Chabad RARA of North Queensland in the press

J Wire (July 7 2021)

https://www.jwire.com.au/cairns-challah-bake/

 The Australian jewish news

IMG_5898 2.jpg The Cairns PostIMG_6683.jpg

The Cairns Life Weekly NewspaperIMG_4588 2.jpg

 J- Wire

https://www.jwire.com.au/boomerang-menorah/

The Australian Jewish NewsIMG_6682.PNG

The Cairns Post

IMG_6685.jpg

J-Wire

https://www.jwire.com.au/jewish-community-of-cairns-celebrated-the-new-year-for-trees-by-volunteering-for-the-council/ 

The Australian Jewish News 

IMG_6684.jpg

The Australian Jewish News IMG_6775.jpg

J-Wire

 https://www.jwire.com.au/north-queensland-family-celebrated-triple-barmitzvah/

J-Wire

https://www.jwire.com.au/torah-in-townsville/ 

The Cairns Post IMG_4618.jpg

 The Australian Jewish News

https://ajn.timesofisrael.com/cairns-jewish-community-lights-up-mango-menorah/ 

J-Wire 

https://www.jwire.com.au/mango-menorah/ 

The Cairns Post

 55492962_785984631800744_6243765834196451328_o.jpg

The Australian Jewish News 

55596917_786614901737717_5446080155518763008_o.jpg

Our Space My Place - Cairns Regional Council

53117796_771711689894705_7974904389133402112_o.jpg

The Australian Jewish News Sydney and Melbourne

 50236662_748461715553036_742382356924465152_o.jpg

The Australian Jewish News 

48169783_724467621285779_7565827948398247936_n.jpg

The Australian Jewish News46785527_712945499104658_4631140240298344448_o.jpg 

The Australian Jewish News Aug 30, 2018

IMG_3813.jpg

Hamodia Newspaper, August 2018

"The MC for the event was ‘Outback’ Rabbi Ari Rubin, Shliach of the Rebbe to North Queensland, who was among the many honored guests who converged upon Brisbane, to enhance the evening, from the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Melbourne and Sydney. "

51955_24943_18346680424954.jpg

Australian Jewish News, July 2017

 32215277_573845269681349_8362415262204428288_o.jpg

Australian Jewish News, June 2017 32186640_573893623009847_2800876743567605760_o.jpg

J-Wire 17 June 2017

 http://www.jwire.com.au/its-never-too-late-for-a-bar-mitzvah/

4x4 across Australia (HEBREW)

http://4x4cross-australia.com/?p=1423 

Jews Down Under, 17 July 2017

https://jewsdownunder.com/2018/07/17/the-mitzvah-bar-mitzvah-never-too-old-to-become-a-man/

Australian Jewish News, May 2017

33992957_583327995399743_6098388355232301056_o.jpg

SBS, May 2017 

https://www.sbs.com.au/guide/article/2018/04/18/lebanese-beauty-queens-outback-rabbis-sbs-explores-bold-and-untold-australian

https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/1229302851994/outback-rabbis-untold-australia 

Untitled design.png

Australian Jewish News, April, 2017

30742253_564547730611103_1316959379521536000_n.jpg

Australian Jewish News, April, 2017

30710523_563792557353287_6222406059890311168_n.jpg

Australian Jewish News, March, 2017

30727817_563792524019957_6427994736916692992_n.jpg

Australian Jewish News, Feb, 2017

Screen Shot 2018-04-22 at 5.42.23 PM.png

Australian Jewish News, Dec, 201726165913_515607748838435_4545830403107509303_n.jpg

 Australian Jewish News, September 28, 2017

J-Wire September 27, 2017

140 Jews of all backgrounds come together  at the Pacific International Hotel Cairns to celebrate the Jewish New Year.

Joining some of the regulars from the community were tourists from all over the world and some new faces who had not known of the existence of Chabad RARA of North Queensland.

This number was a huge record for the small Jewish Community in Cairns. Chabad RARA is dedicated to removing entry barriers and ensuring that all who wish to participate in a meaningful celebration of the Jewish New Year may do so.

By providing free Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services in a warm and inclusive setting, Chabad RARA of North Queensland hopes to accommodate those who may otherwise not be celebrating the holiday. Chabad’s “user-friendly” services make for an enjoyable and meaningful experience for both the beginner and the advanced. Song, commentary and the use of English-Hebrew prayer-books invite individuals of all levels to become active participants in the service.

“According to Jewish tradition, the gates of Heaven are open on the New Year, and G‑d accepts prayers from everyone,” said Rabbi Ari Rubin , of Chabad RARA “That serves as our inspiration to keep our doors open as well to the entire community.”

Ari continued, “The Lubavitcher Rebbe–Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory–insisted that Judaism be made accessible to all Jews. During the High Holidays, accessibility can translate into different factors for different people, such as a nonjudgmental atmosphere, affordability of the services or the ability for a beginner to follow along. Our goal is to lower the barriers of entry, and encourage each and every Jew to actively participate in these most holy and introspective days.”

This year brings added significance as the Jewish world marks 50 years since the Rebbe initiated the Mitzvah Campaigns, a historic undertaking that took Jewish observance to the streets.

For decades, Chabad-Lubavitch–an international Jewish organization that firmly believes Jewish traditions and customs are the birthright of every Jew, and that every Jew should have access to them–has made High Holiday services available free of charge, a model other synagogues and organizations around the world are aiming to replicate.

The services will continue for Yom Kippur, which begins this year at sundown on Friday, September 29 and extends until nightfall on Saturday, September 30.

For more information about Ari’s services or to reserve a space, visit chabadnorthqueensland.com.

