Devorah, where it was welcomed ceremoniously into the Shule by all of the other Sifrei Torah, carried by their respective families. Included among these were Sifrei Torah from each of the Feiglins’ Zeidas i.e. Moishe Zalman’s Torah from Shepperton and Yisroel Eliyahu Szydlo’s Sefer Torah that he had personally saved from a burning Shule in Berlin in 1939.
The Shul, hall and Sukkah were all filled to capacity with participants overflowing into the street.
Atoh Horeiso, Hakafos, inspirational words by Rabbi Telsner and a L’chaim followed. In a short speech at the completion of the Sefer Torah, Mordechai Feiglin related that the family had dedicated the last word in the Torah to Yisroel ben Menachem Herzog Ob’m.
Speakers at the Seudas Mitzvah that inspired the crowd were:
Emcee: Mr. Mordechi Feiglin
Federal Minister Michael Danby M.P.
Rabbi Y. Sprung, Mizrachi Shule, Melbourne, Vic
Rabbi Shmuel Gurewitch, principal, Beth Rivkah Ladies College, Melbourne, Vic
Rabbi Engel, Chabad of Adelaide S.A., brought with him solicitor Ron David Belman, (who helped resolve all of the SA issues) and presented him with a plaque.
Rabbi Nir Gurevitch, Chabad Gold Coast, Qld.
Rabbi Moishe Feiglin, Chabad Inreach / Aliya, Crown Heights (named after Moishe Zalmen Feiglin)
Rabbi C.T. Groner, Chabad Melbourne, Vic
Rabbi Pinchas Feldman, Chabad Sydney, NSW.
Mr Yossi Aron, Historian
VIDEO
@ Chabadnik – Mendel Lipsker will be organising for that video to be shown for the first time publicly in australia at the Yeshivah Shul (92 Hotham At) After the JEM Video.
GO MELBOURNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO GRONAAAAAAA!
thank u and Mazel tov to R Mottel and Esther Feiglin
for the hard work they do for the chabad community in Melbourne.
they are keeping the spirit and tradition of pioneering following in the grandfathers footsteps
Hatzlach
Moshe Kahn
on behalf of Tzach Melbourne
How is it possible to see the special video made by Chaim Mehlman to celebrate this special event?
Yasher Koach to Reb Shmuel and Reb Mottel Feiglin and their wonderful families for organising such a beautiful and inspiring event!!! When I was in CH I saw shluchim from all over who were buyint the book “Avraham Avinu of Australia” and learning a lot from it…I think this book should be required reading for all of our children. Our children have to be instilled with a pride in their Yiddishkeit and in their connection to our Rebbeim, with true heroes and heroinnes to look up to, such as Reb Moshe Zalman and Rebbn Leah Feiglin of blessed memory!!
i thought it was Yossi Aron who did the commentary … Great guy…
Great to see Rabbi Yossi Engel from Adelaide – so lebedik and freilich!!! B”H for all the brochos from the Rebbe and continued besuros tovos!!!!!!
Melbourne’s the best place in the world!!!!
Everyone should go there, its worth it
sweet to see the family at the other end of the planet….
Heard it was a beautiful event!
ohel devorah is the best shul ever, rabbi CT groner and the president mottel feiglin do the most incredible job!