The Chabad Pioneer of Australia

The Roots of Jewish Life Down Under

We have gathered here today for a special prayer, in memory of the individuals who lost their lives in the terror attack in Sydney, Australia.

The terror attack took place during the lighting of the menorah at a Chabad event, an event with a tradition of more than thirty years, held annually at Bondi Beach — one of the most famous beaches in the world. It is a large and central gathering that draws thousands every year. And precisely there — in a place meant for light, joy, and publicizing the miracle — terrorists arrived and murdered sixteen Jews.

Because this attack occurred at a Chabad event, it is fitting to return to the beginning and ask: how did Chabad Chassidim come to Australia in the first place?

The first Chabad Chassid to arrive in Australia was Rabbi Moshe Zalman Feiglin, of blessed memory, a Chassid of the Rebbe Rashab. He arrived in Australia in the year 5672 (1912).

When he arrived, he found a small and highly assimilated Jewish community. Jews who knew him approached him and said, “Feiglin, this place is not for you. There is no Judaism here. How can you bring your family to such a place?”

He first tried to settle in Melbourne, but he could not find work that would allow him to observe Shabbat. Every week, on Monday, he was forced to look for a new job, because he had not worked on Shabbat — and was automatically dismissed. Before long, he found himself without a livelihood and without a Jewish environment.

At that very time, the Australian government was encouraging citizens to settle empty regions and cultivate the land, turning them into agricultural areas. Families who agreed were offered financial assistance. Feiglin saw an opportunity and organized a small group of Jews who were willing to become farmers and work the land of Australia.

Feiglin was an activist by nature — an entrepreneur, a man of action, and a visionary. He organized a group of families who, like him, wanted to raise their children in an authentic Jewish environment. Together, they moved to a place called Shepparton, about 180 kilometers from Melbourne. At the time, only about 3,000 people lived there, surrounded by vast stretches of uncultivated land.

Shepparton; a Jewish stronghold

In April of 1913, they made the move. Naturally, they had to start from nothing. The work was grueling, and none of them were accustomed to agricultural labor. But Feiglin did not despair. On the contrary, from the moment he arrived, he began building vibrant and meaningful communal life.

On Shabbat, the community gathered in one of the homes to pray together. After the prayers, Rabbi Moshe Feiglin would host Kiddush in his own home, invite guests, and teach Torah — to his children and to the children of the neighbors.

As Rosh Hashanah approached, it became clear that they needed a tenth man to complete a minyan. Throughout the year, sometimes they had a minyan and sometimes they did not — but on Rosh Hashanah, a minyan was essential. This was Rosh Hashanah of 1914. Rabbi Moshe Feiglin traveled to Melbourne to find a Jew who would be willing to come to Shepparton and complete the minyan for the holiday.

In Melbourne, he met an immigrant named Yitzchak Tsipros, a carpenter by trade, who had arrived from the Land of Israel. Because of the outbreak of World War I, he was stranded in Australia. Mr. Tsipros agreed to come to Shepparton for Rosh Hashanah, and afterward was persuaded to return for Yom Kippur as well. Thanks to him, the community had a minyan for the High Holidays.

Tsipros grew deeply attached to the community and happily traveled from Melbourne every Shabbat to stay in Feiglin’s home — a house that was always filled with guests. Feiglin even paid for his round-trip train fare each week. Eventually, Tsipros settled permanently in Shepparton and lived there until he returned to the Land of Israel in 1921.

After years of praying in different homes each Shabbat, the community decided it was time to establish a synagogue. They found a small building and converted it into a shul. At first, everything went smoothly. Rabbi Moshe Feiglin served as the community’s leader, and as a Chabad Chassid, the prayers followed the nusach of the Ari.

After some time, however, three families decided they preferred to pray according to Nusach Ashkenaz. A decision was made to divide the space in two, with the hope of maintaining two separate minyanim. A wall was built down the center of the synagogue: one side prayed according to the Chabad Nusach, and the other according to the Ashkenazi Nusach.

Even in such a small community, the familiar joke applied: there is the synagogue where you pray — and the synagogue where you would never set foot.

Before long, the breakaway group realized they could not sustain a minyan and abandoned the idea. With the agreement of all sides, the dividing wall was removed, and the community returned to praying together under the leadership of Rabbi Moshe Feiglin.

The Torah’s Royal Greeting

Ten years after the community was founded, it became clear that they needed to purchase a Torah scroll. Moshe Feiglin succeeded in purchasing a used Torah scroll from a Jewish community in Melbourne. In 1923, the community honored their shochet, Rabbi Chaim Yaffe, with the task of traveling to Melbourne to personally bring the Torah scroll to Shepparton.

Rabbi Chaim Yaffe arrived in Melbourne, received the Torah scroll, and returned to the train station — only to discover that he had missed the train to Shepparton by a single minute.

