Family Roots
Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations
Flashback Friday
In 1984, just one year after the School opened, students participated in the MS READ-a-thon, reading 58 books and raising $287.85 – see the certificate of appreciation below, presented to the School in October 1984 for their fundraising efforts, and proudly included in the 1984 Yearbook. The P&F Committee Treasurer that year was Maurice Vasin – he was a parent and he is now an Emanuel grandparent!
The P&F report in the School newsletter you see here was a little different to the reports written these days for Ma Nishma by our current P&F President, Justine Hofman.
Making a splash
The recent 73rd Jewish Championships, which also included the Peter Michaelson Memorial Swim, was a very successful swim carnival with many Emanuel School kids bringing home multiple medals. The youngest competitor was Year 2 student Koben Benko, aged 7, with some of our Emanuel parents participating in the Masters section.
Jack Kessel, Zella Benko and Javer Cohen all received two gold medals with a few extra minor places, whilst Jake Rosenfeld won a gold and three silver medals. Ryan Miller and Mia Goodridge each bagged three gold medals and one silver medal, whilst Aviv Farhy was a standout winning four gold medals. Sierra Miller swam exceptionally well on the day, not only collecting four gold medals but also breaking three records along the way. She broke the 50m Butterfly record for 8 year olds which was set in 2011, the 50m Freestyle record set in 1995 and the 50m Backstroke record set in 1992. Other Emanuel students receiving medals included Bianca Ross, Bowie Berger, Claudia Kaplan and Talia Gellert.
The Emanuel swimmers used the day as a training platform for the upcoming ASSISA competition, but most of all the event was about participating and having fun, and whether you won a medal or not, everyone went home a winner with a free pair of Speedo Goggles just for being part of the Jewish Championships. It was a great day combining competition with charity, as the Peter Michaelson Memorial Swim was held for the first time to raise funds for the Michaelson family and the Rainbow Club. Two Emanuel fathers Tony Gellert and Elan Miller were among the swimmers helping to raise money for this event.
Careers Space 2023
For parents of older children who are Emanuel graduates, we are looking for more past students to join our Career Spaces event on 19 May 2023. Please help us and pass this message on: “Dear Emanuel graduates who finished school between 2007 and 2021, would you like to be involved in sharing your career story with our current students? Would you like to help shape the workforce of tomorrow? We are looking for Alumni who would like to come in to School and share those stories in an informal Q&A style setting. If you have had a messy or zig-zag path to your current role, even better. We would love to hear from you”.
Details are:
Date: Friday 19 May 2023
Time: 8.30 am – 11.00 am
Where: Meet at Emanuel School Reception
Register: Please register your interest via this link
What: No preparation or presentations needed. Conversational style event.
Contact: Claire Pech
The importance of geneology tools for tracing family roots
Sunday 26 March 2023
There is still time to register for the lecture on Navigating Polish Ancestry by Michal Maiewski at the Sydney Jewish Museum (SJM) on Sunday 26 March 2023. It may be of particular interest to some of our readers, both as parents and/or grandparents, especially those of Year 7 students, as you prepare to help them with this year’s Shorashim, where the students delve into their family roots. Perhaps some of our older students might also be interested in attending this free lecture. Michal, a historian and professional genealogist, will share his knowledge of the best websites, records and most recently digitised archives relating to the shifting borders of Greater Poland.
If you cannot make this lecture, there are many other lectures and exhibitions that may be of interest at SJM at other times. If you have never been to the Museum, I highly recommend you book a guided tour – your guide might even be one of our Emanuel grandparents. The amazing interactive high-tech exhibition Reverberations: A Future for Memory is a must. This exhibition shines a light on the humanity and life experiences of 43 Holocaust survivors, who have shared their stories with visitors to the Museum in recent years – many of them are Emanuel great grandparents and grandparents.
Friendship Circle (FC) Camp
Friendship Circle creates inclusive friendships between people with and without disabilities through fun opportunities – creating a community where everyone is included and celebrated for their unique abilities. Did you know over 400,000 people in Australia have an intellectual disability? FC produces a monthly newsletter to which you might like to subscribe. Teenagers as well as adults can volunteer with FC, so check out their website for details.
