Rabbi Lampert z"l - Hesped (Eulogies)

Eulogy from Rabbi Allison ConyerSenior Rabbi, Temple Beth IsraelChair, Assembly of Rabbis and Cantors (ARC) of the Union of Progressive Judaism (UPJ), Australian, New Zealand and Asia

Rabbi Richard Gordon Lampert
Ha’Rav Yerachmiel Gavriel ben Avigdor v’Tziporra

1936 – 2025

In our tradition, the highest mitzvah one can observe is Kibud Ha’Met—honouring the dead—for this is an honour that cannot be returned. It is a profound privilege to stand here today and honour my mentor, my teacher, our beloved rabbi, Richard Lampert.
As it says in the Mishna:

                  יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר
               Joshua ben Perachiah used to say:
               appoint for yourself a teacher, and
               acquire for yourself a partner… (Pirkei Avot 1:6)

I was one of the lucky ones to do just that! I feel incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to find myself a teacher and partner who was the
single most important person in shaping my rabbinate.

As a young rabbinical student in 1996, I bravely travelled across the world to check out the Land Down Under. From the moment I first met Rabbi Lampert, I knew Sydney, Australia, and NSTE was the place for me.

Sure, there was the majestic panorama of the waves crashing against the stunning cliffs at Sydney’s world-famous beaches. And sure, there
was a plethora of lush green foliage of all shapes and sizes in the Australian bush from rain forest-like scenery or rough rock terrain in the National
Parks to the walks alongside the lakes and rivers. And sure, there was incredible food, street art, music and festivals set amongst the city, the
magnificent Opera House, the water, and the bush.

But, what really did it for me was this one, very loud, very proud, outrageous rabbi whose passion for Judaism, commitment to excellence, and love
of his community was intoxicating and inspiring. AND, my then boyfriend, now husband, saying that he would never live in America!

There is a midrash that talks about finding one’s besheret – one’s soulmate, saying that finding the right match to marry is as difficult for G-d as parting the Red Sea. Well, let me tell you, after speaking to so many different colleagues, finding the right rabbinic mentor might be just as
difficult!

But where did this all start? How did this man, this rabbi who we all knew and loved come to be?

Born in Johannesburg on 16 August 1936, Richard Gordon Lampert was the only child of Faye and Victor Lampert. Who could have imagined that this baby, raised in unconventional circumstances amidst the complexities of Apartheid South Africa, would go on to change the lives of so many?

His passion for Yiddishkeit was nurtured by his aunt, uncle, and cousins in Durban – the Kolanski’s. Upon returning to Johannesburg, young “Dicky” became deeply involved in Alan Isaacs Camp, an experience that would shape his future. The camp was run by Issy Wainer, who
happened to be the husband of the sister of my later-to-be father-in-law, Lionel Conyer. And, as fate would have it, young Dicky was also friends
with my later-to-be mother-in-law, then Felicia Abrahamson. Again, who knew that the seeds of our destiny would have been planted so many
decades ago.

Even as a child and young adult, Dicky was known for his strong opinions—always convinced he was right! First as a chanich (camper) and later
as a madrich (counsellor), his energy and enthusiasm drew people to him.

Though he began his professional life as a printer, it wasn’t long before he was drawn into the rabbinate. With his wife, Diane, by his side, he became increasingly involved at Temple Emanuel in Johannesburg.

His passion, creativity, and dedication to Jewish teaching fuelled the community’s innovation and growth. His impact was so profound that, by the
early 1970s, he was asked to establish a new synagogue—Temple David.

By this time, Rabbi Lampert and Diane had been blessed with two daughters: first Sharon Yonah, and, four years later, Yael Ora. The young
family lived on the synagogue premises, witnessing firsthand its transformation into a vibrant Progressive Jewish community. Their home
became a hub of Jewish life, hosting regular Shabbat dinners, community Pesach sederim, and participating in the Selwin Siegel sederim for
individuals with disabilities.

Rabbi Lampert’s commitment extended beyond the synagogue walls, visiting the ill in hospital on Yom Kippur morning, ensuring that no
one felt alone. He built a community where people felt connected, valued, and cared for.

On Friday nights, just before Shabbat, he would take his children walking on the rocks at Margate, teaching them Torah stories—what better
way to learn?

