Dear Friends
On this Parasha of Lech Lecha, which introduces us to our founders Avraham and Sarah, as I take my leave from Caulfield Shule, I wish you the brachot of these singular individuals:
May you always travel with hope in your hearts
May you always be connected to our ancestors
May the power of their ideas be your strength
May you walk with conviction
Talk with truth and gentleness
Reach out with compassion
And connect to all others with conviction
Let compassion and chesed be your guiding light
May Hashem, the God of our fathers and mothers always hold you and your families in the loving palm of His hand
And help you illuminate the world around you
I say not goodbye, but Lehitraot
If you want to stay in touch, I can be reached at
rabbiralph@kesher.net.au
Shalom Chaveirim
Rabbi Genende recently retired as the Senior Rabbi of Melbourne’s premier Caulfield Shule and took up the position of Senior Rabbi and Manager to Jewish Care Victoria, Melbourne’s largest Jewish organisation. He was a senior Reserve Chaplain in the South African Defence Force and is now Principal Rabbi to the Australian Defence Force, Member of the Religious Advisory Council to the Minister of Defence (RACS), board member of AIJAC (Australian Israel Jewish Affairs Council) and member of the Premier's Mulitifaith Advisory Group. He was President of JCMA (Jewish Christian Muslim Association) and a long time executive member of the Rabbinical Association of Victoria. He also oversees Yad BeYad a premarital relationship program, is a member of Swinburne University’s Research Ethics Committee and of the DHHS ,Department of Health Ethics Committee and sits on the Glen Eira City Council’s Committee responsible for its Reconciliation Action Plan for recognition and integration of our first peoples. Ralph has a passion for social justice and creating bridges between different cultures and faiths. For him the purpose of religion is to create a better society for all people and to engage with the critical issues facing Australian society. The role of the rabbi is, in his words, to challenge the comfortable and comfort the challenged. In 2018 Rabbi Genende was awarded an OAM for his services to multi-faith relations, and to the Jewish community of Victoria. Rabbi Genende is a trained counsellor with a Masters degree from Auckland University. He is married to Caron, a psychologist, and they have three children and two grandchildren.