New rabbi to take Great Park up the escalator

What was meant to be a few months in South Africa turned into three years, a marriage, and a connection to the country that Rabbi Yisroel Binstock never quite left behind. 

Almost two decades later, he has returned to Johannesburg with his wife, Leanne, and their family to begin a new chapter at Great Park Shul. He hopes to honour its rich history while building a vibrant community for the next generation. 

Born in Israel and raised in London, Binstock first came to South Africa in 2007, never expecting it to become such an important part of his life. Though he later returned to the United Kingdom (UK), where his rabbinic career took him from youth leadership to congregations in London and Manchester, regular visits to Johannesburg kept his connection to the South African Jewish community alive. 

Binstock and Johannesburg-born Leanne separately spent several years living in each other’s home countries before meeting in Johannesburg in 2010 after the Icelandic volcanic eruption disrupted flights. They married later that year and moved to Israel, where Binstock completed his semicha (rabbinic ordination). They later went to the UK. Throughout, the family maintained close ties to South Africa through Leanne’s family and Binstock’s relationships with the local rabbinic community. 

So, when the call came that Great Park Shul was looking for a new rabbi and would love for the Binstocks to become the leaders of the congregation, it was a no-brainer for the family. 

“We knew the people and we knew the place. Leanne and I had often considered moving back. We were very settled in the UK, and it was a lovely community, but we always felt that if the right opportunity came up in South Africa, we would consider it. We have family here and we’ve always been impressed by the Jewish infrastructure and the sense that there isn’t only an active, but a growing Jewish community,” he said. 

“It may not necessarily be growing in terms of numbers, but that’s what it has felt like coming back year after year for the past decade. It doesn’t feel like a community that’s standing still. There’s always some kind of new life within the Jewish community, whether it’s a new shul, kosher restaurant, shop, programme, activity, or school. It has always felt like a growing place to us, so when this opportunity came up, it was something we were really excited about.” 

However, this new chapter is also daunting because of the history of the community. The Great Park Shul is a continuation of one of the oldest shuls and most prominent in Johannesburg, the Wolmarans Street Synagogue. 

“I know it’s not in the same place, but to be part of a community that has such history and heritage, but is also looking to make sure that it’s progressing into the future – into something that can be a symbol not only of what was but very much the present – is a challenge. It is also very exciting [and] speaks to Leanne and I because it very much is what the Jewish journey is all about. We take what is old, we know what we’ve inherited as our tradition, and we always try and find ways of making sure that it’s alive, meaningful, and relevant to today’s generation,” he said. 

Binstock explained that since his arrival two weeks ago, he has felt nothing but warmth from the Great Park congregation and wants to get to know its members more. 

“There are so many warm and friendly people. South Africans are lovely people. Everyone has gone out of their way to make us feel so welcome. There are a lot of practical things when you’re moving countries. These are always going to be challenging, but people have offered to help in every way imaginable. For Leanne, Johannesburg was home. For me, I lived here for three years. It really helps when people go out of their way to make this place feel like home again,” he said. 

The goal is to grow with the community and foster a love of Judaism. 

“I would love a congregation who are excited about being together, excited about growing together as a community, who care for each other, who care for the Torah, and who are proud Jews. I’m not excited by the idea of radical change, but slow, steady growth,” Binstock said. 

“My vision of an ideal Jewish community is an escalator. But the idea of an escalator is that it’s moving slowly and you have lots of people on different steps, but they’re all going upwards together. Where anyone on any level can feel like you’re part of something bigger, which enables you to grow together, and that we might deal with you,” he said.