Rabbi Lampert’s deep passion for Judaism was matched by his unwavering commitment to social justice. He spoke out against racial 
inequality in South Africa and organised initiatives to support Black South Africans, including sewing classes for African women to promote their
independence and food drives for townships during the shalosh regalim (Jewish pilgrimagefestivals). As Elie Wiesel once said, “There may be
times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”

Dicky used to tell me (and probably many of you) about a rabbi he worked with in South Africa who used to say: “If you don’t like my principles,
don’t worry, I’ve got others.” Well Dicky did not. He was one of the most principled people I know. When he felt strongly about something, we all
knew it. People used to complain about him being “political” on the pulpit. Funnily enough, no one ever complained about him sharing his “other
religion” on the pulpit, for Rugby always had a sacred place in his heart!

However, politics was a different story. Rabbi Lampert always adhered to his sharing Jewish values NOT politics. Those who didn’t agree with
his politics complained. Those who identified with his message were grateful for his leadership. This was another valuable lesson I learned from my
mentor. As rabbis and leaders of our community we have an ethical imperative to teach, speak out, and advocate for living according to our Jewish
values… for our values transcend politics. This was a lifelong trait passed on to all who knew him.

In 1975, Rabbi Lampert took his family to Rochester, New York, for a six-month sabbatical. While there, he acquired books banned in South
Africa, risking his safety to share them with his community.

As the story goes: One day, security police arrived at their home while Dicky was out, demanding to search the premises. Diane, with
her quick thinking, told them to return when her husband was home. As soon as they left, she threw the books over the fence into a neighbour’s
yard. When the police returned, they found nothing. Later, she retrieved the books and apologised to the neighbours, claiming it was just
the children’s mischief.

It was later revealed that the congregation’s president had betrayed Rabbi Lampert to the security police. This event became the catalyst for
the Lamperts’ move to Australia. The Progressive Jewish community in South Africa was devastated by their departure.

Despite offers from multiple Jewish communities in America and Australia, Rabbi Lampert was ultimately drawn to North Shore Temple Emanuel, wooed by the passion, dedication and commitment of Hans Jensen and Lou Rose, and welcomed by Nola and Gary Braude, along with Paul and Annette Winter.

The transition was a shock—moving from a thriving, active South African Jewish community to a small congregation of 100-150 families striving to
gain momentum. But Rabbi Lampert saw only  potential. His passion for community-building was unmatched. Rabbi Lampert was a fundraising
guru. He cared. He noticed. And he had vision.

Robert Redford may have said, “If you will it, it will come.”

     Theodore Herzl may have said,
אם תרצו, אין זו אגדה -If you will it, it is no legend.
     But Rabbi Lampert listened to the Torah:
                             וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם

       Build for me a sacred dwelling place, and I will dwell amongst you.” (Ex. 25:8)
       

And build it he did, leading NSTE’s   transformation into a thriving community.

Within two years of his arrival in 1979, he led the congregation to surpass its fundraising targets, culminating in the construction of the synagogue
and the Max Joseph Hall. From a congregation with minimal attendance, he fostered a thriving community at NSTE, with 200 people regularly
attending services and a Hebrew and Religion School with 200 students across multiple year levels including a dynamic post b’nei mitzvah
program where he created the ceremonies of B’nei Emunah and B’nei Torah for students who continued their Jewish studies through Years 10
and 11.

So, as the community grew and flourished, Rabbi Lampert attracted many rabbis to the land down under, including Rabbis Elliot Baskin, Don
Goor, Jonathan Keren Black, Gary Robuck, Jordan Cohen and Cantor Janice Cohen—and, of course, yours truly, Allison Conyer.

Dicky took me under his wing, found the perfect balance of guidance and freedom, taking me everywhere with him, showing me how he did
things from bikkur cholim – visiting the sick, to speaking with potential donors, to pronouncing my Hebrew correctly, to arriving at services early to
greet everyone (well, not everything stuck!). He also gave me space to do my own thing.

I must admit, I managed to teach him a few things too, like how NOT to say “NO” to every crazy idea I had and to give me the opportunity to
succeed or fail and learn from each experience. And so, he did. No doubt that he and I shared a little bit of crazy, out-of-the-box thinking, that drove
our innovation, enthusiasm, and drive.

As the first female rabbi in NSW, along with my dear colleague and friend, Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio, Rabbi Lampert always insisted that I was
called Rabbi Conyer, that I sat in the front where all the rabbis sat, and that I attended and contributed to every Board meeting. He insisted
that I had a voice and used it wisely.

Rabbi Lampert was a force to be reckoned with. His love of Judaism, his connection to people, and his unbelievable memory. He could just look at a person and tell you their name, address, phone number, car, b’nei mitzvah portion, names of their family members, when they were last in shul, and so on. He was a human memory chip. However, it was his energy, charisma, and passion, with a healthy touch of crazy that took this nascent community to become a thriving Progressive Jewish community – the third largest community in our Australasian region.

