Military Wiki
Don't have an account?
Register
Advertisement
Register
in: Articles using infobox person, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, 1935 births,
and 22 more

Raymond Apple (rabbi)

Sign in to edit
Raymond Apple
Rabbi Dr Raymond Apple
Born 1935
Melbourne, Australia
Residence Israel
Nationality Australia, Israel
Predecessor Rabbi Dr Israel Porush
Successor Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence
Denomination Orthodox
Website
www.oztorah.com

Rabbi Raymond Apple (born 27 December 1935) was the Senior Rabbi of the Great Synagogue of Sydney between 1972 and 2005.[1] In this role, he was one of Australia's highest profile rabbis and the leading spokesman for Judaism in Australia.[2][3]

Education and early career[]

Born in Melbourne,[4] he was educated at the selective Melbourne High School. His rebbe was Dr Samuel Billigheimer (1889-1983),[5] He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Melbourne, a Master's of Literature from the University of New England, and a teaching diploma and semikhah (rabbinic diploma) from Jews' College (now the London School of Jewish Studies).[6] He is a Doctor of Laws honoris causa from the University of New South Wales, a Doctor of the University of the Australian Catholic University,[7] and Honorary Fellow of the University of Sydney. He has received a Distinguished Alumni award from the University of New England.[6]

Religious leadership[]

Apple served London congregations at Bayswater and Hampstead between 1960 and 1972 before returning to Australia to take up the role of senior rabbi at the Great Synagogue (Sydney).

In Sydney he also served as a dayan and registrar for the Sydney Beth Din.

Interfaith dialogue has been a lifetime interest of Apple and one which he pursued in Sydney.[1] He is a patron and a former joint president and chairman of the Australian Council of Christians and Jews. He is also a life member and former chairman of the NSW Council, founded the Christian-Jewish Luncheon Club in Sydney,[8] and has been a leader in dialogue with Islam. Apple currently serves as president of the Israel Regional of the Rabbinical Council of America.[9]

Apple is an Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to the community, as well as holding the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal and the Centenary of Federation Medal.[10]

Other roles[]

Apple was an Australian Army Reserve chaplain for 15 years and from 1988-2006 senior rabbi to the Australian Defence Force.[6] He also served for two terms as chairman of the Religious Advisory Committee to the Services, the first Jewish representative to hold this office. He was awarded the Reserve Force Decoration and the Australian Defence Medal.[11] He was also a chaplain to the NSW Police.

Apple is prominent in Freemasonry, being a Past Deputy Grand Master, Past Junior Grand Warden and Past Grand Chaplain of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.[12]

Retirement[]

Apple has lived in Israel since 2006.[13]

Writings[]

Apple has written a number of books, including :

He has also published numerous articles on Jews, Jewish history, the Jews in Australia, and various Jewish and interfaith themes. He is the author of "OzTorah", a weekly e-mail service and website presenting insights into the Torah reading,[14] an Ask the Rabbi forum,[15] and articles on Freemasonry,[16] interfaith issues,[17] British Jewish history,[18] and the Australian Jewish community and its history.[19] The OzTorah archives are available on his website at http://www.oztorah.com

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Price, Sarah (7 February 2005). "Farewell to the rabbi of tolerance". The Sun-Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/02/06/1107625057722.html. 
  2. ↑ The Australian, "Apple spells out core values as he departs after 32 years" 7 February 2005, accessed through EBBSCO'S Australia and New Zealand Reference Net
  3. ↑ Chief Rabbi's Cabinet - Rabbi Raymond Apple
  4. ↑ ABC Radio National Verbatim, 9 December 2002
  5. ↑ Dr Billigheimer in Australia (OzTORAH); The German rabbinate abroad — Australia (OzTORAH).
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Crown Content, Who's Who in Australia 2007 page 150
  7. ↑ Rabbi to receive top award from Catholic University, retrieved 16 September 2016.
  8. ↑ Australian Council of Christians and Jews
  9. ↑ American position for Jerusalem-based ex-Sydney rabbi
  10. ↑ It's an Honour, "Raymond Apple"
  11. ↑ Rabbinical Council of America
  12. ↑ Our Ministers - Rabbi Dr Raymond Apple AO RFD Archived 2011-02-17 at the Wayback Machine., Great Synagogue (Sydney), accessed 5 April 2010
  13. ↑ Breskin, Nicole (10 June 2007). "Rabbi Apple to headline inter-faith conference". Australian Jewish News. Archived from the original on 11 August 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080811073135/https://www.ajn.com.au/news/news.asp?pgID=3440. 
  14. ↑ http://www.oztorah.com/parashah-insights/
  15. ↑ http://www.oztorah.com/ask-the-rabbi/
  16. ↑ http://www.oztorah.com/category/freemasonry/
  17. ↑ http://www.oztorah.com/category/interfaith-issues/
  18. ↑ http://www.oztorah.com/category/british-jewry/
  19. ↑ http://www.oztorah.com/category/australian-jewry/

External links[]

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Raymond Apple (rabbi) and the edit history here.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
Advertisement

Fan Feed