New Perth rabbi aims to enthuse the community’s youth
RABBI Daniel Lieberman has hit the ground running in his new post as rabbi of the Perth Hebrew Congregation (PHC).
RABBI Daniel Lieberman has hit the ground running in his new post as rabbi of the Perth Hebrew Congregation (PHC).
The British rabbi began in his post last Thursday and by Saturday he and Rebbetzin Liat Lieberman were hosting around 20 guests for a Shabbat lunch.
Rabbi Lieberman said he aims “to increase interaction with the shule … to increase the amount of enjoyment there is in the Jewish religion and the practice of it here in Perth”.
He is particularly focused on the youth of PHC, and leveraging his expertise in working with young congregants. “The youth is the future and is particularly important to me,” he said. “That’s why we’re here, to enthuse the young people.”
Only the sixth rabbi in PHC’s 125-year history, Rabbi Dovid Freilich’s successor has big shoes to fill but brings with him a wealth of experience.
The rabbi of Liverpool’s Allerton Hebrew Congregation, he was also the senior halachic authority for the Liverpool Kashrut Commission, halachic adviser to the Liverpool Chevra Kadisha, governor of Liverpool’s King David School, chief adviser to the school’s Jewish Education Committee and the founding member of Merseyside Jewish Council.
Rabbi Lieberman was chaplain to many of the hospitals, universities and prisons in the Merseyside area, and specialised in informal education and outreach to youth of all ages.
“Liverpool is very similar to Perth, just on a smaller scale,” he said, “And all the things I’ll be doing here are things I’ve done before in Liverpool without any help. Here I have the benefit of people helping me and there’s already a team in place to deal with it.”
Asked how he and Liat were acclimatising to their new home, he quipped: “The weather is infinitely better.”
PETER KOHN
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