Welcome to shtiebel, the new home of meaningful, accessible, authentic Judaism in Melbourne, where we celebrate traditions – your way!

What is shtiebel?
(Noun) Yiddish: שטיבל shtibl, pl. shtiblekh or shtiebels

1. A room or small house used for Jewish communal prayer and gathering.
2. An intimate and approachable community free of the dogma and doctrine of traditional structures and formal institutions.
3. An innovative social enterprise responding to the changing needs of Melbourne’s Jewish community.

We are an inclusive, innovative and welcoming community committed to providing the experiences and opportunities needed to foster meaningful Jewish practices and building a positive Jewish identity in our rapidly changing world.

shtiebel was founded to meet the Melbournes Jewish community’s changing needs and challenge the historical assumptions about what it means to be engaged with and involved in Jewish life.

At shtiebel, we see Judaism as an evolving tradition sustained by study and enriched by lived experience and are committed to offering a new model of community that is inclusive, innovative and accessible to all.

As Rav Kook — the first Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel — taught, we are committed to ensuring that:

“the old shall be made new, and the new shall be made holy.” 

Operating outside the framework of traditional religious institutions or formal communal structures, shtiebel is a unique social enterprise founded to reimagine religious education, spiritual engagement and communal involvement.

We help people “do Jewish” and “be Jewish” in their own way and in their own time. 

While we place no boundaries or barriers on Jewish expression, living and ritual, we provide a supportive and encouraging community where people can explore their identities, beliefs and practices without judgement or coercion.

Put simply, we are investing in the Jewish future by helping people connect with Judaism in inclusive, innovative and engaging ways.

shtiebel

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