Samantha Rogut – Head of Library & Information Services (K-6)

British comedian and author, David Baddiel to visit Emanuel School 

The Sydney Jewish Writers Festival (SJWF), powered by Shalom, returns from Wednesday 23 August – Sunday 27 August 2023. Headlining the event is the inimitable David Baddiel, British comedian, author, screenwriter, and television presenter. 

With thanks to SJWF, Emanuel School is thrilled to have David join us to speak with Year 4, 5 and 6 this Book Week on Thursday 24 August 2023 for a very special Q+A with the author live in person in the Millie Phillips Theatre. 

Students may pre-purchase a signed copy of David’s books through the Festival’s bookseller, Gertrude & Alice Bookstore. Books will be delivered to the school for collection after the event.

This year the theme at SJWF is Identity. Explore the Festival program with three streams of exceptional writers, poets, musicians, playwrights, comedians and thinkers who promise to challenge us to explore our identity in all its facets. Here are a few sessions that may be of interest to parents, grandparents and kids. 

Story As Roadmap – Teaching the Holocaust to kids through books – Theatre 
Sunday 27 August 2023  10.00 – 11.00am 

Inspired by Art Spiegelman’s Maus and more recently, R.J. Palacio’s White Bird, this session, in partnership with Sydney Jewish Museum, is an opportunity to look at Holocaust education for school-aged students and how books can be the bridge for parents, teachers and kids to understand and explore difficult subject matter. From graphic novels and cartoons to fiction, non-fiction and poetry – how do books help us understand hard things like war. With educator Lee-Anne Whitten, psychologist Kim Slender and moderator Rita Nash. 

So That Happened…  – Yalagang Room
Sunday 27 August 2023 10.00 – 11.00am 

Creatives (10-12 years old) are invited to a special writing workshop with Tami Sussman, author of So That Happened … But Maybe You Already Knew That.

This is a drop-off, supervised event for kids aged 10-12.

Little Lit Lovers – Yalagang Room
Sunday 27 August 2023 2.00 pm – 3.30 pm 

Children’s workshop with Beck Feiner, Robin Feiner and PJ Library’s Wendy Dolowitz. This is a drop-off, supervised session for kids 5-8 years old. Each child will get a PJ Library book to take home.

Tickets may be booked here.     

David Baddiel (credit Steve Best Xavicus Media)