I remember joking with him one time while in the car with him. “Dicky” I said, “I now understand why you are a rabbi. You help people connect to G-d. Anyone in the car with you, grabs their seat and says ‘Oh G-d! Oh G-d! Oh G-d!”

But seriously, he was an inspiration to so many of us. From his creative family service gimmicks that helped children remember his important message, to being by our side in the most significant moments of our lives.

As NSTE grew, so did his family. Sharon married Paul, and Yael married Jonathan. Then came the blessings of the four grandchildren: Zac, Jonah, Zoe,
and Joshua. Zeida shared his love of Judaism with them, teaching them Hebrew, Jewish history, sharing Shabbat and Pesach sederim, and even teaching
Joshua how to blow the shofar.

Rabbi Lampert dedicated his life to the Progressive Jewish community, and his initiatives were instrumental in shaping our entire region. Along with his partner in crime, Rabbi Brian Fox, Rabbi Lampert brought Netzer to Sydney, inspiring the next generation of Jews to find their passion in Judaism and Jewish leadership, many of whom are here today, whose children and grandchildren are still involved in Netzer thanks to his effort, along with that of Rabbi Fox. 

His renowned “Learning Hebrew in a Day” course has inspired hundreds of people to read Hebrew and, thanks to his daughter Yael, has been digitalised to reach and teach Hebrew to thousands of people around the world.

His legacy also lives on through Mazon—Australia’s Jewish response to hunger—a national food drive inspired by Jewish traditions of matanot l’evyonim on Purim and our Pesach call, “Let all who are hungry, come and eat.” 

Along with all things Jewish, Rabbi Lampert was mad about rugby, loved golf, music, and travelling.

So, as we come together today, we listen to the final chapter in the life of an incredible leader, our rabbi, Richard Lampert. This week’s parsha, Pikudei, the final parsha in Sefer Shmot – the book of Exodus, concludes the instructions for the building of the mishkan, the tabernacle or the portable temple in the desert, ensuring that everything is in its place, and everyone knows what to do moving forward.

The final verse of the book says:
                               כִּי֩ עֲנַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֤ה עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְאֵ֕שׁ תִּהְיֶ֥ה לַ֖יְלָה

                                    לְעֵינֵ֥י כׇל־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּכׇל־מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

               For over the Tabernacle a cloud of יהוה rested by day, 

              and fire would appear in it by night,

              in the view of all the house of Israel 

            throughout their journeys. (Ex. 40:38)

As we close this book and say our final goodbye, may we find comfort in knowing that Rabbi Lampert’s spirit rests above and around us, and
that his fiery passion for Jewish values and traditions continues to inspire us as we move forward on our journeys.

Rabbi Lampert will be remembered as a strong, brave, passionate, charismatic, and dynamic leader who has inspired thousands of
people in South Africa, America, and Australia over decades.

As a husband to Diane for over 62 years, he was a handful. They were like yin and yang, but he never could have done what he did without her
faithful support every step of the way. They were a team.

As a father to Sharon and Yael, he was wise, adventurous, stubborn, gave good advice, and always pushed them to do their best and not give
up.

As a Zaide to Zac, Jonah, Zoe, and Joshua, he was dedicated, loud, empowering, always interested in what they were doing, and was always the leader in the room.

Overall, he had a life well lived and didn’t waste a second of it.

Rabbi Lampert, Dicky, you will be dearly missed.
Zichrono livracha – May his memory be for a blessing.

Rabbi Gary Robuck's Eulogy - Read by Rabbi Allison Conyer at Shiva Minyan

In Tribute to my Colleague and Friend Rabbi Richard Lampert (Ha’rav Yerachmiel Gavriel ben Avigdor v’Shoshana) March 24, 2025 / 24 Adar 5785

Jocelyn and I learned about Dicky’s death while visiting with our daughter Shoshana and her family in New York. We are deeply saddened to receive this news and regret that we cannot be with you in person to convey our sympathies.

My association with Dicky goes back 37 years. We met during interviews at the HUC in Cincinnati in 1988. To me at that time, Dicky was exotic – like no one I had ever met before; compelling, enthusiastic and persistent. He was determined to return home to Sydney with a “fish on the hook”, someone who could assist him as rabbi and together, serve his growing, dynamic congregation. As history will record, I took the bait and am grateful I did.

