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A BUBBE

MAASE

Written by

Mendel Gurkov

“it’s my opinion, if you don’t like it then fuggedaboutit”

Not A Bad Place to Be Stuck

After my wife and I got married in 2019, we decided to spend some time in Melbourne. We weren’t planning on staying long, we figured a few months, tops a year. Of course, G-d had other plans. One worldwide pandemic and baby girl later, we are now preparing to leave Melbourne and move to Long Island to open a new Chabad House.

Before I moved to Melbourne,

I heard many wonderful things about the Jewish Community. After living here for almost two years, I can honestly say that the hype was pretty accurate. The community genuinely cares for one another, and tries to help in any way that they can. However, while these qualities are impressive, they can be found in many communities world wide. There’s something else that makes Melbourne’s community unique, even special. Something intangible that’s hard to describe. Anyone who’s been here knows what I’m talking about, Melbourne’s just different.

Alas, they don’t pay me the big bucks to write vague love letters to the community. “Be descriptive,” my editor told me. So I took a break from writing for

a while and decided to observe. At community events, instead of yapping, I listened to others. Turns out, you can learn a lot when you just listen (so that’s what my wife’s been trying to tell me...). Anyways, here’s my thoughts on what makes Melbourne unique, and how to ensure that it stays that way.

There’s an old tale about a fellow named Moshe who lived in Mezibush, Ukraine, in the early 1700s. Moshe worked hard to earn a living. He toiled night and day, perfecting his craft, which just happened to be thievery. Listen, every respectable town needs it’s own ganov, and Moshe was the best man for the job. Over his long career, Moshe never got caught. Sure, there were a few close calls, but whenever the situation got hot, Moshe would visit the Baal Shem Tov and ask for a brocho. The Baal Shem Tov would bless him, and the trail would miraculously go cold.

One day, Moshe heard that the Czar himself was coming to town. “This is the chance of a lifetime,” Moshe thought. He planned the heist carefully. He incorporated diversions, escape routes, and subterfuge. In the end, Moshe walked away with a score so large he could retire and enjoy life. Moshe went to his hideout in the forest near Mezibush and waited for the heat to die down. Days, weeks and months passed by, but the incident didn’t blow over. The police put Mezibush under lockdown and inspected every person who went in and out of the city. Moshe realized that he needed to speak with the Baal Shem Tov before he got caught. So he snuck back into the city and rushed into the shul. “Please,” Moshe said to the gabbai, “I need to speak to the Rebbe.” The gabbai replied, “Haven’t you heard, the Baal Shem Tov passed away.” Moshe stumbled out of the shul in a daze. He walked to the cemetery and laid down by the Baal Shem Tov’s kever. The next morning, Moshe was summoned before the Baal Shem Tov’s grandson, Reb Boruch. During their meeting, Reb Boruch blessed Moshe and told him, “Last night my grandfather visited me in a dream and told me that I should bless you. I protested, ‘but zaide, he is a thief!’ The Baal Shem Tov answered, ‘nu, a thief also needs a Rebbe.’”

I’m not advocating that people should start robbing each other, at least not until I’ve left town. This tale teaches us a profound lesson: It’s easy to accept someone by ignoring the parts that make us uncomfortable. The difficulty lies in acknowledging who each person truly is and still accepting them, warts and all. This allows for true, sustained growth, on an individual and communal level.

I believe that this encapsulates the essence of the Jewish community in Melbourne. By no means are we perfect, but look around, whether it’s in shul, by a Shabbos meal, or a Sunday barbie, here in Melbourne people don’t ignore who you are. Instead, they try to work with you, understanding that no matter what, “a thief also needs a Rebbe.”

Living life by this code is a tall order. It’s hard enough dealing with our own problems, let alone someone else’s. It’s easier to just smile and wave, without investing in one another. I don’t have any magical solutions, but you should know that it’s worth your time and effort. The impact you can have on others is tremendous, trust me, I’m talking from personal experience.

Well, that’s it folks, this is the last time you’ll have to put up with my musings in this column. I know I got a bit sentimental, but cut me some slack, I’m gonna miss hacking-a-chainik with you guys. The truth is, it’s my opinion, if you don’t like it, then fuggedaboutit.

Mendel