Chazan Hechaver Yossi Aron OAM
Chazan Hechaver Yossi Aron was born in Melbourne and schooled at Yeshivah College. He then studied at Yeshivat Kol Torah in Yerushalayim before attending the University of Melbourne where he graduated with BA (Hons), MA (Hons), MUP and a Dip Ed. He then spent over twenty years in various senior positions with the Victorian public service whilst also lecturing at Swinburne and RMIT
His Jewish communal involvement began with the UJEB where he served 42 years, having commenced in student days as a teacher and risen to the position of Manager Education.
However his interest and involvement in Chazanut dates back even earlier.
From childhood he was influenced by Elwood Shule's Chazan Abraham Adler who became his mentor. In the 1970's he assisted at Elwood as Chazan Sheni and Ba'al Koreh until he took up the position of Chazan and Assistant Minister at South Caulfield in 1978. To this day his style of chazanut remains that learned from Chazan Adler tempered with the German traditions of his father, Rabbi Groner's Chabad nusach and classical Israeli tunes such as those of Naomi Shemer.
For twenty years following his leaving the Public service he served as Executive Officer of the Council of Orthodox Synagogues of Victoria, playing a major role with Melbourne Eruv (where he continues as a Board member). However other than in regard to his involvement with South Caulfield he is communally best known for his role as Shabbat Shalom Columnist and religious affairs editor with the Australian Jewish News — and for a string of published books regarding the histories of Victorian congregations and various other communal organisations.
In 2020 Yossi was awared an OAM - For service to the Jewish community of Victoria.
Yossi and Vera have five children who reside in Yerushalayim, Miami and locally — and Baruch Hashem, an ever increasing number of grandchildren.