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Yesterday's journey took Rabbi Menachem 100km north of Melbourne to Seymour, a quite country town known for its Vietnam War memorial, complete with actual tanks and helicopters on display.

Just as the memorial stands as a reminder that no one who served should ever be forgotten, the day was about ensuring that people facing their own challenges are not forgotten either.

The visit started with a dear friend in the hospital, where the opportunity to put on tefillin brought comfort, strength and a meaningful emotional connection during a challenging time.

It was also wonderful to catch up with a young father who recently made the move from the United States to Australia, helping him build new connections as he settles into life in his new home.

It could be for one person, sometimes two, that we will travel for an entire day. To be able to sit and listen to where people are at is something we are ready to do every day.

Somewhere on the rugged West Coast of Tasmania, Peter wrapped tefillin today with a smile on his face and good company beside him.

Inside the RARA motorhome, surrounded by Jewish books, a Torah scroll, and a meaningful conversation, this quiet moment became something special. Peter shared stories, laughs, and a genuine warmth that filled the space. You could see how much the moment meant to him.

There’s something beautiful about seeing tefillin wrapped in a place like this — deep in regional Tasmania, with the sound of the road outside and Jewish life happening right there in the middle of it all.

These are the kinds of moments that make the kilometres worthwhile.

There are Jewish people living quietly in places most would never expect.

For many, staying connected to their heritage takes real effort, determination, and heart.

Recently, local Jewish resident Shoshie was happy to receive a number of copies of the very first "Castlemaine Tanya".

The Tanya is a book of Chassidic Jewish philosophy and the foundational work of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. It explores the mystical and practical principles of living a meaningful, purposeful, and fulfilled Jewish life.

Shoshie, the granddaughter of Hungarian Jewish refugees whose family arrived in Australia through Fremantle Dock in 1939 before settling in Melbourne, shared her story with the local paper.

“I have had a long association and connection with Chabad Lubavitch in Melbourne,” Shoshie said.

“Chabad of RARA (Regional and Rural Australia) has also been visiting me in Castlemaine a few times a year since 2011.

“They come in the Mitzvah Tank bringing me supplies, and coming to my home for a catch up, ensuring that my connection to Yiddishkeit, or Judaism, remains strong.”

She also shared how a group of young Bochurim travelled through regional towns during their school holidays to print copies of the Tanya themselves, raising the funds independently and putting in countless hours of work to make the project happen.

“What a blessing it is to have this very special little book,” she said.

No Jew should ever feel forgotten simply because of where they live.

The Tanya has been printed in over 7,000 locations worldwide, and over 100 printings have been made in Australia over the past 60 years.

This week, we’re heading back on the road to connect with Jewish people living across beautiful and isolated Tasmania.

For many people in regional and remote areas, Jewish connection isn’t something that can be taken for granted. A simple visit, warm conversation, Shabbat meal, or knowing that someone remembers them can mean more than words can describe.

Over the years, we’ve met incredible individuals and families throughout Tasmania quietly holding onto their Jewish identity, often far from established community life. Every trip reminds us how powerful genuine connection can be.

This week we’ll be travelling, visiting, supporting, listening, and reconnecting with people across the state. Whether someone is deeply connected or hasn’t engaged in years, our message is simple: you are not forgotten.

If you live in Tasmania, know someone there, or think there’s someone we should reach out to while we’re visiting, we’d genuinely love to hear from you.

This past week, our team from Chabad of RARA – Rural and Regional Australia travelled to Darwin to spend time with members of the Jewish community living far from larger centres of support and connection.

During the trip, we ran two community events that brought people together for meaningful conversations, support, and connection. We also held one-on-one counselling and support sessions with individuals who deeply appreciated having someone there to listen and help during challenging times.

Sheina Gutnick, who lost her father in the Bondi attack, spoke passionately about Jewish identity in todays age, and how we can be more resilient, while maintaining our daily lives and connections.

Our second event, held in conjunction with the Combat AntiSemitism Movement, was open to the wider community, and brought people of all backgrounds together to learn how we can move forward together as a united community.

A highlight of the trip was meeting with individuals and connecting in a very real way, something which we could see was very much needed after recent events.

Alongside the community programs, we met with MPs, community leaders, and dignitaries to discuss the needs of Jewish people living in remote and regional Australia and the importance of ensuring that nobody feels forgotten because of where they live.

One of the most powerful parts of regional outreach is seeing the strength of Jewish identity in places thousands of kilometres from major communities. Sometimes, simply showing up reminds people that they matter and that they are part of something bigger.

Thank you to the dedicated team that made the trip up to the Top End: Rabbi Menachem and Shevi Aron, Amanda Gecelter, Sheina Gutnick, Mushkie Gordon and Candice Wainstein.

