Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

We are always excited to welcome back past students into our School Community when they return as new parents and we are even more excited to welcome back past students who join our staff.

This year we welcome three Emanuel alumni to our teaching staff – Alexander (Alex) Symonds (Class of 1999), Tamar Hoffman (Class of 2012) and Hayley Chester (Class of 2014):

Alex joins us as a HSIE teacher in the High School, coming to us from Masada College where he taught for a number of years. He says: “It’s been a really amazing experience being back at Emanuel as a teacher. So much has changed, in terms of the buildings and the sheer number of people on campus. But so much is similar, in terms of the welcoming and supportive atmosphere. I’m so happy to be here, now as a teacher”.

Tamar has taught at a number of other schools before joining us part-time this year, teaching Drama and Hebrew to Years K-2 students.

Alex Symonds, Tamar Hoffman and Hayley Chester

Tamar says: “Nine years after graduating I find myself returning to the same playground and classrooms I once played and learnt in. I wish I could say I am a little taller now than when I left but that would be a lie. I have always remembered Emanuel School as the place that taught me the power of compassion and hard work. It has been lovely to continue learning from those same teachers who helped me grow and modelled for me what a caring and successful teacher looks like. What a wonderful thing it is to be a part of a school community which inspires its students to return and continue their relationship with their school well into their adult and professional lives. Thanks for having me back Emanuel”. 

Hayley, who some of you might remember was on staff last year as a casual teacher, is back this year full-time, teaching Year 1 and she says: “I love being back at Emanuel School, it is so interesting to see how much work actually goes on behind the scenes – it’s amazing! It’s also so nice to be able to work alongside staff who taught me when I was at Emanuel. I also love the energy around Emanuel and it’s exactly how it was when I was at school”.

Sydney Jewish Museum (SJM) – using high technology to preserve Shoah memory

Cutting-edge 3D filming techniques, artificial intelligence (AI) and a projected budget of $3million (from various international holocaust memorial funds), has enabled the SJM to record and present testimonies by six holocaust survivors in a hologram-style display, allowing visitors to ask questions and have them answered from the footage in real time.  Of the six survivors in this program, four of them are members of our School community – great grandfather Eddie Jaku OAM, great grandmothers Olga Horak OAM and Yvonne Engelman OAM, and grandfather Paul Drexler. 

Yvonne Engelman with Emanuel alumnus Simon Holloway (Class of 1997) who is Education Officer at the Museum.

On the subject of Jewish history and family, the Australian Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) whose president is Emanuel grandparent Peter Philippsohn OAM, is seeking past Project Heritage documents to digitalise for their website as a permanent record of the family member chosen to interview and write about. Project Heritage has seen hundreds of our Year 6 students over the years, interview older family members, retelling their journeys and memories of their lives. If this request is of interest to you, please contact Ruth Lilian.

Stay safe and Shabbat Shalom.

If you have photos and/or news to share, please send to: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au