Rabbis Menachem Amar and Mani Holzman are visiting from New York, and are currently spending time in Wollongong getting in touch with local Jewish families. Last week, they visits Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour, and helped the locals with celebrating Purim. Rabbi Mani writes: Being a part of something greater than yourself can feel like there are others by your side to help us as a nation get to our ultimate goal together. This year is a year of Hakhel - Gatherings. In essence we can feel that at special opportune times, like the high holidays & other that there’s something in the air giving us the power to move forward as one people in knowing our place in the world. Purim this year was no different than any other, besides for the fact that it required some driving to do which meant the drinking had to be kept at zero. How does one get themselves to be in an ultimate state of absolute happiness without having a drink. It comes down to putting yourself in a state of mindfulness at understanding the fundamental basics of spirituality & encompassing our inner light - that Jewish spark. In Melbourne you can feel the community at its whole - kosher restaurants, food markets, Judaica store, Chabad house, shule, Yeshiva & so the list goes on. It’s known that Australia has strong Jewish communities in the large cities. What about the small towns & rural areas who only have a few Jews? Who will come celebrate the holidays with them? How are they able to connect to something that physically is so distant. That’s where Chabad of RARA comes into play, established some 23 years ago, in the beginning of the millennium, to reach out to those who are in the rural communities of the last & help them connect to their roots of Judaism in an even more encompassing way than they can ever imagine. After a long drive up the north cost NSW stopping only once to refill gas & occasionally stopping to ask the people in the town we pass through if their are any Jews. We arrived at Gary’s house, a place where the Jewish people of Port Macquarie gather on special occasions. The atmosphere was profound, excitement in the air can be felt growing radically, stronger as the enthusiasm by each individual entering brings in more light. We had a phenomenal turn out & the event was a major success in connecting our people together and rejoicing as one. Just like in Port Macquarie, Chabad of RARA goes out to many rural areas & helps bring happiness, joy, and ultimately helping one fulfill their mission on this planet in helping bring Moshiach Now.
