Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

Welcome back. Hope you all had a relaxing term break and are staying dry, warm and safe as we live through more cold and rainy days of winter. Whilst many of you were away during the break, others continued to work as usual. If your children and/or grandchildren attend some of the many school holiday camps, I hope they had a great time.

Maccabiah Games 2022

As we watch the various races/games online, members of our school community including current and past students and parents are participating in the games in Israel and whilst we see some amazing results, we also remember the horrific bridge collapse 25 years ago. Past student Leon Goltsman’s says “Twenty-five years ago, I was one of the representatives who visited Israel to compete in the Maccabiah Games. Four fellow Australian athletes died and over 60 were injured. Witnessing the horrific tragedy unfolding that day is forever etched in my mind and heart”.

One of the four who passed away was Greg Small, whose daughter Rebecca is an Emanuel alumna (Class of 2009), and one of the seriously injured athletes was swimmer Sasha Elterman (Class of 2000). The 2022 Australian Team was led into Teddy Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the Games with Lauren Ehrlich as one of the flag-bearers. Lauren, Past President of Maccabi NSW was a teacher here in the early days. Lauren created our original Art Department in 1986 in what was originally the Nun’s laundry when the campus was part of the Loreto Convent in the 1890’s. You’ll know that space now as the Kindergarten classrooms. 

Lauren Ehrlich, Flag bearer at Opening Ceremony, Maccabiah 2022

We have several students from Emanuel School participating this year in the Maccabiah Games, including current Year 11 student Tess Endrey for Netball. This is a great shot of her in action:

Magen David Adom (MDA)

Alumna, Paris Freed (Class of 2017), is the current Events Coordinator at Australian Friends of Magen David Adom and she has asked for our help to promote their upcoming event for Jewish Young Adults.

Australian Friends of MDA raise money to send back to MDA in Israel to purchase ambulances, medicycles, defibrillators – basically whatever they need in order to be the best emergency, ambulance, blood and milk services organisation they can be, as they receive no Government funding.

Paris says “Australian Friends of Magen David Adom have started a new initiative called Youth Magen David Adom, which is all about introducing Young Jewish adults to MDA and getting them involved with the organisation with the goal to send them to Israel to partake in the MDA courses. To launch this initiative, we are having a party on 4 August 2022 which will become an annual event. There will be a special performance by the band Before the King (three of the four band members are Emanuel alumni), at this event. Our target audience is 18-30 year olds”.

Here is the link to the Facebook event.

Sydney Nolan Exhibition SJM: 21 July 2022-23 October 2022

Shaken to His Core: The Untold Story of Nolan’s Auschwitz

We best know Sir Sidney Nolan for his paintings of the infamous bush ranger Ned Kelly. This new exhibition showcases 50 of his works from a series never before seen in Australia. It is his response to the Holocaust and is an exhibition most-worthy of a visit.

Sidney Nolan exhibition at SJM

It uncovers an important chapter in his life and work: a series of images painted with great intensity during 1961, as the Adolph Eichman trial in Jerusalem came to a close and as Nolan prepared to visit Auschwitz on an art commission. He was invited to Poland by a journalist from London’s Observer newspaper to illustrate an article about Auschwitz. Not only do these works unearth a different side of the artist, they also offer an interpretation of the Holocaust through a distinctively Australian lens. “Nolan grappled to find a language to convey the horror and inhumanity of the Holocaust and wrestled to find meaning amongst the suffering. 

“This is a visceral and emotional exhibition that puts an inimitable lens on history, drawing us beyond historical facts. It fills the gap that imagination cannot stretch to”, said SJM’s head curator, Roslyn Sugerman. If you visit this exhibition, you will quite likely see a familiar face or two or three – many of our grandparents and past parents who are currently enrolled in the Museum’s Volunteer Guide Course will be hosting the Nolan exhibition, as will other grandparents and parents who are already fully qualified Museum Guides.

Book tickets here.

Community Theatre Group

It is not too late to email past parent Vivienne Radomsky, Marketing & Development Manager B’nai B’rith NSW, with your expression of interest to join the B’nai B’rith Players, a community theatre group with Director and Producer Moira Blumenthal or call 9321 6307.

Friendship Circle news

Friendship Circle Walk – Sunday 28 August 2022

This will be the first in-person walk since the beginning of COVID. Usually an annual event, funds raised at the walk help create camps, getaways, social opportunities and vocational opportunities that bring people with and without disabilities together : 

Friendship Circle camps

A huge “thank you” from Friendship Circle (FC) to everyone who helped make July Day Camp a memorable one. A number of our alumni were part of the fabulous team of volunteers, and FC looks forward to seeing new and existing volunteers aged 18 to 25 to join them for their Junior or Teen getaways in August and September. If your older children would like to be part of these amazing opportunities, contact FC today! 

Friendship Bakery

If you have never visited Friendship Bakery in Vaucluse, I recommend you do and I promise you’re in for a very pleasant and tasty treat, where all purchases from the Bakery support this amazing social enterprise run under the banner of Friendship Circle. Check out their opening hours and goodies online.

We look forward to sharing our news and yours, so if you have photos and/or news you would like to share with us, please send to: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Shabbat shalom, stay safe, stay warm and have a great weekend.