The Executive Council of Aus­trali­an Jewry (ECAJ) Deputy President, Robert Goot AO SC was recog­nised in this year’s Australia Day honours for his dis­tin­guished service to the Jewish community through executive roles with edu­ca­tion­al, cultural and social welfare bodies. Robert is also a former two-term president of the ECAJ and we are immensely proud of his achieve­ments.

Robert said, “I feel greatly priv­ileged to have been honoured by appoint­ment as an Officer of the Order of Australia for dis­tin­guished service to the Jewish community through executive roles with edu­ca­tion­al, cultural and social welfare bodies.

I have devoted a sig­ni­fic­ant part of my life to the Jewish community, because I regard a vibrant, educated and caring community, as abso­lutely critical to Jewish con­tinu­ity. Working to secure that con­tinu­ity remains my lodestar.

I have been very fortunate to have met and worked with many inspiring leaders and indi­vidu­als and to have been given so many wonderful oppor­tun­it­ies to assist the Jewish people both here and overseas.

I look forward to con­tinu­ing my asso­ci­ations and to making whatever con­tri­bu­tions I am able to in the future.”

The late Jeremy Spinak (OBM) was recog­nised in this year’s Australia Day honours for his sig­ni­fic­ant service to the Jewish community, to mul­ti­cul­tur­al relations, and to inter­faith dialogue.

Jeremy served as a Vice-President of the ECAJ and had many close friends in our organ­isa­tion. He is deeply mourned and deeply missed.

“As a well-loved and highly-regarded president of the Board of Deputies, we were pleased to nominate Jeremy Spinak of blessed memory for an Australia Day honour and we are delighted that that honour has been conferred. Jeremy’s passion was the well-being of the Jewish community, and he worked tire­lessly to this end through­out his tenure as president. He was wise beyond his years, kind and humorous, and brought astute political acumen to the enormous benefit of our community. We extend our warmest con­grat­u­la­tions to his wife Rhiannon and the Spinak family on this honour and thank them for the love and support they always gave him.” – NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president Lesli Berger

Contact
Alex Ryvchin | Co-CEO
ph: 02 8353 8505 | m: 0478 297 245
e: [email protected] | www.ecaj.org.au