Mr. Yisroel (Izzy) Herzog, a prominent member of the Adass
Yisroel kehilla, has been honored by the Australian
Government with a Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
award.
The Order of Australia awards have, for approximately the
past decade, been the Australian version (and replacement)
of the British honors and knighthood system -- as the
country seeks to slowly untie its knots with the former
mother country.
The honor was announced on Monday 11th June, the official
Queens Birthday holiday in Australia (which oddly has not
yet been abandoned), when Mr. Herzog and a number of other
important Australians were so recognized.
It is the first time in the history of this country that a
member of a chareidi community has received such an
accolade.
Not only has Mr. Herzog been a mispalel of the
shul for over 50 years -- since his arrival from
Czechoslovakia with his father, Reb Menachem Herzog (today,
one of the choshuve baalei batim of Williamsburg) --
but he is also a long-serving member of the Adass Yisroel
Shul board as well as serving as its Rosh Hakohol for a
number of years. He has also -- for the past two decades --
served as the president of the Adass Yisroel Chevra Kadisha.
Additionally he is involved with all undertakings of
tzedoko vochesed in the kehilla.
Reb Yisroel was also most instrumental in the establishment
of the local Lakewood Kollel and as a true mokir rabonon
is very close to many gedolei Yisroel, including
the P'shevorsker Rebbe, HaRav Leibish Laizer in Antwerp, the
Vizhnitz-Monsey Rebbe, HaRav Y. M. Dushinsky, rov of
Jerusalem and HaRav Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg.
It is indeed a great kiddush Hashem and an honor for
the entire chareidi community that this heimishe and
popular baalebos -- whose acts of tzedoko and
chesed are so well known amongst acheinu bnei
Yisroel -- has now also been recognized by the highest
government authorities.
In fact the actual wording of the citation published for his
receiving the honor state: "For service to the community,
particularly the Jewish community in Victoria, through the
provision of funds for education and support for fledgling
business enterprises."
The entire community wishes him and his endeavors --
Yisroel oseh choyil -- and further successes
meichayil el choyil.
