Remembering Rabbi Groner: One Year On

MELBOURNE, Australia [AJN] — There are many dates during the year when we commemorate the passing of great leaders.

For Chabad, Gimmel Tammuz -– Tammuz 3 -– is particularly significant, as it marks the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson in 5754 (1994).

For Australian Jewry, that date has additional meaning, as it is the date of the passing in 1991 of Reb Zalman Serebryanski, fondly recalled as one of the founders of Chabad and the yeshivah community in Australia.

However, this year it is the following day that is also especially significant to Australian Jewry. Tammuz 4 -– Friday, June 26 -– marked the first yahrzeit of HaRav Yitzchok Dovid Groner, who was a shaliach (emissary) of the Rebbe in Australia for practically 50 years, after first setting foot on this continent as an emissary of the previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitchok Schneerson, as early as 1947.

Is it really already a year since that fateful day when the news of Rabbi Groner’s passing spread so fast? And if so, how does one evaluate Rabbi Groner’s impact?

The truth is that even now, after a year of mourning has passed, it is much too early to provide a definitive evaluation. There can be no doubt that without Rabbi Groner’s influence, Melbourne would not be the same.

While as he constantly reiterated, there were pioneers who preceded him and so many others without who the community would never have reached the point that it did, his influence was paramount.

If not for him, the yeshivah community in Melbourne would not be what it is today. Nor would there be so many Chabad houses that continue to influence so many -– or, for that matter, so many Chabad rabbis who lead many other mainstream congregations across the Australian continent.

His son Chaim Tzvi, dean of Kollel Menachem, is rabbi of Ohel Devorah another son Mendy heads Chabad of Glen Eira. His eldest son-in-law, Rabbi Tzvi Telsner, is now the dayan of Melbourne’s Yeshivah Centre after decades of service to the London Jewish community. Another son-in-law, Rabbi Shimshon Yurkowicz, heads Chabad of Malvern.

His other children and grandchildren too are influential in their communities and around the world from South Africa to New York. And all that is aside from the many thousands of students scattered across the four corners of the globe and so much of the rest of the Melbourne, and indeed Australian community who were touched by his presence.

Yes, even after his passing, life goes on and Chabad Australia continues to develop. And yet, for those privileged to have had Rabbi Groner as part of their lives, life cannot be the same. Whether he was your teacher, rabbi, mashpia (spiritual mentor), ba’al tefillah or simply a friend, there is now a void that is hard to fill.

And while the Yeshivah Centre itself continues from strength to strength, there are so many occasions when its leadership feels so strongly the absence of his guiding hand and has to make do with best attempts to act as he would have done.

It is indeed significant that no individual could replace him -– a Va’ad Ruchni (spiritual guidance committee) of no less than six personalities was created as but a starting point in the task of his filling his shoes.

How fitting that this week’s parshah speaks of leadership. The name of Korach, who unsuccessfully sought to undermine the leadership of Moshe Rabbenu, incorporates the root “k-r” meaning coldness.

That same root also appears regarding Amalek about who we are told “kor’cha baderech -– they cooled the way”, enabling the enemies of Israel to impact on our people. Said Rabbi Groner speaking at my own bar mitzvah many decades ago -– the ultimate enemy of Jewry and Yiddishkeit is coldness, apathy and disinterest. His personal style was the exact opposite.

Over recent days I asked a number of people what they missed since the passing of Rabbi Groner. Common threads in comments related to warmth, dynamism and his caring nature.

A communal personality not particularly close to him referred to missing the ability to ring him and discuss any matter a rabbi of a mainstream congregation referred to the absence of someone from who to seek advice on matters needing decisions.

Indeed, he was not just a rabbi for Chabad, but an individual having the ultimate personal relationship with all that went on in Australia and beyond, who genuinely worried and lost sleep over matters affecting so many across the community.

May his memory be blessed -– and may we all work towards perpetuation of his legacy through our communal endeavours.