'Home Start": A life-changing bequest 

When John Rector passed, he left this world a better place. A compassionate man with a strong desire to help those in need, John’s legacy set up the Jewish House ‘Home Start Shop’. Here, vulnerable individuals can “choose, free of charge, pots, pans, homewares, linen, towels – to establish their very own home again” as described by Jewish House CEO, Rabbi Mendel Kastel OAM.

“ John Rector did not seek the spotlight, but he would be quietly happy knowing that the next generations of Jewish folk will receive support and kindness from this newly established resource at Jewish House” describes his son David. John’s gift not only provides material goods to those in need, but it allows those individuals who have lost everything, to feel hopeful again. His legacy gives those folks restarting their lives a sense of dignity and pride, as they can walk into their new home equipped with the necessities that they need to start fresh. The ‘Home start shop’ helps our Jewish House clients make their new house, a home.

With this gesture, John Rector conveyed an enduring ethic that human beings must look after one another.