No Jews Left Behind on Australia’s Central Coast

Rabbi Nosson Kornhauser had finally arrived home after driving more than 300 kilometers across Australia’s Central Coast, delivering matzah to nearly 50 Jewish homes scattered across the northern region of New South Wales before Passover this year — when his phone rang.

“There was one woman that had somehow been overlooked — and matzah hadn’t been delivered to her home,” said Rabbi Kornhauser. Even though it was just days before Passover — Rabbi Nosson and Bluma Kornhausers’ first as new Chabad representatives to the Central Coast — they got back in the car to make the delivery.

“When we arrived, she was extremely grateful and emotional,” he said. “It really reinforced the idea that every single Jew matters. Not only in theory — but in practice. If one Jew is missing matzah for Pesach, you don’t move on.”

For people like Saul Brandt, who moved to the Central Coast from Sydney in 2020, that idea is  felt on the ground. “When I moved from the heart of Jewish Sydney to the Central Coast, I was concerned I’d lost that sense of belonging. But from the moment I walked into the Kornhausers’ home — I didn’t feel like a guest. I felt like I had come home.”

Charles Coleman, who has lived on the Central Coast for decades, remembers when “there was no real Jewish life on the coast.” At most, they looked forward to rabbis from Chabad’s Rural and Regional Australia initiative who would visit before Passover with matzah, or return during the High Holidays with a shofar.

These brief visits gave locals a taste of community. “That was really the beginning of an awakening of Jewish life here,” said Coleman. 

What brings many people — including Brandt — to the Central Coast, is its relaxed lifestyle. “People here are less rushed and less stressed than in big cities,” said Rabbi Kornhauser. “Many tend to be more open to new experiences — and for us, that often means helping people explore their Judaism.”

Unique to the Central Coast community is its diverse members. “In many places today, especially in more remote locations, you might find mostly backpackers, tourists, or young Israelis working temporarily,” observed Rabbi Kornhauser. “Here, it’s very different. It’s a full spectrum community — you have older residents, young families, singles, children, and even tourists. It’s really like a complete Jewish ecosystem.”

The Kornhausers now host Shabbat meals and holiday programs, and continue to visit Jews across the region. Looking ahead, they hope to establish a dedicated center with a synagogue and communal space, along with a future community kitchen to support families in need.

“Chabad is the living embodiment of Ahavat Yisrael,” said Brandt. “It’s more than outreach—it’s a genuine, non-judgmental embrace that meets a person exactly where they are. They’re not just bringing Jewish life to the Central Coast — they’re building a family.”