On behalf of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, I thank you all for your commitment to both the Board of Deputies and the Jewish community in what has been a challenging year. While we spent much of the year physically apart, our community has come together in innovative ways and continues to thrive.

Chanukah is one of the most widely celebrated Jewish festivals – a time for friends and family to gather around the light of the chanukiah. We use this time to recall the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days, of the triumph of freedom over oppression, of goodwill over evil. As conflict around the world continues to widen divisions in society, it is you to whom we turn in times of need. And while we may gather to celebrate Chanukah in smaller numbers this year than in the past, that light continues to grow.

As 2021 approaches, we look forward to gathering together in person again. I wish you and your loved ones Happy Chanukah and a healthy, COVID-free 2021.

Lesli Berger
President, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies