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.