Australian Jewish News, September 21, 2017 

 J-Wire September 17, 2017

 http://www.jwire.com.au/younger-members-of-the-cairns-community-show-their-appreciation-to-the-local-police/Screen Shot 2017-09-17 at 6.08.34 PM.png

The Australian Jewish News, SYD, August 10, 2017

 20638874_455090508223493_1231432713930893241_n.jpg

The Hamodia, August 10th, 2017

 20708347_455157838216760_8460899101805939533_n.jpg

 The Cairns Sun, August, 2017

 20840720_457077311358146_813630198955018386_n.jpg

The Yeshiva World News August 10th 2017

https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/1335082/chabad-rara-dedicates-celebrates-first-sefer-torah-north-queensland.html

J-Wire, August 7th 2017

Screen Shot 2017-08-08 at 4.50.33 PM.png

http://www.jwire.com.au/cairns-dedicates-and-celebrates-its-first-torah/ 

The Cairns Post, August 2nd 2017

20526004_451843338548210_4297930926527420848_n.jpg http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/sacred-scroll-welcomed-by-cairns-jewish-community-in-rare-ceremony/news-story/c0fff2e5815670b8146c7154b20148ed

See also the Mercury http://www.themercury.com.au/news/national/sacred-scroll-welcomed-by-cairns-jewish-community-in-rare-ceremony/news-story/c0fff2e5815670b8146c7154b20148ed 

J-Wire, July 27th 2017  

 Screen Shot 2017-07-29 at 8.38.27 PM.png

http://www.jwire.com.au/melbourne-letter-writing-for-cairns-siyum-sefer-torah/ 

The Australian Jewish News, July 28th, 2017 

 20479469_450321422033735_5521174562036746613_n.jpg

The Australian Jewish News, June 2nd, 2017

ajnshavuot.JPG

The Cairns Sun Feb  7, 2017

 tu bishvat article.jpg

The Shtick

http://youtu.be/KS_0PK2i_ek

The Shtick TV program - Begin at 5:51 mark 

The Cairns Post Dec 25 2016

http://www.cairnspost.com.au/lifestyle/kewarra-beach-rabbi-will-embark-on-road-trip-for-hanukkah/news-story/f90b4da9ee0071ccd5d72184f233793d 15672824_326592511073294_4368033237103342403_n.jpg

J-Wire - Sukkot in Cairns 2016

jwire sukkot.png

http://www.jwire.com.au/cairns-celebrates-first-ever-communal-sukkah/ 

 The Cairns Post

cairnspost.jpg

ABC

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-10/rabbi-ari-rubin-jewish-community-far-north-queensland/7498936

news-logo-data.pngMelbourne Rabbi sets up first centre for Jewish life in far north Queensland

ABC Far North By Mark Rigby Posted Fri 10 Jun 2016, 11:26am

ari.jpgPHOTO: Rabbi Rubin left a large Jewish community in Melbourne and moved his family to Cairns, in far north Queensland. (ABC Far North: Mark Rigby)

Far from the thriving Jewish community found in Melbourne, Rabbi Ari Rubin and his family have set up a base in far north Queensland.

The family hopes to serve the needs of the growing Jewish community living between Cooktown and Mackay and as far inland as Mount Isa in western Queensland.

Covering an area larger than the entire state of Victoria will not be without its challenges, particularly when observing Shabbat.

"The problem is we can't drive or use any electricity on the day so we can only be limited to one area," Rabbi Rubin said.

"We would love to go to other cities, but we can only spend the one day in one area so we can only reach the Jews in the area at the time."

cheese.jpgPHOTO: Rabbi Rubin and his wife have been busy preparing kosher foods for Shavuot celebrations this weekend. (ABC Far North: Mark Rigby) Rabbi Rubin said before moving to Cairns he was given the contact details of about 500 Jews in the area.
"Since we moved here we've found at least 30 or 40 more and we expect that to grow," he said.
"As well, there are a lot of Jewish tourists that come here that have been coming for a while.

"[But] there's actually another 500 Jews we estimate to be in the rest of the region."

Judaism in the tropics

Wearing rabbinical robes in the midst of a far north Queensland summer is not something Rabbi Rubin is looking forward to, but it is not the most pressing issue on his mind.

More troubling is the limited availability of kosher food.

"There is a selection in supermarkets up here but it's not very big and it doesn't cover many of the things that we need," Rabbi Rubin said.

The family often ships food from Melbourne or ask visitors to bring supplies with them.
An even bigger problem is obtaining Jewish artefacts used during traditional celebrations, rituals and ceremonies.

sforim.jpgPHOTO: Hundreds of rabbinical texts line the bookshelves in Rabbi Rubin's Kewarra Beach home, north of Cairns. (ABC Far North: Mark Rigby)
"If we need a mezuzah for the door or a tefillin for the arm, or if we need some Jewish books or other Jewish artefacts we

need to have them shipped up here (from Melbourne)," Rabbi Rubin said.

"Sometimes it's even cheaper to get them straight from Israel than to get them from Melbourne because of the cost of shipping."

Despite its challenges, life in far north Queensland is proving fruitful for Rabbi Rubin and his family.
This weekend, they will be joined by other members of the region's Jewish community to celebrate Shavuot. "It's basically a time to celebrate being Jewish and what Judaism offers the world," Rabbi Rubin said.

AJN

https://www.jewishnews.net.au/north-qlds-new-shlichim/52938 

jewish news.png

J-Wire

http://www.jwire.com.au/chabad-in-cairns/

purm.png

http://www.jwire.com.au/north-queensland-celebrates-lag-bomer-first-time/ 

Lag Beomer.png