Rabbi's Message

Dear <~~First~~>,

Simchas Yom Tov v Shabbos Fund 
Can you even begin to imagine what it would be like to not be able to properly celebrate Pesach? Not to be able to afford to purchase the necessary food and wine? Not to even be able to consider buying the children new clothes for Yom Tov.

The very sad reality is that there are many people in our community facing this very situation in the lead up to Pesach.

This past year, however, has hit us exceptionally hard. While more people have required support, the financial crisis has meant that less funds have been available. Please make a contribution to our Simchas Yom Tov Fund for people in need in our community. The Talmud tells us that Yom Tov is only Yom Tov when we do our best to ensure that ALL Jews can enjoy it.
Email Helen or call her on 9371 7300 ext 4 to organise your donation. Remember that in lieu of Pesach gifts, you can donate in honour of others.

For donations of at least $18.00 a beautiful card will be sent to a person or persons that you nominate. (You choose from these wonderful designs - Manishtana or Afikomen or Four Cups)




A New JLI begins April

Timed to coincide with Yom Hashoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day, Beyond Never Again, a six-part course about the Holocaust, will premiere in more than 300 locations worldwide, including our own South Head Synagogue. Created by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), the world’s largest network of adult education, Beyond Never Again has won support from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Yad Vashem, and more than 100 centers and institutes devoted to studying the Holocaust around the world.

Envisioned as a journey into the intense realm of meaning, Beyond Never Again examines the universal themes that the Holocaust forces us to confront, such as the nature of good and evil, and how empathy and conscience may be nurtured. The course is formulated as a series of facilitated discussions that will enable participants to articulate their personal responses to the Holocaust, and provides relevant angles on some of life’s most difficult questions pertaining to faith and suffering.

I have no doubt this Course will fill up very quickly so do get in early! See below for booking details or email Helen.

And now a word from our Sponsor
As we approach the Festival of Pesach, with its emphasis on Redemption, it is worth thinking of that other Redemption that we as Jews we pray for and anticipate every day - the Redemption of Moshiach.

As you are aware, we Jewish people recite blessings of thanksgiving for each and every kindness that we receive. We thank G-d for the food we eat, for the fragrances that we smell, for the scenery that we see and of course for the special gifts that G-d grants each of us individually.

What blessings then would we make upon encountering Moshiach for the very first time?

In the responsa of the famed Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, one of the the greatest experts in Jewish Law of the previous generation, four different blessings are listed.

Firstly, there is the blessing that one must recite upon seeing a great Torah scholar:
Blessed are you G-d, King of the Universe Who has apportioned of His wisdom to those who fear him. (A similar blessing is recited in the presence of a non-Jewish scholar).

Secondly, there is the blessing that one must recite upon seeing a king:
Blessed are you G-d...Who has given a portion of His honour to those that fear him. (Once again, a similar blessing is recited in the presence of a non-Jewish king).

Thirdly, there is a special blessing that is recited when 600,000 Jewish people are gathered in one place at one time. This blessing expresses our awe of G-d who creates such a multitude of people, each with his/her individual way of thinking, yet Who understands the unique needs of each. Presumably, when Moshaich comes, the entire Jewish people will join in one place and recite this blessing.

The final blessing is one which we make whenever good things happen to us, whether it's the birth of the child, or upon meeting a very good friend whom we haven't seen for a while. Certainly, there can be no greater friend of the Jewish people than Moshiach whose coming we have anticipated for thousands of years.
Blessed are you G-d...Who has given us life, sustained us and has enabled us to reach this time.

May G-d Al-mighty grant each of us many opportunities to express gratitude to Him, but most of all, the opportunity to recite the above four blessings as encounter our Righteous Redeemer in the very near future.

With best wishes for a Good Shabbos

On behalf of the Rebbetzen and all of us at South Head,

Rabbi Benzion Milecki OAM  

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This Tuesday at 7.30pm .. contact Helen for details .. 9371 7300 ext or email

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For all bookings and enquiries contact Helen on 9371 7300 ext 4 or email

Click the pic to view the full Course Summary

Hey there everyone! 44 children and their parents / grandparents enjoyed the Model Matzah bakery this Monday run in conjunction with the Bochurim of Yeshiva. Each child baked their own Matzah, took a photo in their bakers outfits and watched a hilarious ten plagues play with fully costumed characters. _____  Bless the Kids:  Bless the Kids Shabbat March 27th : Be in Shul by 10:15 AM to receive a blessing and a special treat from the Rabbi. The special activity will be decorating and then of course eating Matzah! Mummy and Me term 2 registration is now open with limited spaces, please click here to register for the term. If you are interested in a Mummy and ME MONDAY group please let us know ASAP.  The Enrichment students Yrs K-1 have begun their Aleph Bet scrapbooks, Yrs 2-3 began designing their ideal Jewish home Yrs 4-5 learned about our duty to protect this world and recycle whilst year 6 began learning all about the Jewish lifecycle.           Good Shabbos from Rabbi Yossi, Rivky and Mushka Shuchat. For more information about youth programs, contact Rabbi Yossi or Rivky Shuchat at 9371-7300 ext 3, or  0425-323-770  0425-323-770   or email Youth@southhead.org

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Friday the Rabbi Laughed!

Caught in a Storm

A new recruit in the Israeli navy was being put through the paces by an experience captain.

What would you do if a sudden storm sprang up on the starboard?"

Throw out an anchor, sir," the recruit replied.

"What would you do if another storm sprang up after?"

"Throw out another anchor, sir."

"And if another terrific storm sprang up forward, what would you do then?" asked the captain.

"Throw out another anchor, sir."

"Hold on," said the captain. "Where are you getting all those anchors from?"

"From the same place you're getting your storms, sir."