As the Rabbi of this community, it gives me great pleasure to greet you and give you a brief explanation on who are we.
Kehilat Nitzan is a Masorti/Conservative Congregation affiliated with Masorti Olami, the World Council of Conservative Synagogues.
Masorti is the Hebrew word meaning traditional. Masorti Judaism is traditional Judaism practiced in a spirit of open minded enquiry and tolerance. Masorti Judaism accepts the binding force of Jewish law, and understands that this law has developed and evolved throughout history.
The principles of Masorti Judaism, based on belief in God, combine devotion to Jewish tradition and Halacha (Jewish Law) with an open and positive approach to the modern world, democracy and Zionism.
The Hebrew word Halacha comes from the root letters Hey, Lamed, and Chet, which means to walk, to go. Halacha therefore, by definition implies continual movement forward. Jewish law never stood still. It has always developed responding to the change of circumstances. Masorti/Conservative Judaism continues this historical process of Halacha courageously meeting the challenges of the new circumstances which time and place pose before us.
One such challenge, for example, is the status of women. Jewish law developed within a patriarchal society in which women did not take an active roll in public life. Fortunately, we are living today in a society which values gender equality and takes pride in providing equal opportunities to both men and women. These changes cannot be stopped at the door of the Synagogue. The Rabbis of the Masorti/Conservative Movement have ruled therefore that women are allowed to lead services, to receive an Aliya (call up) to the Torah and to be counted to the Minyan (prayer quorum). Thus Kehilat Nitzan is a fully egalitarian community which encourages active participation in worship for all members regardless of their gender.
In dealing with Halachic issues Masorti Rabbis take into account both the existing law and the new reality. They study the law utilising modern methods of academic study and historical research. They look for precedents in rabbinic literature which will allow the change preferring the lenient position when found. They reinterpret the law in accordance with the new reality guided by their moral convictions and the needs of their respective communities. Actually there is nothing new in this approach. This is indeed the classical Jewish way in which Halacha has always functioned. The motto of Conservative Judaism is "Tradition and Change" - only through maintaining the delicate balance between these two tendencies can we guarantee a thriving Jewish future based on our glorious past.
Masorti/Conservative Judaism is still very new in Australia. Most Australian Jews have not yet heard about us but our short experience already tells us that once people cross the threshold of our synagogue they feel immediately they've found their place. The synthesis between, modernity and Halacha, innovation and conservatism, egalitarianism and traditional prayer and above all our welcoming non judgmental spirit is the answer to their spiritual search and needs. I hope you will feel the same and that you too will find your home with us at Kehilat Nitzan. You would be most welcome.
Rabbi Ehud Bandel