Queen’s Australia Representative Visits Sydney’s Great Synagogue

Sydney Great Synagogue. Image by Wikimedia

By JTA December 8, 2015

Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, Queen Elizabeth II’s representative in Australia, attended a Shabbat service last at Sydney’s Great Synagogue with his wife.

The synagogue’s Chief Minister Rabbi Benjamin Elton met the couple at the synagogue’s gates. The conregation’s roots date back to 1828, 40 years after British colonists first came to Australia.

“Their Excellencies had wanted to visit for some time and the synagogue was honoured to welcome them to the Shabbat service,” a spokesperson for the synagogue said.

Following the service, the couple conversed with congregants. Elton said the visit “highlighted the good relations between the different faith groups in Australia.”

“For decades The Great Synagogue has welcomed the leaders of the nation,” Elton said. “We were honoured to do so again. We understand the significance of this visit as a sign of respect for the Jewish community.”

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $325,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO