Evening of Refugee Voices

Dear Emanuel Students and Parents

Please find below reflections of our students, parents, teachers and community friends on experiencing our Evening of Refugee Voices, on Thursday last. A special thank you to Shira Sebban, Anna Buch and Year 12 (2018) student, Hannah Shteinman, for their efforts in planning and contributing to the success of this program and evening. They are exemplars of the Hillel’s maxim:

“If I am only for myself, who am I, and if not now, when?”

Rabbi Daniel Siegel, Head of Jewish Life

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“That was such a powerfully emotive evening that I have actually been speechless the rest of the night. Thank you for bringing these amazing young people to share their stories – and for Shira, Alison and Anna – sharing their courage and efforts to help. Baruch…matir assurim (Blessed are those who release the bound)”.

Daphna Levin-Kahn (Emanuel Teacher and Head of High School Jewish Studies)

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“It was an amazing and extraordinary experience for me, and very special. We need to hear much more of these voices and stories. It connected me in a heartfelt way to people, to other places and experiences of the world that we all share but are often ignorant of.”

Judith Hotchkiss (Community member and Villawood Detention Centre visitor)

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“Sometimes, we get caught up in our own lives, get overwhelmed by our trivial problems and we forget there are people out there who are experiencing hardships we could never imagine. What resonated the most for me was that they kept persevering, despite almost insurmountable obstacles and they stand before us so grateful to be alive. What truly inspiring individuals.”

Joanne Burden (Emanuel English Teacher)

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“The Evening of Refugee Voices offered a space for refugees, advocates and the broader community to share and engage with stories that contained underlying aspects of hope and empathy towards the human condition. Through hearing such vivid first-hand accounts from refugees and advocates, I left the night feeling that Emanuel students are in good position to initiate and create positive change in the world. Many thanks for running such a special evening.”

Eliah Dean (Specialist Learning Centre Teacher)

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“What an amazing evening. Though I know of many stories of what happened to refugees, it is wonderful to hear them first-hand. You are making it a great habit of facilitating experiences of those less fortunate than we. Many people in the audience had great learning experiences.”

Philip Feinstein (Founder and Director of Music for Refugees)

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“Thank you for a very special evening. How amazing to hear these stories, and each time learn something different and see a different perspective. It was a lovely intimate setting as well. All inspiring, the room was silent except when we laughed with our speakers. I am sure people left the theatre room with many thoughts about how we can play a role in ending this tragic drama.”

Anna Buch (Former Emanuel parent and Co-Founder of SASS – Supporting Asylum Seekers Sydney)

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“I want to thank the organisers of this event. It was truly inspirational and humbling to hear the stories shared. With the Year 10s off on Chavayah, a journey of a very different sort, it really drove home how resilient we all can be and how privileged and lucky our children are.”

Dorienne Spennato (Emanuel Parent)

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“The Voices of Refugees night was a profound evening where we heard from a range of speakers with devastating stories, each with a journey that was unique and yet all ultimately unified by the horrific experiences they faced upon reaching foreign land, as people seeking aid. Amazingly, while the stories they told were terrible and heart-wrenching, each speaker spoke with a lightness that their experiences couldn’t take away from them, a joy that revealed their gratefulness for being on safe land and for the opportunity to share their experiences in the hope of making a difference. Listening to their plights sparked a desire within me to act, to find a way to ease some of the pain our country, and others, have caused them, which was only amplified after hearing from two activists in our community. I left the night inspired to make an effort to help in any way I can and grateful for the life I have been given and all of the opportunities it has afforded me. It was a truly enriching and insightful evening, one that I am grateful to have experienced.”

Ashne Amoils (Year 12 2018 Student)

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“While I listened to the refugees’ stories and the work that is being done to help them, I found a sense of gratitude for my own life circumstances and a motivation to learn more about the global refugee crisis.”

