Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

National Volunteer Week 
18 May 2020 – 24 May 2020

On the 5 December 2019, long before we knew about Coronavirus and how it would change our lives for now, Volunteering Australia announced that the theme for National Volunteers Week 2020 would be Changing Communities. Changing Lives. Many of the events usually held during this special week have been postponed or cancelled, with other events moving to online format or acknowledging volunteers in different ways through social media or other digital formats. Volunteers are the backbone of many of our community organisations including JNF Australia, Sydney Friendship Circle, Our Big Kitchen, Jewish House and many more. Here at school, we also have our wonderful volunteers including our dedicated P&F committee, headed by co-presidents Ruby Berkovic and Jen Opit. Without our wonderful volunteers, so much would not get done. We thank all our volunteers for their energy and support throughout the year.

One of our grandparents, Paul Lowinger, NSW Blue Box Chairman, has been collecting Blue Boxes for JNF for over 50 years – wow, that’s a lot of Blue Boxes.

Alumna Julia Meltzer (Class of 2015) is seeking our support

Julia is a student at UNSW completing a degree in Advanced Science (Honours). She is currently a fellow in The Susan Wakil Fellowship and has previously been the Habonim Dror Sydney Mazkira (secretary) for two years, and she is now standing as a candidate for the World Zionist Congress. We know Julia would love the support of our Emanuel School community to bring progressive voices like hers to the World Zionist Congress, and please get your friends and family to do the same: www.hatikvah.org.au/vote

Emanuel alumnus Sean Torban (Class of 2018) and Talking Holocaust

As I mentioned on this page last week, Sean is seeking stories to share and hopes members of our community would like to take part in his next virtual event at the end of this month. If you have a Holocaust story to share, please get in touch with Sean. You can send your submission to: seantorban@hotmail.com If it is a big video file, he recommends using: https://wetransfer.com/.  For more information on this project click here.

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

Wishing you all Shabbat Shalom and have a great weekend. Stay well and stay safe as you and your family enjoy being able to get out and about as Coronavirus rulings are being relaxed.