Karen Tatz was born in Canberra. Her Jewish family moved to Australia from South Africa and called the national capital their home.
The Canberra Jewish community was founded in the 1950s. Tucked away in the Parliamentary Triangle, the community is preparing for one the most important days on the Jewish calendar.
The Jewish experience in Canberra is unique. Ms Tatz said it was like a missionary. With a small population and the absence of kosher establishments it could be challenging to live devoutly, she said.
“It’s quite challenging living as a practising Jew in Canberra. Kosher food is hard to get, no kosher restaurants and there’s a limited social group because there aren’t that many Jews here,” Ms Tatz said
As president of Canberra’s tight-knit Jewish community, Ms Tatz is busy organising festivities for Yom Kippur.
While walking through the small museum we stand by a photo of Sir David Smith uttering the words that launched Australia’s greatest constitutional crisis.
From Sir John Monash to former treasurer Josh Frydenberg, the museum displays the important contributions of Jewish Australians.
Beginning with Rosh Hashanah which marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year, the faithful in Canberra will congregate with their families in synagogues over the next few days to celebrate the high holy days.
The 10-day period of introspection and repentance culminates in Yom Kippur, on Sunday, where Rabbi Elhanan Miller will blow the shofar – a trumpet made from a ram’s horn.
Read the article by Kerem Doruk in The Canberra Times.