Publisher's Synopsis
The congregational title "Shearith Yisrael" -- "Remnant of Israel" -- is frequently used for the first congregation established in a far-flung corner of the Diaspora. However, this remnant, established just five years after the birth of Melbourne, was indeed to prove enduring. The foundation of Victorian Jewish life was to become its cornerstone.;A congregation is not just a place of worship but a living centre, an expression of its membership which it serves from birth to death. Its ritual reflects derivations of the old country and development of the new. Its social contribution extends far beyond its membership to Australian society and the Jewish world as a whole.;This book debunks the myth that Orthodox Judaism in Australia is a twentieth-century phenomenon. Nevertheless, fluctuations in fortunes -- social, religious and economic, reflecting past and contemporary changes in surrounding society -- are stark reminders of the fragility of minority achievements in the shadow of a dominating ethos. This history provides a series of salutary lessons and a blueprint for the future.
