Shul battle clouded by council
THE potential sale of Strathfield Synagogue has hit an obstacle after Strathfield Council this week resolved to pursue heritage listing for the site.
THE potential sale of Strathfield Synagogue has hit an obstacle after Strathfield Council this week resolved to pursue heritage listing for the site.
The shul closed in 2011, unable to garner the required numbers for a minyan. The board, in conjunction with the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (JBOD) and JCA, had been looking to sell its assets, with the proceeds to go towards supporting Jewish life in areas that still have significant Jewish populations.
JBOD president Yair Miller said he was disappointed with the Council’s decision.
“We’ll be working with the synagogue [board] to look at what options are available,” he said. “It would be unfortunate to have such a valuable community asset tied up when the money could be used for education and other important community endeavours.”
The decision to pursue heritage listing was deferred last November after board president Eddy Neumann and former synagogue Hebrew School pupils Sharon Milch and Bev Brandon spoke against the proposal.
Further assessment by Council-appointed assessors Architectural Projects Pty Ltd found the synagogue had historical significance in the context of documenting the history of the Jewish community in Western Sydney, in its association with the Claims Conference as well as in its architectural style.
Former Strathfield Rabbi Samuel Tov-Lev, who claims he can revive the congregation and vigorously opposes any sale, said he was pleased with the heritage motion moved at Tuesday’s planning meeting. “It was a logical thing to do really. They had good research by professional people, architects and others, and this is the conclusion they came to,” he said.
“I’m pleased but at the same time I’m very sad to see people calling themselves Jews fighting to destroy the holy and sacred synagogue.”
Rabbi Tov-Lev and an associate, Joseph De Varda, last year launched a petition to save the synagogue, pointing to its importance as a Holocaust memorial – a significance refuted by Neumann, who claims the shul’s full name – Strathfield War Memorial Synagogue – was concocted to take advantage of tax laws at the time it was built.
While the interior of the building does contain plaques dedicated to Holocaust victims, JBOD’s preference is for them to be transferred to the Sydney Jewish Museum.
In 2012 Rabbi Tov-Lev and De Varda lost a Supreme Court case to have the synagogue board declared illegitimate.
GARETH NARUNSKY
Strathfield Synagogue may get heritage status.
comments