Rosa Smith nee Enriques was born in Jamaica, the descendant of Sephardi Pirates. She worked tirelessly for the Fremantle community, founding The Sailors’ Rest, an organisation designed to provide opportunities for seamen to spend their leisure hours in comfortable and inviting surroundings.
From Australia’s Jewish Past: Harold Boas Architect, Town Planner and Community Leader First published in J-Wire March 29, 2022 Harold Boas was born 27 September 1883 in Adelaide, the third son of ten children of Abraham and Elizabeth Boas. He was educated at Whinham and Prince Alfred Colleges in Adelaide and went on to study …
Possibly one of the most unique High Holiday services ever held in Australia took place in 1894 in Coolgardie WA for Rosh Hashana. The services were not held in a synagogue, nor in a home — in fact, not even in a building. The service, in which eleven men participated, just surpassing the bare minimum required, was held in a tent during the time of the WA’s gold rush period.
Theodore Krakouer arrived as Convict No 232 at the Swan River in West Australia. Together with his mate, Elias Lapidus, they were both sentenced to 15 years for stealing clothes and money. Their papers were stamped with “state of mind” as being hopeful.
