NAOMI LEVIN

MELBOURNE’S only Conservative congregation, Kehilat Nitzan, will know this week whether it can go ahead with plans to build a new synagogue.

Members Miriam Faine and Greg Shalit have donated a property to Kehilat Nitzan, which currently runs its services at the B’nai B’rith building in St Kilda East.

Plans have been drawn up for a renovation of the donated property on Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North, and City of Glen Eira councillors are expected to vote at Tuesday’s council meeting.

“We’re waiting to see what the council’s decision is. Being the first Conservative synagogue in Melbourne, we really hope to go from strength to strength,” John Furstenberg, from Kehilat Nitzan’s building committee, said.

According to Fursternberg, the congregation has decided to renovate the existing building, rather than demolish it.

This, he wrote in the congregation’s newsletter, will save money and ensure the synagogue is constructed quickly.

According to plans, the building will have a new second storey added at the front to house a library, learning centre and offices. The synagogue itself will be on the ground floor, together with a children’s room, kosher kitchen, community hall and garden.

The renovations are expected to cost $1.5 million, less than the anticipated $3-4 million, and money will be raised to cover the cost.

A small number of objections have been lodged with council over Kehilat Nitzan’s plans, which estimate that up to 500 people could attend the synagogue over the high holy days.

Local residents expressed concerns about the lack of parking -– the plans don’t include any off-street parking -– and about a lack of privacy and security, since large numbers of people would be in the area when the facility is in use.

Kehilat Nitzan was established in 1999 as Melbourne’s first Conservative, or Masorti, congregation.