At that moment, the stationmaster came to his rescue. “I have good news,” he said. “In a short while, a special train will be departing for Shepparton — an unscheduled journey.” The train had been chartered especially for the Governor-General of Australia, who was on his way to Shepparton for a state visit marking the unveiling of an impressive memorial to the fallen soldiers of World War I.

When the Governor learned that a Jewish rabbi was standing at the station with a Torah scroll and needed to reach Shepparton, he immediately ordered that a special carriage be added — exclusively for the rabbi and the Torah.

News that the Governor was arriving in Shepparton spread quickly. All the town’s dignitaries abandoned their work and gathered at the train station in great excitement to greet him with full ceremony and honor. The military band stood ready, and the crowd waited in tense anticipation for the signal to begin playing.

At last, the train arrived. A hush fell over the crowd. Every eye turned to the first person to step off the train. And then — a tall figure emerged, wearing a black hat, carefully holding a precious object wrapped in blue velvet. Someone gave the signal, and the orchestra burst into a majestic welcome. 

Russian Chassidim Arrive

For more than thirty years, Moshe Feiglin stood virtually alone in his effort to establish a Chassidic community in Australia. He raised a family devoted to Shabbat and kashrut, educated his children as Chassidim, and on Shabbat would share Chassidic stories and learn Torah with them.

Time and again, he tried to bring additional Chassidim from Russia to help build the community, but he was unsuccessful. Exit permits could not be obtained, and the gates remained closed.

Only after World War II, when Chabad Chassidim began leaving Russia, did Feiglin write to the Previous Rebbe and request that Chassidim be sent to Australia. At the same time, Chassidim who had reached displaced persons camps in Germany asked the Rebbe where they should go. The Previous Rebbe instructed them to travel to Australia.

Thus, six families of Chassidim from Russia made the long journey to Australia and settled in Shepparton around Moshe Feiglin. These families became the nucleus from which Chabad institutions across Australia would emerge.

Shortly after their arrival, they established a yeshiva that began with a single student — the son of one of the Russian families, Rabbi Aharon Serebransky. Two more students soon joined, and gradually, Chabad took root, expanded, and grew stronger throughout Australia.

Over the years, hundreds of letters and directives arrived from the Rebbe, offering encouragement, guidance, and direction — how to bring in more Jewish children, expand activities, and build strong, lasting Jewish and Chassidic life.

In the year 5718 (1958??), the Rebbe sent the renowned shaliach, Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Groner, of blessed memory, to Australia. His arrival ignited an extraordinary wave of activity and outreach, laying the foundations for an expansive network of Chabad institutions throughout the country — institutions of Torah, education, community, and shlichus that continue to flourish to this day.

Yosef paves the way

In this week’s Torah portion, Miketz, we continue the story of Yosef the Righteous — how Pharaoh summoned him to interpret his dreams and then appointed him as viceroy of Egypt.

Years later, famine struck, and the sons of Yaakov — Yosef’s brothers — descended to Egypt to purchase food. They encountered Yosef as the ruler of Egypt but did not recognize him. Yosef accused them of being spies, and in next week’s portion we read how he finally reveals his identity.

In that powerful moment, Yosef tells them: “Now do not be distressed or reproach yourselves for having sold me here, for it was to preserve life that G-d sent me ahead of you.” He then explains that five more years of famine remain, and emphasizes once more: “G-d sent me ahead of you to ensure your survival in the land and to sustain you for a great deliverance” (Vayigash 45:7).

Rabbi Moshe Feiglin was the “Yosef” of Chabad in Australia — the pioneer who prepared the ground for a Chassidic Chabad community that today forms the backbone of Jewish life throughout the entire country.

The Rebbe once explained that Australia is unique. Its settlement began through coercion. People did not travel there by choice; rather, when England wished to remove people from its territory, they were exiled to Australia.

In other words, Australia was initially populated by prisoners sent there as a form of exile. Only later, when a large population had accumulated, was a state established. From this, the Rebbe taught a profound principle: when a foundation begins in darkness and exile, it highlights the idea of “the advantage of light that emerges from darkness.” Accordingly, service of G-d in Australia carries a unique distinction — the power of light that comes specifically from struggle in a place never meant for it in the first place.
(Toras Menachem 5749, vol. 1, p. 305)

In a letter written in 1939, immediately after the devastating Australian bushfires known as “Black Friday,” the Previous Rebbe wrote to Feiglin, encouraging him to continue the very work he had pursued before the fire. He quoted the well-known saying, “After a fire, one becomes wealthy.” And why? As the Rebbe explains elsewhere, because after the attribute of judgment comes the attribute of mercy.

May it be G-d’s will that the Almighty help us now as well — that after the attribute of judgment that has struck Australia, the attribute of mercy will flow in great abundance, bringing only blessings, success, salvation, and comfort until the coming of Moshiach very soon.

(From the book Avraham Avinu of Australia)