Temple Beth Israel rallies behind ill rabbi
Temple Beth Israel has announced contingency plans for its religious services and other important events after news that Rabbi Gersh Lazarow, its senior rabbi, has become seriously ill.
TEMPLE Beth Israel (TBI) has announced contingency plans for its religious services and other important events after news that Rabbi Gersh Lazarow, its senior rabbi, has become seriously ill.
The shule’s president Rebecca Silk stated that “on returning from an overseas trip, Rabbi Gersh Lazarow became rather unwell.
Things rapidly became more complicated and Rabbi Lazarow has now been diagnosed with leukaemia.
He has been admitted to hospital where he will receive treatment for the next four-to-five weeks and will be on medical leave until further notice”.
She said TBI’s rabbinic team, including Rabbi Kim Ettlinger and Cantor Michel Laloum, along with Rabbi John Levi and Rabbi Fred Morgan, the shule’s emeritus rabbis, will fill in.
“The TBI executive and board have absolute faith in the rabbinical leadership during this difficult time,” she told The AJN.
The rabbis will be assisted by Max Jared Einsohn and Jade Karp from the TBI education and engagement team.
These arrangements “will ensure that all religious services, life-cycle events, festivals and educational programs continue as usual,” said Silk.
“They will be well supported by our administration and facility staff under the guidance of Simon Black, general manager, administration”.
“I am sure you join me in wishing Rabbi Lazarow and his family all the best for his upcoming treatment and for a full and speedy recovery. Please respect the Lazarow family’s privacy at this time.
“On behalf of the board and rabbis, I thank you for your support and understanding during this challenging time. This is the time when we truly demonstrate that we are a sacred community, a ‘k’hilat k’dushah’.”
Silk reported “an outpouring of caring and support from the entire Jewish community, which has really touched everyone here”.
Congregants, friends and supporters rallied to Rabbi Lazarow’s side and left messages of support on Facebook after the rabbi posted about his illness.
Rabbi Lazarow, 39, who was appointed TBI’s senior rabbi in 2013, had only just returned from the US where he had attended a Union for Reform Judaism conference in Boston, and reported feeling fatigued.
He posted: “As many of you know this week has been an incredibly surreal one for me and my family … I wanted you all to know that your thoughts and prayers mean a great deal to me and my family. This is going to be a marathon, and we are ready as best we can be.”
PETER KOHN
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