But what sort of Rabbi would I be working with? It didn’t take long to find out. During my look-see visit, I popped in for a moment to observe Dicky teaching his Post B’nei Mitzvah class. I remember so clearly his corner office. His students - and I have no doubt many are in attendance today, were tightly packed into the small space, learning Torah, squished together around a low table and his desk, both piled high with books and papers. Dicky had a way of prevailing upon them and their parents to continue their education after bar mitzvah and accompanied hundreds of students to B’nei Emunah and B’nei Torah. It was immediately obvious to me that this was a no-nonsense rabbi who loved Jewish education and sharing that passion with others. I remember too how he required of his year seven students that they successfully complete a comprehensive exam on Jewish
history and Jewish thought based upon questions appearing in his Bird’s Eye Books. Dicky had high standards.

Those standards extended to Hebrew. He insisted that his students (and his Assistant Rabbi) read with precision. Dicky’s love for Hebrew was reflected in his Hebrew in One Day sessions now so ably carried on by Yael. But early on, I remember the flashcards and photocopied sheets and the expectant students that would invest their day in the promise of being able to read fluently from the Siddur.

I remember the way Rabbi Lampert threw himself into the assemblies which began each Sunday morning Cheder. He would riffle through the transparencies and teach his students the songs of the Jewish tradition and the prayers that he loved so much. 

I remember standing beside Dicky on the bimah, trying as best I could to maintain the tune over his proud and booming baritone voice which, if the truth be told, would sometimes wander from the assigned key. But would I ever ask him to sing more quietly? Never! I knew that these prayers were coming from deep within and sincerely meant. There was no sense in denying it.

I remember attending dozens of meetings of the Moetzah with Dicky who contributed meaningfully and often to our discussion. He was a fierce defender of the Progressive movement that he was first introduced to in his native, South Africa. His concern that we remain true to Reform principles and positions no matter what the orthodox might say or think, was consistent.

His service to NSTE and to our movement changed the trajectory of the community.
Working tirelessly beside Hans Jensen and Lou Rose as well as many others, he created a large, active congregation, an adorable pre-school that has served generations of children including my own, and with Rabbi Brian Fox z''l, our Netzer Youth Group.

From a personal perspective, Dicky changed the course of my life and the life of my family. I remember his presence at the naming of our children, Shoshana and Aaron and he and Diane’s considerate visit to the Children’s Hospital when Aaron was so ill at the very beginning of his life.

I will always be appreciative of the confidence he invested in me when I first served the congregation between 1988-1992, and again during my tenure beginning in 2004. Early on, though no doubt thinking me a lunatic for doing so, he even blessed my decision to have Michael Jackson‘s song, Man in the Mirror, pumped into the sanctuary during the family service on Yom Kippur. What was I thinking? And what should be said of his trademark, High Holyday “Object Sermons” – the toothpaste squeezed from the tube and the “Round tuit” to mention just a few?

Our views were not always aligned. We disagreed on how long Pesach and Sukkot were to be observed, how the service was conducted, and on kashrut. But we were united in our desire to serve the Jewish people, each in our own way and always to the best of our abilities.

Many today and in the days and weeks ahead, will have much to say about Rabbi Richard Gordon Lampert. For me, Dicky was, to be plain about it, a force. Once met, he was never forgotten. I will always remember with fondness his passion, his friendship, and his contribution to my career. I treasure the memory of working beside Dicky in 1989 when we together founded Mazon, Australia, our Jewish Response to Hunger which continues even now, some 35 years later.

In summary, there is in the life of every person those who impact them in ways that can be difficult to measure. Dicky was for me one of those men. He stood, Damim lit’marim” – “tall like the palm”, first in South Africa against Apartheid and then in his adopted country, Australia. He was a champion of the Prophets of Israel and a Clarion for the Torah of the Sages. He made of his life a blessing and it’s light brightened the lives of many others: his family, his students, and his many friends near and far.

May his memory be a blessing.

Respectfully,

Rabbi Gary J Robuck

We are deeply saddened at the passing of Emeritus Rabbi Lampert (z”l). 

Rabbi Lampert was the heart of our community for a quarter century as our Senior Rabbi (1977-2003) and then for many more years as our Rabbi Emeritus.  

He was part of the lives of many people in the NSTE community in times of happiness and in times of sadness, not only in Sydney but also in South Africa prior to their coming to Sydney.   

Rabbi Lampert was committed to social justice, both in South Africa and in Australia. For over 40 years, he taught a group of devoted students at his Monday adult education classes.

Rabbi Lampert’s love of Judaism and his energy, enthusiasm and dedication were significant in the growth and development of the NSTE community, for which we are truly grateful.

On behalf of the Board and all who have served in leadership during his rabbinate at NSTE, we send our condolences to Rabbi Lampert’s family and also to those in our community who will be feeling a great sense of loss at this time.

May his memory be a blessing,

Josh Keller and Julia Selby
Co-Presidents