Raymond Apple

Rabbi Raymond Apple was for many years one of Australia's highest profile Orthodox rabbis and its leading Jewish spokesman.

After serving London congregations at Bayswater and Hampstead, he was senior rabbi of the Great Synagogue, Sydney, from 1972-2005 and guide and mentor of many other synagogues and organisations.

Born and educated in Melbourne, he pursued further studies in London, where he received his "s'michah" (rabbinic ordination). He has academic qualifications in arts, law, history, religion and education. He is a Doctor of Laws honoris causa from the University of New South Wales, a Doctor of the Australian Catholic University, an Honorary Fellow of Sydney University and holds the Distinguished Alumni award of the University of New England.

He was an Australian Army reserve chaplain for 15 years and from 1988-2006 senior rabbi to the Australian Defence Force. He also served for two terms as chairman of the Religious Advisory Committee to the Services, the first Jewish representative to hold this office.

He taught at Sydney and NSW Universities and was a Trustee of Mandelbaum House, the Jewish college at Sydney University. He has lectured at tertiary institutions in several countries.

For 30 years he was dayan/registrar of the Sydney Beth Din (rabbinical court). He is life rabbinic governor of the Organisation of Rabbis of Australia and New Zealand, of which he was president for two 4-year terms. He is patron and past president of the Australian Jewish Historical Society and has served as religious consultant to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, as well as holding many other community and public offices.

Interfaith dialogue has been a lifetime interest. He was joint president and chairman of the Australian Council of Christians and Jews and a life member and former chairman of the NSW Council. He founded the Christian-Jewish Luncheon Club in Sydney and has been a leader in dialogue with Islam.

In Freemasonry he is Past Deputy Grand Master, Past Junior Grand Warden and Past Grand Chaplain of the United Grand Lodge of NSW and the ACT and was a Grand Lodge lecturer for several years. He is also an accomplished historian on the origins of Freemasonic rituals and symbolism.

He is an Officer of the Order of Australia and holds the Reserve Force Decoration, the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal and the Centenary of Federation Medal.

Now retired, Rabbi Apple lives in Jerusalem. His many articles on Jewish, interfaith and Freemasonic subjects can be viewed on his website at http://www.oztorah.com