Kehilat Nitzan is the first and only Conservative (Masorti) congregation in Melbourne, Australia. It was established in 1999 by foundation president Professor John Rosenberg, together with Itzik Yossef; both of whom had been active participants in the Masorti minyan at the Emanuel Synagogue in Sydney and were interested in developing a Masorti chavurah when they moved to Melbourne. From that initial meeting with 41 participants, the congregation grew to a self-sustaining kehillah of approximately 250 families.
For the first six years, Kehilat Nitzan operated on a lay-leadership model, with help and guidance from a number of Masorti rabbis from North America and Israel who visited for short periods. Starting in January 2006, Rabbi Ehud Bandel from Jerusalem, a recognized leader in the world Masorti movement, served as the rabbi and emissary to the community during the formative years of the congregation.
After the arrival of Rabbi Bandel, a steady rise in membership saw nearly 600 people attending services on the high holidays. 70% of members are drawn from mainstream Orthodoxy, 20% from the Progressive movement and the rest were previously unaffiliated. Rabbi Bandel and his family returned to Israel in September 2010. After a period of lay leadership and an interim period in 2011 between Pesach and Shavuot with visiting rabbi and Masorti leading figure Rabbi Michael Graetz, Rabbi Adam Stein was appointed as the congregation’s second rabbi in August of that year.
The congregation originally met at rented facilities at the Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre in Elsternwick and at B'nai B'rith House in Balaclava. In July 2013, the congregation moved into its own building on Hawthorn Road in Caulfield North. Services are traditional egalitarian and are led by members of the congregation. Friday night services are Carlebach style with lots of singing. The congregation uses the Conservative movement's Siddur Sim Shalom prayerbook.
Kehilat Nitzan is affiliated with Masorti Olami, the World Council of Conservative Congregations.