Hidden in History is a weekly column that unearths the quirky, curious and sometimes eyebrow-raising tales from Shepparton’s past. Provided by the Shepparton Heritage Centre, these articles are rooted in fact — but told with a wink and a sense of humour.
Casting back in time for perspective, in October 1938, an event not listed in the official program for the centenary celebrations was a special thanksgiving service attended by 200 Albanian muslims.
Members of the then 500-strong Albanian community said they “felt impelled” to take some part in the celebrations to show their “appreciation of the freedom of their life in Australia”.
As a counterpoint to today’s Arab-Jew or Palestinian-Israeli conflict, “almost all of the whole of the (Shepparton) Jewish community, numbering several hundreds, attended the service at Orrvale … and offered a special thanksgiving”.
With a diminished Jewish community, Shepparton no longer has a synagogue.
The Shepparton Heritage Centre is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested, contact the centre on 4831 8659.
