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Melbourne Newspaper Profiles R’ Shlomo Nathanson

The ‘Melbourne Weekly’ newspaper profiled Chabad Shliach Rabbi Shlomo Nathanson in a section titled “My Voice.” Sholomo Nathanson is a Port Melbourne rabbi, who uses kosher food to nourish hearts and minds in his community.

My Voice: Shlomo Nathanson

I grew up in Los Angeles. At the age of 18, I travelled to Russia and did my rabbinic studies. I’m now 26, and married to an Australian girl, and I run Port Melbourne’s Chabad Jewish Community Centre.

Chabad is a worldwide organisation that started in New York. After the Holocaust, it took on a very different form of leadership. Instead of keeping the ethics and teachings of Judaism and harbouring it within a tight-knit community, Chabad aims take it out to the community.

Essentially my friends and colleagues were taught from a young age not to keep our ethics and morals to ourselves, but to spread them to the community. Also, over the past few decades, young couples like myself and my wife have moved out to less densely populated Jewish communities and tried to create one. That’s how we ended up in Port Melbourne.

Chabad Jewish Community Centre is aimed at hosting programs and activities for the local community. We mainly rent out venues to hold synagogue services.

One of our most important programs is C Care, which was established to fight social isolation. We also raise funds, and run a monthly kosher cook-off for people living in social housing. We also pair up volunteers with recipients from diverse backgrounds, often including the socially isolated and linguistically impaired. They meet once a week, be it for taking a stroll in the park, chatting over strudel in a neighbourhood cafe, or hands-on help at home with the kids, dinner, or even language tutoring.

In South Melbourne and Port Melbourne, statistics show there’s a tremendous gap between the socio-economic groups. We are able to bridge this gap with

C Care. We don’t just help Jewish people. We try to help anyone who is lonely and needs help. I’m still orthodox – I wear the garb and have the beard – but I believe we’re all human beings. I don’t believe in preaching religion outside the Jewish community, but I believe everyone who needs a helping hand should get one regardless of their race, colour or beliefs.

We hosted our first CookOff event recently, with more than 50 volunteers helping out including Caulfield MLA David Southwick, boxer Henry Nissan, frontman of punk band Yidcore Bram Presser, and beloved Israeli chef Oded Tepper. Henry Greener of Australia’s Jewish TV show, The Shtick, came along to film the event, and Jewish singles social network group Soul Fusion helped out with deliveries. Local kosher butchers donated a bunch of meat. We’re hosting the CookOffs once a month at the moment, but we’re looking to increase that – we just need the right facility.

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12 Comments

  • Berki

    When you’re young and vibrant under the age of 40 like him and all his other members, good healthy wholesome food is not a big deal secret… I’d say look around you and see what farbrengens feature… slimy herring, tons of high cal. mezonos, pop, mushke, oily kugels… and they tell us to make a l’chaim… anyone over 50++ goes home reeling from stomach cramps and stayin’ in the washroom for the next 24 hrs.

  • well done rivki

    hey Rivki
    we are so proud of you! keep up the great work. Rivkie (Metal) & Yossi Ives and family

  • Tanti Fran

    Shlomo- What a wonderful project- you are hearby granted an honorary Social Work degree- Bubbie would be especialy proud of you!

  • I MISS U!!!

    GO SHLOMO!!!!(& RIVKI & YOSSI & MEIR!!!)
    weird australian spelling tho…
    I LUV U GUYS!!!!
    LOVE,
    MARSHA (MUSH)

  • Nechama Dina Nathanson

    GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!
    we love you and miss you!!!!!!!!!
    Love,
    Nechama Dina

  • So grateful

    The food is so delicious and wholesome – even vegetarian options too! Thanks so much.