New president of Rabbinical Council
RABBI Yaakov Glasman has been elected to replace Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant as president of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria.
NAOMI LEVIN
RABBI Yaakov Glasman has been elected to replace Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant as president of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria (RCV).
After five years in the top job, Rabbi Kluwgant decided to step down, handing the baton to one of Melbourne’s youngest senior rabbis, Rabbi Glasman.
The North Eastern Jewish Centre rabbi edged out one of Melbourne’s most experienced senior rabbis, Rabbi Philip Heilbrunn, to win the presidency, held at the RCV’s annual general meeting on November 25.
Caulfield Hebrew Congregation’s Rabbi Ralph Genende was elected vice president.
Rabbi Glasmann said: “It’s gratifying to know that my colleagues have expressed their confidence in me to assume the position of RCV president.”
He said his ambitions for the organisation are twofold: to continue the work already underway and to engage Jewish youth.
Rabbis and community leaders farewelled Rabbi Kluwgant at the AGM, giving him a standing ovation.
He has overseen a revamp of the RCV that delivered the rabbinic body extra clout and extra funding, in the form of substantial government grants.
In one of his last duties as president, Rabbi Kluwgant met last week with Victorian Premier John Brumby to thank him for his support for the state’s Orthodox rabbis.
Unfortunately though, Rabbi Kluwgant was unable to leave his post in a blaze of glory, with one of his pet projects, compulsory pre-nuptial agreements for Jewish wedding, voted down at the AGM. Instead, rabbis will recommend couples consider a pre-nuptial agreement.
Extended coverage in next week’s print edition of The AJN.
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