TELL April-May 2019

and community. As you go through
the week, notice your connections
with different people and groups.
What does each connection give
you and what do you give?
MALCHUT – LEADERSHIP
Week 7 of the Omer – begins
the eve of the 1st of June
The last week of the Omer is
dedicated to the quality of Malchutkingdom
or leadership. It is a week
of exploring your role as a leader
and how you relate to authority in
your life in the various situations
you come to. As your week unfolds
notice which situations call on
your leadership skills and how you
react. This quality is also called
Shekhinah – divine presence and
so it is a week during which you
are invited to notice holiness in
yourself and in your environment.
JOURNALLING AND MEDITATION
Besides using the Omer as an
opportunity for daily awareness
practice one might choose to
journal one’s experience each day
before saying the blessing for the
next day of the Omer. Sitting in
quiet meditation as part of the
Omer practice is also beneficial.
Please email the synagogue
if you would like to join our
free weekly email that guides
you through the Omer.
Wishing you a meaningful
period of joyous practice.
JEREMY SPINAK - A TRIBUTE
Jeremy Spinak was one of the most
influential and highly respected
communal leaders in Sydney, but
last November at the age of 36 he
succumbed to a rare form of cancer.
The immediate past president
of the NSW Jewish Board of
Deputies (JBOD), was remembered
in emotional speeches at his
funeral and a memorial service
at Emanuel Synagogue.
“Today we honour a beautiful,
unique and much-appreciated young
man of untold value, an excellent
unselfish man devoted to Australia,
community and family,” Rabbi
Jeffrey Kamins told more than
1000 people at Spinak’s funeral.
“Today we honour a beautiful,
unique and much appreciated
young man of untold value, an
excellent unselfish man devoted to
Australia, community and family.
“Jeremy’s light does shine on,
through each of us blessed to
know him, and into the future.”
In a rare show of respect, Spinak’s
death was announced at a NSW
Cabinet meeting, and the NSW
Labor caucus stopped for a minute
of silence for him, an honour
usually reserved only for deceased
members of Parliament.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian
said he was “an outstanding
community advocate and an amazing
human being”, and NSW Deputy
Opposition Leader in the NSW
Legislative Council noted that “a dark
cloud of sadness” spread through
the corridors of NSW Parliament.
The Executive Council of Australian
Jewry said in a statement that
Spinak had excellent judgement
and a compassionate, Jewish heart.
“In all his communal work he was a
conciliator, a healer and a unifier.”
JBOD president Lesli Berger
and CEO Vic Alhadeff said in
a statement that Spinak was a
much-loved and greatly respected
leader of the community.
“His contribution to enhanced
political bipartisanship, a nuanced
approach to advocacy and
engagement with all sectors within
the Jewish community were features
of his presidency,” they said.
Spinak’s wife Rhiannon delivered an
emotional tribute at the minyan.
“We had six wonderful years together
– not nearly long enough,” she said.
“He gave me the experience of
being completely understood,
supported and utterly loved and
I’ll carry that with me always.
“He also gave me the gift of
our beautiful one-year-old
twins, Michael and Grace.”
Describing Spinak as his “soulmate”,
his older brother Jason spoke
of how excited he was when
his baby brother was born.
“Jez was a gorgeous baby, eczema,
cradle cap and all … he came
out with charisma,” he said.
“We tried everything, every
specialist around the world …
and the response would always
[be] there’s nothing more that
we can do than what has been
done for him in Australia.”
The Jeremy Spinak Family
Fund, which is administered by
JewishCare in NSW, has been
created to assist Spinak’s wife
Rhiannon and their 13-monthold
twins Grace and Michael.
To donate, visit bit.ly/spinakfund
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