Joshua Amoils (Year 12 2018 Student)

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“In the society we live in, it’s so easy to forget the struggles of others. It’s so easy to ignore the pain and suffering others have to deal with on a daily basis. It’s so easy to forget that our indifference leaves downtrodden people without a hand to help themselves up. So on the occasion where we are reminded of this, like the Evening of Refugee Voices, it’s easy to feel guilty and perhaps we should be. However, it’s also on these occasions that we are reminded of the strength of humanity and the ordinary people who we forced to become extraordinary. We are reminded of the people who are worth fighting for. Though the refugees gain from assistance borne out guilt, it’s the persistence and actions of the people who fight for the good of humanity that inspire others as well. We heard stories that seem unimaginable to most in attendance and we heard stories of kindness and hope. The night was incredibly inspiring, thought-provoking and an incredible effort from all involved. I’d like to thank all involved in the organisation of the event and all the speakers on the night who are all incredibly brave for coming and sharing their story.”

Sienna Amoils (Year 12 2018 Student)

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“The Evening of Refugee Voices gave us a fascinating insight into the unique lives of people who had faced years of adversity. Although many of their stories were traumatic and truly incomprehensible, their ability to radiate happiness, and to share their stories after so much loss and devastation, was something incredibly inspiring to experience.”

Genevieve Goldman (Year 12 2018 Student)

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“Last week we had the opportunity to hear some truly inspiring stories from refugees who have made their way to Australia. Most of the stories involved extreme hardship, suffering and often separation from their families and at times no small amount of patience. We were treated to stories of incredible courage and perseverance which could only be an inspiration to each of us. It is truly impossible to imagine the difficulties these people experienced just to live in a free country such as Australia and have the opportunities that most of us take for granted.

“One of the stories I found most inspiring was that from an Afghan gentleman who described his travels from country to country on foot, a journey in an inflatable boat which was attacked by army officials only to eventually arrive in Australia and spend time in detention at Villawood. Imagine life in a prison when you have committed no crime other than seeking freedom. I found this particularly uplifting and meaningful because of how hard he tried to get here and how much of an effort he has made to integrate into Australian society and culture. He has even mastered English to an extremely high standard. He is an exemplary model of the kind of person Australia needs and a testimony to multicultural success. In the spirit of Tikkun Olam (Repairing the world), Australia and countries like it have a duty to protect and offer safe haven to people such as our speakers so that they have equal opportunity to build healthy and satisfying lives. We also heard from a human rights lawyer who spoke movingly about her work with Australian refugees and provided an insight into the work of her firm to help refugees whose futures are less certain. For most of us, it is difficult to imagine the kind of experiences refugees suffer from with our safety and security, growing up in Australia where our biggest problems might be the next school exam or sporting competition. It is worth pausing once in a while to reflect and give thanks for the many privileges that we so often take for granted.”

Edan Amsalem (Year 12 2018 Student)

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“I found that the Voices of Refugees was a night filled with intriguing personal stories as well as information to assist in contributing and benefiting the lives of refuges. It was amazing to see so many parents come along with their children to also witness the many speakers we are exposed to at school, granting us, as students, new perceptions and understandings of the world around us. I was able to listen to the stories told by the refuges first-hand, and try to grapple with their journeys. What stood out was the fact that each speaker revisited a place of humour throughout their speeches. It was almost as though they use humour as a way to cope with past experiences. I believe that events like this help to open up the minds of students and allow them to gain new viewpoints after listening to refugee’s first-hand. The Evening of Refugee Voices was well organised  and this ultimately resulted in a very positive atmosphere and outcome.”

Allegra Goldman (Year 12 2018 Student)

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“The Evening of Voices of Refugees was a beautiful and empowering evening, which revealed the ability for triumph despite hardship. Hearing the guest speakers’ moving stories opened my eyes to the cruelty of the world. For the first time, I was able to understand and empathise with the ways in which people undergo such trauma – something so distant from our privileged worlds. The evening enabled me to better comprehend the fact that so many human beings do in fact suffer, and experience such deprivation. It is so profoundly important that we keep learning, keep finding new ways to understand, and keep supporting these people, because at the end of the day we are ALL human beings, and no one deserves to live life in hardship.”

