Gabi Kaltmann, at The Blogs

Aug 6, 2020, 4:28 AM

The word 'synagogue' has its roots in the Greek word of ‘synagein’ which means to ‘bring together.’ Some of the oldest archaeological evidence for synagogues date back to the 3rd century BCE. In fact, many historians think that ancient synagogues...

Jun 11, 2020, 5:56 AM

Light is Scarce

This week’s Parsha is Behalotcha. After the dedication of the Tabernacle, G-d instructs Moshe to tell Aaron that the Menorah should be lit so that the 7 lamps can light up the Tabernacle and the camp of Israel in...

Jun 4, 2020, 8:05 AM

The 11th Commandment

The world is currently experiencing a very difficult time. The global pandemic has rippled through our societies and across the world and has caused mass sickness, unemployment, isolation and our first recession in 29 years. While we started the...

May 21, 2020, 12:42 PM

A Bit Confusing

One of the most common issues that I continuously bump into while working as a rabbi is the difficulty in accurately translating Hebrew words. Sometimes there is truly no noun in the English dictionary that would accurately describe a...

May 14, 2020, 6:16 AM

The Billionaires Socks

It is not for naught that throughout the ages the Jewish people have been somewhat stereotyped as a business savvy and financially intelligent nation. Whether due to the Torah's emphasis on learning and education or the medieval prohibitions and...

Apr 30, 2020, 8:07 AM

Silence and Action

One of the reasons for William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' being lauded till this day as one of his finest plays is due to its deep and compact themes, primarily surrounding grief and mourning. At the opening of the play we are...

Apr 2, 2020, 1:43 PM

A Passover Letter to my Community

Dear Friends, Over the past few weeks we have seen our special community band together and support one another during these challenging times. These are certainly unprecedented times and the upcoming joyous festival of Pesach feels very different to other...

Mar 26, 2020, 3:14 AM

A Real Sacrifice

The week we begin reading the book of Vayikra, the third book in the Five Books of Moses, which is also referred to as 'Sefer Hakorbanot' (the Book of Sacrifices). Despite the majority of the Torah being filled with stories,...

Mar 13, 2020, 4:31 AM

Mordechai or Moshe?

Dear Friends, In this week's Parsha, Ki Tisa, we read one of the most painful and saddest stories found in the Torah. Whilst Moshe is upon Mount Sinai receiving the commandments from the mouth of G-d, a few instigators spread a...

Mar 8, 2020, 11:42 AM

What’s in a name?

In Romeo and Juliet, one of William Shakespeare's most famous plays, we can find a soliloquy in which he questions the very foundation and purpose of names and labelling. "Juliet: What's in a name? That which we call a rose...

About Me

Rabbi Gabi is Australia's youngest community rabbi. He leads the Ark Centre a Orthodox Community Centre with a Shule in the middle. Through his openness and inclusive approach to Judaism, Rabbi Gabi has redefined the 21st Century synagogue within the context of Modern Orthodoxy with a greater focus on song and spirituality. Rabbi Gabi holds a Masters of Social Work and is Chairman of Melbourne Fight Back Against Parkinson's Inc, a not for profit charity that assists people with Parkinson's disease.