OUR VALUE 
East Melbourne Synagogue has played a vital part in the life of Melbourne Jewry for the past 150 years. With the many wedding, barmitzvahs and other simchas conducted there, it has deeply touched the hearts and the minds of thousands of men, women and children in the Melbourne Jewish community and beyond. There are countless stories about East Melbourne, and each family has one to tell.

Its location on the CBD fringe, close to hotels, offices, hospitals and universities enables it to cater for the needs of businesspeople, those visiting the sick and both local and international tourists and students. It is, in a unique sense, Jewish Melbourne's gateway to the world.

OUR PLIGHT
Sadly, the synagogue no longer has the resources to maintain both the traditional needs of its own congregation in addition to the role it now performs. Although the wider Jewish community enjoys the benefits of the shule's existence, very few contribute to it financially nor are there enough congregants, for their fees to subsidise this activity. At present, through the current Board of Management, The City of Melbourne Synagogue is looking to see how it can maintain its newer role within our community.

Have no doubt, the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation IS in grave danger of disappearing. It is so run down that it is in urgent need of everything. To be blunt, the bottom line, just to modestly bring the building into the 21st Century is $3.4 million

Why would you want to support this poor old city synagogue? Maybe it would be kinder just to let it fade away, allow what's left of the old congregation to disperse to the suburbs, and let the building stand empty as a sad memory.

WHY HELP?
Well, we now have a young and vibrant Rabbi who is dedicated to re-invigorating Melbourne's Jewish life. And it's not just empty talk, because for the first time in living memory, the congregation has reversed its decline in numbers and is growing stronger day by day.

Rabbi Gutnick has identified new opportunities and has gone out there and welcomed them into the Shule. With the trend for people to move back into, or close to the City, the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation is superbly situated to serve the growing Jewish communities of the CBD; East Melbourne, Richmond and Fitzroy.

Our Rabbi encourages the large student population of Jewish students around the city to actively participate in the life of the Shule. These new members are being joined each Shabbat by interstate and overseas visitor's who say they find the position and the historical interest of the Shule to be well worth the visit.

The building is important enough to have been placed on the Heritage Register of Victoria. I believe that the Jewish community is important enough to be served with dignity and respect in a City setting. I believe that it's enormously important to restore, renew and renovate the East Melbourne Synagogue so that it can serve an ever expanding and returning Jewish population for another 150 years and more.
 

DON'T LET THE DOORS CLOSE
Every contribution to our Jubilee Year appeal will be gratefully accepted. Whether you've participated in a moving Kol Nidre service, were married there, or just enjoyed a post-Bar Mitzvah l'chaim at the East Melbourne shule, we now need your help.

Any support you can give us would be greatly appreciated, whether it be through a tax-deductable donation or through becoming a member. Please contact the secretary for more information on how you can support us.