ADELAIDE Hebrew Congregation (AHC) has launched a desperate appeal to raise $100,000, warning members that unless the money comes in, the congregation will not be operationally viable. In a letter sent to congregants last week, AHC president Mark Cohen said dwindling membership and the global financial crisis had contributed to the shortfall. He also claimed long-term loans to Massada College had not been repaid.
Cohen told The AJN: “The big issue was that no fundraising had been done for a long time, and the bank balance had been slipping into the red for a while. There are no patrons of significance in Adelaide anymore, and every cent raised is by generous personal support.”
Calling for aid from beyond Adelaide, he added: “Our shul board has raised over $5000 from its last board meeting, and we hope the appeal will bring in around another $20,000 from smaller donors in the community. It would be wonderful to have additional Australian support for another $75,000, so we can get out of the red and begin a program of rejuvenation, immigration and community building right away.”
To help raise funds, renowned local artist Franz Kempf has donated one of his paintings, titled Why Does the City Sit so Solitary?, to the community to sell. Asked what may happen if the funds aren’t forthcoming, Cohen said: “We will have to call a special AGM – and ask for permission to sell the rabbi’s house, but this is a time-consuming, less than optimal, solution.”
uval Yarom, president of Massada College, refused to comment on the school’s financial relations with AHC. However, he told The AJN he was confident that Massada wasn’t facing an immediate cash crisis. “We will need financial support from the community in the near future and I believe we will get it,” he said. “But we do have a business plan and we are on our way to being able to stand on our own.
Looks like they can't make a go of it.
Solution? Turn the Shul over to Rabbi Engel and transform it into Adelaide's Chabad House. Those Chabad rabbis are somehow always able to finance their Shuls and activities.
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