Melbourne’s largest Progressive synagogue, Temple Beth Israel, has an entirely new leadership after a group led by disaffected senior religious leaders and former board presidents seized control from its younger board.
An email from the new board to the synagogue community promises an end to divisions within the nearly 100-year-old organisation, after resignations, an internal investigation, months of infighting and bitter allegations of bullying and harassment.
“From today we move forward to a brighter future, one that leaves behind the bitterness and divisions we have seen and embraces ALL who are part of our Kehillah Kedoshah, our Holy Community,” it said.
But few expect the divisions to be repaired so easily, with disaffected synagogue members engaging a PR firm and accusing supporters of the new board of using underhanded tactics to seize control.
Former board president Joanna Loewy-Irons told the annual general meeting on Monday night that threats had been made, and these had been reported to police. The Age previously reported on aggressive messages that had been sent to Loewy-Irons and others.
Temple Beth Israel’s leadership was rocked by revelations first reported in Australian Jewish News in October that Rabbi Gersh Lazarow had plagiarised several sermons, rabbinical drashes (commentaries) and articles. Lazarow resigned last year but later retracted the resignation with board support, before leaving again.
Read the article by Bianca Hall in The Age.