during his first year in the city, he also helped found the dunedin jewish congregation. from the 1860s through to the turn of the century he held several local political and public posts; he was on the committee of the 1889 new zealand and south seas exhibition (1889), a member of the otago harbour board, and a director of both an insurance company and a coal company. joel's main business venture in dunedin was as founder and owner of the red lion brewery. as head of red lion, joel had built one of dunedin's most prominent public houses, the captain cook tavern.