Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on May 15, 2014

ABC Rabbi Samuel Tov-Lev's contract was terminated at the Strathfield Synagogue.

Samuel Tov-Lev has been a rabbi for 40 years, the last 15 of them at Strathfield Synagogue in western Sydney.

These days he is out of a job and living in a boarding house after being evicted from the rabbi's residence.

"One morning a sheriff came and he told me (to get) out. A locksmith came with them and changed all the locks and I went immediately to the street [with] nowhere to go," he said.

The rabbi's troubles started in October 2010 when he received a letter from the synagogue's board of directors terminating his contract and giving him six months to move out of the adjoining residence.

The letter said the synagogue was no longer viable and the decision had been taken to close the doors.

"The members were very upset to hear that. Being consecrated as a holy place, it is a sin to close it, saying it is not viable," said Rabbi Tov-Lev.

By his own admission, the congregation has dwindled over the years as the Jewish community moved to Sydney's eastern suburbs and north shore.

"I had to ring people to come to the service in order have a minyan, which is a quorum of 10 men," he said.

Built in 1959, Strathfield Synagogue was once the heart of a vibrant community of Jewish migrants who came to Australia after World War II.

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Strathfield Synagogue in western Sydney closes doors, faces sale due to dwindling congregation

Category: Synagogue
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