Associate rabbi brings renewal to historic Great Park

Great Park Shul has started a new chapter by welcoming its newly appointed associate rabbi, bringing fresh energy and vision to one of Johannesburg’s most vibrant Jewish communities.

Rabbi Aron and Rebbetzin Sarah Levitin have joined Great Park Shul after leading the vibrant Chabad on Campus at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), where they were known for their warmth, energy, and ability to inspire young adults. Their move continues a commitment to nurturing Jewish life and it represents renewal for the Great Park community as they bring their vision of inclusivity, heritage, and spiritual growth to the shul.

Great Park Shul is one of Johannesburg’s oldest and most cherished Orthodox congregations, its history reflecting the evolution of South African Jewry. Founded in the late 19th century as the Witwatersrand Goldfields Jewish Association, it first held Rosh Hashanah services in 1887 at the Rand Club, with more than 500 worshippers. The President Street Synagogue followed in 1889, and after various schisms and reunifications, including the creation of the United Hebrew Congregation in 1915, the Great Synagogue on Wolmarans Street emerged as the “crown jewel of Orthodox Judaism” in South Africa, serving as the chief rabbi’s seat and the hub of Jewish life through much of the 20th century.

In the 1990s, shifting demographics led the community northward. The historic Wolmarans Street synagogue closed in 1994, and by 2000, Great Park Synagogue in Houghton Estate was consecrated. Modelled on the original and retaining cherished elements like chandeliers, the bimah, pulpit, and Ner Tamid, the building serves as a bridge between tradition and contemporary community life.

“Our Great Park Synagogue is designed architecturally to marry the culture and the legacy of the old Great Park that was built in Wolmarans Street,” said Greg Solomon, the chairperson of Great Park, “And much of the furniture that you find in Great Park Shul today is hundreds of years old. Our seats are all the original seats, our bimah and Aron Kodesh is still the original bimah and Aron Kodesh. While we are transforming and modernising for the youth of our community, it does have some rich history.”

After heartfelt feedback from the Great Park community, Rabbi Dovid Hazdan will continue to serve as spiritual head for up to three more years. However, Solomon and other members wanted to ensure that they started succession planning.

“We’re lucky to have somebody of his calibre and his skill, and that’s why we are bringing in Rabbi Aron Levitin, who comes in as associate rabbi,” said Solomon, “Together, they step into day-to-day leadership, and are shaping the congregation’s future from 1 September 2025.”

Levitin comes from the vibrant community he built while at Wits, and in his short time there, he amassed a massive following.

“Rabbi Aron and Rebbetzin Sarah bring a unique blend of tradition and innovation. Sarah, a native South African and Torah Academy alumna, is deeply rooted in local Jewish heritage as the granddaughter of Rabbi Kovel Bacher and daughter of Rabbi Shalom Bacher. Rabbi Levitin’s journey, from London to Jerusalem to semicha in Pretoria, adds a rich global and scholarly dimension. Together, they have been deeply involved in nurturing Jewish youth across the city, forging connections that turn acquaintances into family, and supporting faith to flourish through genuine engagement,” said Solomon.

As associate rabbi, Levitin will be second in command to Rabbi Hazdan. This means that he will be involved in the shul full-time on a day-to-day basis, including all of the rabbinical roles, community responsibility, and will also be involved from a general management standpoint, handling the day-to-day affairs of the shul.

Though Rabbi Hazdan will still be the leader of the shul, the appointment of Levitin shows the shul’s commitment to ensuring that its legacy continues despite recent trends of migration away from the area, Solomon said.

“We have witnessed immigration and movement to Cape Town, and at the same time, we are delighted to welcome new members who have recently joined our community,” said Solomon. “We are grateful that our numbers remain strong, and we continue to explore meaningful ways to connect and enrich our Shabbos and overall community experience.”

Under both Rabbi Hazdan and Rabbi Levitin, many exciting programmes have emerged, from moms and tots, to Barmitzvah and Batmitzvah programmes, to young adult initiatives, and beyond.

“We believe that you have to build a shul with the younger generation. The older generation is there to support, to mentor, and to help the younger generation of the future,” said Solomon. “This transition is carefully crafted to honour Great Park’s legacy and embrace renewal. Rabbi Hazdan, Rabbi Levitin, and the shul committee have charted a course that merges continuity with fresh energy, believing that it will usher in a period of growth, unity, and revitalisation.”