Gabriel Wolf (Year 12 2018 Student)

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“The Evening of Refugee Voices was a fascinating one. With an opening of thought-provoking imagery and literature, such as the slam poem in the auditorium, I couldn’t help but begin to somewhat try to imagine even a shred of what it must be like to have to run from your own home. The program itself with all its stories gave a healthy balance of sadness and hope. I felt saddened by what these people were going through, as I knew that I would not be able to understand the pain they must have felt, but felt filled with hope when seeing how happy they were to be able to express themselves, as well as to be able to help with the various activists who also gave their testimony. It was a great night and well worth it.”

Tomer Belkin (Year 12 2018 Student)

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“Last Thursday’s evening of refugees program completely opened my eyes to the daily struggles and the wider picture of not only Australia but the international refugee crisis. Initially, I was skeptical about the evening, as I had assumed it would not be engaging but rather make me feel guilty for the lifestyle we all have the pleasure of indulging in. Walking out, I was honestly moved by the strength of women and men aged 13 – 19 and was inspired by the ‘never giving up attitude’ they all adopted during times of struggle. There were stories of children who were left to survive in different countries, as their parents needed them to leave due to the unstable status of the country. The surreal element of the refugee evening was that not only did we hear stories, we also got to meet the people experiencing such atrocities which, for me, added an entire different level to the inspiring evening. When we hear of hundreds of thousands of people seeking refuge yearly, we are usually unable to connect to such a number. This is the exact reason why nights like these are so important. We heard three different stories which belonged to individuals who have a personality, have a sense of humour and who are honestly not much different to us. I think this really taught me not to look at the number of refugees as a single number but rather as an individual with a personality, a set of qualities and someone who deserves his/her best shot at life.”

Jade Reuveny (Year 12 2018 Student)

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Thank you for the incredibly inspirational and emotional night. I was not only moved by the stories from the refugees who spoke so wonderfully and insightfully about their experiences, but also motivated to pursue such philanthropic interests even when I leave school. Below appears my poem, inspired by the evening:

Repartee with the Burning Bush

I touched the bough of the burning bush,

and it trembled in pain.

I held out my hand to its branch,

and the leaves began to weep.

I bent down to collect a handful of earth,

and the soil beneath my feet shuddered.

 

I could feel the waning of the flame

as the oxygen dwindled,

and so,

to add kindling to the flare,

I asked it,

 

What is it like?

To run from a home with the bite of a serpent,

to feel your breath bloody in your throat,

fire under your feet,

a blade in your belly.

 

What is it like?

To burn your palms under trains,

beneath carriages,

to spend nights in the stomach of a lorry,

metal skeleton muting the hum of death.

 

What is it like?

To wish the years were edible,

so that the starving could chew them,

and spit the bitter taste in our faces.

 

What is it like?

To tear up your passport in an airport toilet,

to sob as you flush away

the remnants of your home.

But home is the barrel of a gun,

and it told you to run.

 

What is it like?

To cross the endless sea,

in a boat teeming with fear and strange faces,

slumbering on the edge of the wooden boards of fatigue,

where the quietness is an echo of the loneliness.

 

What is it like?

To search foreign lands for a friendly aroma,

or familiar texture,

but to end up peering through iron bars at a graveyard,

that you mistook for refuge.

 

What is it like?

To be called a victim of an act of depravity,

but that you do not fit the rule books they have read,

told to go home,

and take your exceptional circumstances with you.

 

What is it like?

For a scrap of paper, or lack thereof,

to condemn you to isolation.

For the avalanche of nightmares to be quelled only by

an empty cell.

 

What is it like?

In the place where the holes in the wall are like graves,

and the whiteness of an eye shines into the darkness,

and hands raid the emptiness of space,

but shake,

like the needle of a compass before it declares direction.

 

What is it like?

To watch the shadows on the wall lengthen

until they resemble the men

who left your body aching.

 

What is it like?

When the small key opens the door to your freedom,

a freedom of non-existence,

from the non-existence of freedom,

like the dusk separating sleep from vigilance,

or deep groove left by a river in the heart of the earth.

 

What is it like?

To wish for a knife to sharpen your teeth,

so that you can do more than gnaw at the impervious,

so you can bite back

at those who peer down on you,

indifferently.

 

And I heard my answer,

as it rose from smoke and ashes,

 

A burning bush without God,

is just a fire.

Sonia Redman (Year 12 2018 Student)