“Dear Friends

I want to begin by conveying my best wishes to you all as we approach Rosh Hashanah and our Yamim Noraim.

There is no sense in pre­tend­ing that these high holydays will be like every other for our Aus­trali­an Jewish community. We all labour under various restric­tions, and many of us are pro­hib­ited from sharing the most mean­ing­ful days in the Jewish calendar with those we love. For me, this means that my husband and I won’t be attending our synagogue in Sydney on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It means that we won’t be enjoying a family meal with our children and grand­chil­dren and extended family. This is the reality of our time and it is a painful one.

I want to convey to you though a sense of hope. These difficult times WILL pass. Those of us in New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT will soon be able to meet our friends and family in person. We will soon be able to pray together and share in each other’s simchas and comfort each other in our grief. Unfor­tu­nately that is not the case for these high holidays. This year we each have to strictly observe the restric­tions and health orders that apply in our states, cities and local gov­ern­ment areas. We have to do this because of our paramount duty as Jews to protect our health and abide by the laws of our land. We must also protect each other and the community itself. For our com­munit­ies in Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT, staying home is our duty this year. Yom Kippur this year can still be a time of reflec­tion and intro­spec­tion – even for those who have to spent it at home. We can still find joy in our history and our tra­di­tions but please follow the rules.

Be healthy, be well, and may you and your loved ones have a sweet and healthy new year and may you each be sealed in the Book of Life. On behalf of everyone at the ECAJ I wish you Shana Tova um’tukah and Gmar Chatima Tova.”

Jillian Segal AO, ECAJ President