Shneur Chaim (HaKohen) Gutnick (1921 – 25 October 2003) ()was a prominent

Orthodox Jewish Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as literally revealed by God on Mount Sinai and faithfully tra ...

Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, as well as one of ...

rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Early life

Gutnick was born in

Zolotonosha Zolotonosha (, ) is a city located in Cherkasy Oblast (region) in central Ukraine. Located at around , the city serves as the administrative center of Zolotonosha Raion (district). It hosts the administration of Zolotonosha urban hromada, one ...

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

; soon afterwards his family moved to

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

, and then in 1927 to

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, where his father, Mordechai Zev Gutnick, a graduate of the

Tomchei Temimim Tomchei Tmimim (, "supporters of the complete-wholesome ones") is the central Yeshiva (Talmudical academy) of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement. Founded in 1897 in the town of Lubavitch by Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneersohn, it is now ...

yeshiva A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...

, served as a Chabad Rabbi and Dayan. After his father's death, on 29 November 1931, Gutnick came under the influence of

Yehezkel Abramsky Yehezkel Abramsky (; 7 February 1886 – 19 September 1976), also affectionately referred to as Reb Chatzkel Abramsky, was a prominent and influential Lithuanian Jewish Orthodox rabbi and scholar, born and raised in the Russian Empire, who later ...

. He was educated at the

Jews' Free School JFS (formerly known as the Jews' Free School and later Jewish Free School) is a Jewish mixed comprehensive school in Kenton, North London, England, and was founded in 1732. Amongst its early supporters was the writer and philanthropist Char ...

in London,Speech
by

Steve Bracks Stephen Phillip Bracks (born 15 October 1954) is a former Australian politician and was the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Labor Party and was party leader and premier from 1999 t ...

on 19 November 2000, at a

JNF The Jewish National Fund (JNF; , ''Keren Kayemet LeYisrael''; previously , ''Ha Fund HaLeumi'') is a non-profit organizationProfessor Alon Tal, The Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion ...

dinner in Gutnick's honour. and then at the

Telshe yeshiva Telshe Yeshiva (; ; also spelled ''Telz'') is a yeshiva in Wickliffe, Ohio, formerly located in Telšiai, Lithuania. During World War II the yeshiva relocated to Cleveland, Ohio in the United States and is now known as the Rabbinical College of ...

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

. When the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

broke out, he escaped with a small group of refugees, including the wife and daughter of

Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler (; 1892 – 31 December 1953) was an Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox rabbi, Talmudic scholar, and Jewish philosopher of the 20th century. He is best known for being the ''mashgiach ruchani'' ("spiritual counselor") of the ...

, which eventually found its way to Australia in 1941. On the instruction of the

Rebbe A Rebbe () or Admor () is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spirituality (Audio)''. UCTV, 20 Oct 2011. web. ...

Lubavitch Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, as well as one of ...

, Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneersohn he remained in Australia, and joined the

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...

. He applied for a position as a chaplain, but was turned down at that time.Speech
by Rabbi Gutnick on 20 April 2003, at Kollel Beth Hatalmud.

Australia

After the war Gutnick's stepfather Osher Abramson accepted a rabbinic position in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, and moved there together with Gutnick's mother and his brother, Sholom Gutnick. Gutnick married Rose Chester, and they had six children together. Their son

Joseph Gutnick Joseph Isaac "Diamond Joe" Gutnick (born June 1952; ) is an Australian businessman, mining industry entrepreneur and the former president of the Melbourne Football Club (1996–2001). He is also an ordained Orthodox rabbi, and is well known for ...

is a well-known Jewish

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

; their sons Mordechai Gutnick and Moshe Gutnick are prominent Orthodox Jewish rabbis in Australia. His son-in-law is Rabbi

Pinchus Feldman Rabbi Pinchus Feldman Order of Australia, OAM (born 1944) is the first Chabad Shaliach (Chabad), shaliach ("emissary") of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic Judaism, Hasidic movement in New South Wales, Australia. Biography Feldman is the son of Rab ...

, and a grandson, Moshe Hecht, is a singer/songwriter and is the lead singer of the Jewish

folk rock Folk rock is a fusion genre of rock music with heavy influences from pop, English and American folk music. It arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music re ...

group Moshe Hecht Band. In 1958 Gutnick was offered the rabbinate of the newly constructed

Elwood Talmud Torah Hebrew Congregation The Elwood Talmud Torah Hebrew Congregation (), also known as Elwood Synagogue or Elwood Shule, is a historically significant Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox synagogue located in the Melbourne suburb of Elwood, Victoria, Elwood, Victoria, Australia, V ...

, in

Elwood, Victoria Elwood is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-east of Melbourne's Melbourne City Centre, Central Business District, located within the City of Port Phillip Local government areas of Victoria, ...

; he served in that position until his death in 2003. In 1967, Gutnick founded the Rabbinical Council of Victoria, and served as its president until his death. He was also honorary

Rosh Yeshiva Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, plural, pl. , '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and th ...

at the Rabbinical College of Australia and New Zealand, where he delivered a monthly lecture and examined the students. Gutnick received the honour of unusually long private audiences with The Lubavitcher Rebbe, who gave him much advice in all areas of his work. One such area was the construction of the Melbourne Eruv. Gutnick along with Yitzchok Dovid Groner were instructed to fiercely oppose the construction. Gutnick also served as a chaplain in the

Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gutnick, Chaim 1921 births 2003 deaths Australian Hasidic rabbis Australian people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis 20th-century Australian rabbis Ukrainian Jewish religious leaders Hasidic rabbis in Israel Chaim Australian Army personnel of World War II Ukrainian expatriates in England Ukrainian emigrants to Australia