About Us
Chabad ACT Ltd is a public, not for profit company and a large charity registered under the auspices of ACNC/ASIC.
The Charity’s Australian Business number: 85 163 930 372
Other included entities under Chabad ACT listed by ACNC:
Gan Yisroel Community & Childcare Centre; Gan Yisroel; Canberra Jewish School, My Little Star Early Learning Centre, ACT Hebrew School; Northern Canberra Synagogue & Jewish Community; Canberra Kosher; ACT & Region Jewish Community; Chabad Lubavitch of Australia
Current Board Members as of 2023:
Rabbi Shmueli Feldman – President and Chairman, Michael Kiel – Vice President, Kannan Ravi MBA - Hon Treasurer, Nikita Ramesh - Hon Secretary, Rebbetzin Chasia Feldman, .
Past Board Members: Rabbi Dan Avital - Rabbi Emeritus, Dr Sam Sherry, Fleur Wimbourne, Harry Oppermann, Rob Getreu, Donald Chambers, Theo Menachemson, Philip Creagh, Shmuel Kiel.
Chabad ACT Ltd is a not for profit charity organisation serving as the representative establishment in our nation’s capital of the international Chabad-Lubavitch movement. There are over 3000 Chabad centres worldwide including 100 Chabad organisations throughout Australia. Chabad is the largest Jewish outreach movement in Australia and the world.
Chabad ACT's focus is primarily on education and community/social welfare.
Chabad ACT continually offers a vast array of interesting and inspiring educational programs, humanitarian, outreach and social activities which reach out to people of all backgrounds and affiliations.
Chabad ACT was established in 2009 when Jewish residents in Canberra (total Jewish population in Canberra estimated at around 1500) approached Chabad in Melbourne to help further provide for their basic Jewish needs and infrastructure. There had never been a resident Rabbi in Canberra to provide full time spiritual support to Canberra's Jewry.
Chabad in Melbourne financed the purchases of the critically needed infrastructure in Northern Canberra for a Mikvah (Jewish ritual bath), a Rabbis residence, and another building designated for a community centre, Synagogue and Canberra’s first Jewish Preschool.
Australian Chabad leaders appointed a Chabad Rabbi with his family to move to Canberra to build, strengthen and provide all services necessary for a Jewish community.
Since its founding in 2009, Chabad ACT has built a thriving community in Northern Canberra and has become a one stop shop for everything Jewish in Canberra and the region.
In 2016 Chabad ACT independently successfully purchased the Canberra properties from the Melbourne based charities that owned them.
In 2017 Chabad ACT took out a long-term lease from the Government on a building adjacent to its headquarters to expand its many activities;
Chabad ACT has also gained widespread acclaim for a range of social and humanitarian programs aimed at the wider Canberra and Regional community.
Chabad ACT continues to have a positive impact on the diverse and broad Canberra and Regional community through its unique and widely appreciated, non-discriminatory humanitarian, social and outreach programs.
Services Chabad ACT provides the community:
Chaplaincy, Pastoral Care, Food and Clothes Donation Programs, Family and Relationship Counselling, Welfare Assistance Fund, Financial Counselling, Grief Counselling, Social Worker Services, Woman of Valour Empowerment Group, Goodness and Kindness, Free Loan Fund, Social and Multicultural Community Activities, Jewish Festival and Life-cycle Events, ACT Hebrew School, Registered Before/After School Programs, Vacation Care, Canberra Kosher Services and Catering, Judaica Supply, Library and Library Fund, Religious Services and Officiations, Crisis Intervention and Accommodation, Seniors and Disabled Support Services, Housing Support, Adult Education, Jewish and Universal Ethics Advocacy, Mikvah Chaya Mushka, The Northern Canberra Synagogue, The Canberra Jewish School and the My Little Star Early Learning Centre.
The OECD ranked Canberra the most liveable city out of 362 regions across the 34 most developed countries in the world.
