Jensen, Hans

Small Individual Donation

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Authority Biography/Administrative HistoryJensen was born in Germany in 23 August 1920. He witnessed Hitler’s Kristallnacht attack on Jews and property 9 November 1938 as an 18 year old student studying medicine at the University of Hamburg. In February 1939 together with his parents and sister he fled Germany to Bombay, India. In India he served in the army for many years and studied until he moved to Australia in August 1947. In Australia, Jensen became deeply involved in the Jewish Community becoming a foundation member of the North Shore Temple Emanuel (NSTE) Congregation. He contributed generously to many charities and through organizations including the Australian and New Zealand Union for Progressive Judaism (ANZUPJ).
Jensen had links with Temple Emanuel Woollahra before becoming one of the leading individuals involved in the foundation of the North Shore Temple Emanuel Congregation in 1958. During the early years of the congregation, he served as Honorary Secretary of for 7 years. He served as President of the congregation twice, once in 1967-1968 and for the second time in 1979 for 3 years. Furthermore, he served as Vice-President for a total of ten years. He then was honoured serving as Hon Life Vice-President of North Shore Temple Emanuel. During his time as president Jensen contributed to the congregation by raising money for the congregation’s building fund and achieved the opening of the new sanctuary by Sir Zelman Cowen in 1980. As well as this he was also key in establishing a community-based preschool at the congregation. Jensen was fundamental for the foundation and the inner workings of the North Shore Temple Emanuel congregation, and his input was essential for the large growth and continuity of the congregation.
Jensen also had a large connection with the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ), the Australian and New Zealand Union for Progressive Judaism (ANZUPJ), the NSW Board of Deputies and through charities. Jensen’s correspondence shows that he travelled to attend WUPJ international conferences in the 1970s. Furthermore, he attended ANZUPJ annual council meetings and triennial conferences. First, he attended as a representative for North Shore Temple Emanuel but from 1970s onwards served as an executive member. Jensen was elected President of the Union Council in November 1981 and afterwards became an honorary life member of the council. He was also an ongoing representative of North Shore Temple Emanuel on the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies. He was also on the committee of the NSW JBofD Holocaust Remembrance Committee for many years from the 1980s. The collection also highlights Jensen’s generous contributions to a variety of charities financially as well as through using his personal time to advocate and fund-raise
ProvenanceJENSEN, Hans (JENSENH)
Scope & ContentJensen’s collection largely consisted of hardcopy documents including correspondence, publications, newspaper clippings or handwritten notes that were associated with the following Jewish organisations; Temple Emanuel Woollahra, North Shore Temple Emanuel, the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ), Australian and New Zealand Union for Progressive Judaism, NSW Board of Deputies and Jewish Charities. There were also several photographs included in the collection. Most of the newspaper clippings were published by the Sydney Jewish News or the Australian Jewish Times. The collection shows the large amount of Australian Jewish congregations and organizations that Jensen had links with and thus highlights his individual contribution to and involvement in the Australian Jewish Community.
Related RecordsB16 North Shore Temple Emanuel - NSTE
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