A new Jewish Centre for Auckland

Jewish life has been a part of Auckland life for 170 years. Over that time, things have changed and people have moved further away from the city centre to the leafy suburbs.

So it is with the Auckland Hebrew Congregation, which is looking to move to new premises in Remuera Road over the next year to 18 months.

The current Greys Avenue site, opened in 1967, now poses limitations for the congregation.

Rachel Lerner, who is managing the relocation, says, “The city has grown around us in a way that no longer meets the community’s needs. Amongst others, there are problems with parking, security and a lack of green space for the school.”

The Trust Board of the Auckland Hebrew Congregation together with the very generous assistance of the Woolf Fisher Trust purchased the site of the old Corran School on Remuera Road, with a view to creating a Jewish Community complex that could be shared by everyone. The site is closer to where the majority of the community lives, with a high percentage living within a 5km radius. 

Looking at Kadimah School’s needs, the site will offer children the opportunity to have more space and fresh air; and the opportunity to expand its STEAM ethos and improve garden-to-table projects with vegetable growing and beehives. The ability to safely park and drop off or pick up children is also significantly enhanced.

The new centre means that the community can move into the 21st century confident we are setting ourselves in the best position we can to ensure the Jews of Auckland thrive, rather than survive. “It gives the community an opportunity to have a fresh look at ourselves,” says Lerner, who has already canvassed the needs of many Jewish organisations who hope to share in the space.

Community organisations will be able to share office and meeting room spaces. This proximity will enable greater the pooling of resources as well as being extremely conducive to increased collaboration.

There will be facilities for spiritual as well as leisure activities, with a pool and tennis court; communal spaces for groups and clubs to meet; places for all ages to come together. The Kosher Deli will also move from its current premises at the AHC.

So what’s the timescale? Lerner says that she hopes the centre will be ready for the start of term 3 next year. “Obviously there are a lot of variables to juggle such as covid and the availability of workers and materials, but that is the ideal,” she says.

By Val Graham, 18 April 2021

Shown left: western elevation of the new Remuera complex. The move will allow more space for the school’s garden-to-table projects, the school bee hives and for play areas.