Rabbi Dovid Slavin, director of “Our Big Kitchen” in Sydney, Australia, was recently awarded “Local hero of the year 2013” for Waverley, in the presence of dignitaries at an event hosted by the city council.
The award recognized the dedicated work over many years with “Our Big Kitchen” in Sydney, a center for community-building activities providing meals for the less fortunate.
The annual event recognizing a citizen for outstanding communal work takes place on “Australia Day,” the 26th of January.
This year that date fell on Shabbos, so the event, which was strictly Kosher, was moved by a few weeks out of respect for Rabbi Slavin.
This great Kiddush Hashem was reflected in Rabbi Slavin’s acceptance speech, as well as focusing on the Rebbe’s words about Australia, and paying special tribute to his wife Laya Slavin and children for their support and partnership.
Among the guests where Rabbi Pinchus Feldman – Leader of Chabad NSW, Rabbis Yossi, Sholom and Eli Feldman, Rabbi Moshe Gutnick, Rabbi Aaron Groner and Rabbi Michoel Gurary.
Politicians included Waverley Mayor Sally Betts, Deputy Mayor Tony Kay, State MP Bruce Notley-Smith, and State MP Gabrielle Upton as well as long standing former MP Peter Debnam who is now Chairman of Chabad’s Our Big Kitchen.
Dovid ,Leah and their “:chevra” kol hakavod
Rabbi Slavin’s successes are mainly due to his being a mench.
His dedication and loyalty (thru thick and thin) to the Rebbes Shliach Rabbi Feldman (and vice versa) is exemplary.
Waverley Local Hero of the Year Rabbi Dovid Slavin Rabbi Slavin founded Bondi’s Our Big Kitchen (OBK), a non-denominational charitable organisation that brings together people from all walks of life and denominations, for community-building activities and to cook for the less fortunate. Rabbi Slavin has impacted the lives of hundreds of Australians through his efforts at OBK, as chaplain to the NSW Ambulance Service and as a Rabbi/mentor. His other principal voluntary activities have been as member of the Ethics Committee and the Cancer Institute of NSW and as co-founding Director of Gift of Life Australia, an organisation maintaining a… Read more »
The event was a very special Kidush Hashem and a kidush Shem Chabad
May we hear only good news
Go slavin go