Newlyweds Lead Rural Seder

Sunshine Coast Daily

A New York Rabbi will visit the Sunshine Coast this Easter to help Jewish residents commemorate the Hebrew escape from enslavement in ancient Egypt.

Rabbi Zev Slavin will join with Jewish families to conduct a traditional Jewish Passover service for their biblical holiday known as The Festival of Freedom.

The festival enables Jewish people all over the world, regardless of their socio-economic status, to have a night of freedom and treat themselves as royalty.

Non-profit organisation Chabad of Rural and Regional Australia took the initiative to bring Rabbi Zev and his wife Chana to the Coast to “communicate with Jewish men, women and children living in and outside the main Jewish communities”.

Chabad director Moshe Loebenstein said it would be an amazing experience for Coast residents to have the Passover service conducted by Rabbi Zev.

“It’s going to be really special,” he said.

“It might be a historical and traditional festival, but it is all about looking to the future.

“A lot of Jewish people don’t have a Rabbi to talk to and might not live close to a synagogue, so this will be a great opportunity for them.

Mr Loebenstein said Rabbi Zev would also make house calls during his two-day visit to the Coast from March 29.

The Chabad director said due to the shortage of Rabbis and synagogues in Australia, Chabad of RARA ran numerous events and programs throughout the year and had converted a campervan into a Jewish synagogue that travelled around the country.

“We have two Rabbis at a time who travel in what we call the Jewish synagogue on wheels,” he said.

“I think it is very important for people living outside the main Jewish communities to have the opportunity to meet with a Rabbi.”