Rabbi's Message

Dear <~~First~~>,

There are only two days left to register for our new JLI course - Portraits of Leadership.

It has been known by our intelligence services for a while now that weapons of mass destruction have fallen into the hands of many dangerous terror cells. While diplomacy and negotiation may succeed in warding off disaster for some undetermined time, it is inevitable that eventually, some uncontrolled radical will set off a round of catastrophic attacks that will obliterate life as we know it.

With time, we will be able to recover from the cataclysmic carnage and the assault on our environment. The greatest fear is that our leaders will all die, and there will be no one alive with the knowledge to rebuild our civilization and to restore its hard-won values.

So deep in a room underground, we have gathered together the most brilliant men and women alive today - the leading philosophers, ethicists, scientists, thinkers, and strategists. The goal is to distill the essence of all knowledge into a code that can be preserved so that the sum total of human achievement will not be lost.

No, this is not fiction, not a futuristic sci-fi movie. It is history--Jewish history. As Rome descended upon Jerusalem, there was no escape from the inevitable doom. All the familiar institutions would be eradicated: the temple and the priesthood, the academy and its oral tradition. But we had the code-keepers, the brilliant authors of the Mishnah, who worked tirelessly to find a way to distill the essence of our heritage in a form that would allow Judaism to survive.

The Talmud we hold in our hand today is that code.

One part history, one part biography, all parts inspiration, the thrilling story of Portraits in Leadership will propel you to the core of our identity as Jews. We invite you to follow this breathtaking tale of enduring wisdom and character, and to become a code-keeper too.

Our course will begin with the life of Hillel, a gentle and beloved man. What qualities enabled him to create a groundswell following for the preservation of the code? What lessons can you draw from his life and apply in your own?

To find out, enrol NOW for our newest JLI course - Portraits in Leadership.
Phone Helen on 9371 7300 ext 4 or email

Hey there everyone! Hope you're all having a wonderful Summer break! Childrens' Services will be back Jan 30th! A big thank you and Yasher Koach to all the 2009 youth leaders for their outstanding dedication and commitment each and every week. Our 2009 youth leaders (in alphabetical order): Atara Kaye, Brendan Stern, Brookie Millecki, Erin Friedman, Ilan Hayman, Lauren Ehrenfeld, Mushka Levitansky, Rafa Harkham, Raizel Aber and Shira Kofsky. Good Shabbos from Rabbi Yossi and Rivky Shuchat. For more information about youth programs, contact Rabbi Yossi or Rivky Shuchat at 9371-7300 ext 3, or 0425-323-770  or email Youth@southhead.org

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Friday the Rabbi Laughed!