And a big thank you to everyone in Darwin who welcomed us so warmly and helped make the visit so meaningful - we will definitely be back for another visit.

Somewhere tonight, a Jewish person in regional Australia is sitting hundreds of kilometres from the nearest synagogue, Jewish school, kosher shop, or community.

And yet, they are not forgotten.

For 25 years, Chabad of RARA has travelled the long roads of Australia to bring connection, community, Jewish life, and support to people living far beyond the major cities. Sometimes it’s a Shabbat meal. Sometimes a conversation. Sometimes tefillin, mezuzot, books, or just the comfort of knowing someone cares enough to show up.

In a world that feels increasingly disconnected, these moments matter more than ever.

From tiny outback towns to remote farming communities, we keep going because every Jew deserves connection, no matter how far away they live.

The distances in Australia are enormous. But the Jewish heart travels further.

Yummy cheesecakes! Shavuot is this Thursday night.

Amanda is in Geelong with a car load of these treats. Are you around?

We traditionally eat dairy products on the holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah, 3,300+ years ago.

— in Geelong, VIC, Australia.

This is a photo of the textbook that accompanies our online course that starts next Tuesday. And today, you can save $25 on the enrolment fee.

Will you join?

 We're taking the Mitzva Tank to Tasmania today!

 In October 2022, the Goldfields community farewelled one of its most respected figures, Dr Avron Moffson — a devoted physician who served Kalgoorlie for many years with compassion, dignity, and quiet dedication. Deeply loved by his patients and widely regarded as a pillar of the local community, his passing left a profound void.

Just three months prior, Chabad of RARA volunteers had been in Kalgoorlie, and had actually spent half a day trying to track down Dr Moffson, but as fate would have it, they were unsuccessful in getting ahold of him. A short time later, Avron returned his soul to his maker.

In the absence of a local Jewish infrastructure to conduct a full traditional burial, the responsibility was taken up by Perth’s Jewish community. The Jewish Burial Society of Perth, together with  Chabad Of Western Australia, mobilised swiftly to ensure that Dr Moffson would receive the dignity of a proper Jewish farewell.

A group of volunteers undertook the seven-hour journey from Perth to Kalgoorlie, carrying with them not only the practical necessities but also a deep sense of responsibility. Upon arrival, they performed the tahara — the sacred ritual purification — and conducted the funeral in accordance with Jewish law and tradition.

However, one essential element was missing. Without a minyan — a quorum of ten Jewish men — the mourners’ Kaddish, the prayer that affirms faith and honours the deceased, could not be recited.

Determined to complete this final obligation, a decision was made: they would return.

This past Sunday, 3 May, that commitment was fulfilled. Ten men once again made the long journey to Kalgoorlie, ensuring that a minyan would be present. At the gravesite, prayers were recited, and the Kaddish was finally said — not only for Dr Moffson, but for all those buried in the Jewish section of the cemetery whose voices may no longer have anyone to speak on their behalf.

The consecration of the headstone, generously sponsored by the Jewish Burial Society under the leadership of Jonathan Silbert, marked a poignant and meaningful conclusion to the process. The ceremony was led by Rabbi Shalom White of Chabad, bringing both spiritual closure and communal solidarity to the moment.

Gratitude is extended to the volunteers — Ryan, Noah, Ilan, David, Omri, Daniel, Benjie, and Sam — who gave their time and energy to undertake the 14-hour round trip. Their efforts ensured that honour, tradition, and respect were upheld.

In a place far from large Jewish population centres, this act of devotion stands as a powerful reminder: no Jew is ever truly alone. Even across vast distances, community endures — and dignity, even in death, is never forgotten.

A big thank you to Rabbi Shalom White, The Jewish Burial Society of Perth - Perth Chevra Kadisha, as well as members of the Freemason Lodge that made the tremendous trip to be there for a man that had given to so many.

Lag B'Omer is a joyful Jewish holiday observed on the 33rd day of the Omer period, the 49-day count between Passover and Shavuot. It falls on the 18th of Iyar (this year begins at sundown on  Monday, 4th May), marking a break from the semi-mourning customs of the Omer.

"Lag" comes from the Hebrew letters lamed (value 30) and gimel (value 3), totaling 33, with "B'Omer" meaning "in the Omer." It represents a day of celebration amid the Omer's restrictions on weddings, haircuts, and music.

The holiday honors Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the Zohar's author, whose yahrzeit (death anniversary) it marks; tradition holds he revealed mystical teachings that day. It also commemorates the end of a plague that killed many of Rabbi Akiva's students, emphasizing unity and respect (ahavat Yisrael).

Celebrations include lighting bonfires (symbolizing the Zohar's light), pilgrimages to Rabbi Shimon's tomb in Meron, Israel, weddings, boys' first haircuts (upsherin at age 3), and games with bows and arrows. In 2026, it begins at nightfall on May 5.