FC Day Camp (Monday 17 April 2023 – Friday 21 April 2023) is being held this year at Emanuel School, so how extra special would it be to have some of our own High School students (ages 12 -18) as part of the volunteer group for this camp.
Volunteer registrations are now open.
Driftwood
This musical, supported by JCA, is an epic story of love, courage, survival…and foldable umbrellas. With performances starting in Melbourne in early May, the musical will move to Sydney towards the end of May. Watch the 60 second trailer and book your tickets for one of the Sydney performances here.
Maccabi LIFE and Maccabi All Abilities
Maccabi is a fantastic way for connecting our Jewish community through sport and wellbeing, no matter anyone’s ability.
The next major community event is the Maccabi Life FUN RUN on Sunday 26 March 2023 from 8.00 am – 10.30 am, open to all ages.
For any grandparents and friends who like to be active and may wish to meet new people, the next Maccabi Life Senior Walkie Talkies event for over 60s is on Tuesday 18 April 2023. This is a wonderful opportunity make new connections over a walk and a talk.
We have so many opportunities to be part of this supportive community, including the Maccabi All Abilities. Along with Maccabi Clubs, they are excited to invite you to a family movie night to celebrate successful inclusive sports:
Date: Sunday 2 April 2023
Time: 4.45 pm sharp, ends 7.15 pm
Location: Events Cinemas Bondi Junction
All ages and abilities welcome
Includes prizes
Please note bookings closes on Thursday 23 March 2023. Book here.
About the movie: A former minor-league basketball coach is ordered by the court to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities. He soon realises that despite his doubts, together, this team can go further than they ever imagined. Watch the trailer.
BRAVE TALKS 2023 – Thursday 30 March 2023
JewishCare NSW, together with JCA, bring our community four new speakers sharing their stories of anxiety, trauma recovery, overcoming adversity. This includes a Paralympian and a woman growing up with a parent experiencing depression. These experiences remind us not to forget the impact a mental health challenge can have on the people supporting those who are experiencing it.
Join JewishCare NSW and JCA on Thursday 30 March 2023 at 7.45 pm for their BRAVE TALKS event. Together, we have the courage to change the Mental Health conversation.
Gift of Life – still looking for a blood match for member of our Community
As many of you will know by now, we want to spread the word to help a member of our community, Murray Foltyn, the 41 year old brother and uncle of an Emanuel family, who has a rare blood cancer and requires an urgent blood stem cell transplant to help save his life.
Here’s how everyone can help:
🙏🏻 If you fit the heritage criteria, please check your country’s age limit and the testing process below. Most countries are an easy mouth swab kit at home!
Australia: https://www.lifeblood.com.au/ If you’re having trouble booking in please call them on 13 14 95.
🇺🇸 US: https://my.bethematch.org/s/join (18-40yo) – cheek swab
https://www.giftoflife.org/swab
https://www.dkms.org/register-now
🇬🇧 UK: https://www.dkms.org.uk/get-involved/become-a-donor (18-55) – cheek swab
🇮🇱 Israel: https://www.ami.org.il/ (18-45) – cheek swab
🇿🇦 South Africa: https://sabmr.co.za/ (16-45) – cheek swab
🇸🇰 Slovakia: https://swabtheworld.com/en/country/slovak-republic (18-45)
🇷🇺 Russia: https://swabtheworld.com/en/country/russia (18-45)
🇨🇦 Canada: https://www.blood.ca/en/stemcells/donating-stemcells/stemcell-eligibility-and-registration (17-35)
🇳🇿 NZ: https://www.bonemarrow.org.nz/#join-now (18-35)
🇨🇿 Czechia: https://www.darujzivot.cz/how-to-register (18-40)
🇲🇽 Mexico: https://bethematch.org.mx/
🌎 Other: https://swabtheworld.com/en/become-a-donor
A match overseas is as good as a match in Australia, as a donor’s stem cells can easily be sent to Australia once they’re on the worldwide register.
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 Sonia Newell.
Shabbat shalom, stay safe and have a great weekend.