Volume 31 Issue 8 25 Mar 2022 22 Adar II 5782

Finding old family records

Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

Emanuel School history lesson #2

The building that now houses our Year K classrooms was originally the laundry facilities for the Little Sisters of the Poor in the 1920’s. When the School moved to this campus in 1985, the old laundry was ripped out and totally transformed internally to become the High School Art Block (later named the Lynette Sandra Phillips Art Building) until the Art Department moved to the top level of the Kleinlehrer Family LINC Building in 2015. The Art Block was then completely gutted and rebuilt to become our wonderful Year K classrooms, and since 2016 it is officially known as the Lynette Sandra Philips Kindergarten.

Stars of the East Event

Past Emanuel student, now a Waverley Local Councillor, Leon Goltsman (Class of 1990) pictured here with Emanuel past parents Elliott Kleiner, a life-long friend and Peter Appelbaum, who will be MC at the event in June. Leon says ”I am honoured to be one of the judges at this year’s ‘Stars of the East’ event, a high energy, dance spectacular bringing the Eastern Suburbs together and raising much-needed funds for Cancer Council NSW. I was so very excited to win the inaugural competition in 2016 and now In its 5th year, Stars of the East has raised over $400,000, with 2022 being the biggest year yet!”  

Leon Goltsman, Elliot Kleiner and Peter Applebaum

Adamama Farm

Many of our readers already know about Adamama, Sydney’s first Urban Jewish Farm, a Shalom initiative, perhaps through our online Pickling Workshop during lockdown, or by having visited the farm for various onsite events. Previously located at White City Rushcutters Bay, the farm recently moved to Randwick, where manager, Emanuel alumnus Mitch Burnie says “our new digs will bring possibilities to expand our programs and engage more with the wider community. We are looking for a handful of youth leaders to help us run our school holiday program as well as our Kids Eco-Club. This is a casual paid gig.” 

Adamama is looking for youth leaders:

  • ages 16+
  • leadership experience required
  • $20/h 

Please pass this on to anyone you think may be interested. Here is more information. 

Finding old family records

Some of our readers may recall my article a few weeks ago about the World Jewish Relief holding records of people who came to the United Kingdom, fleeing Nazi occupied Germany and Austria before World War 2 – records and documents were found on file that they are now able to release.

Ros Shammay, whose grandsons are in Year 4 and Year 7, sent a message earlier in the week: “After reading an article in Ma Nishma by Sonia Newell, for which I gratefully thank her, I contacted the World Jewish Relief to see if they had any information on my mother, who escaped from Belgium and was interned in the UK. Five weeks later they sent me a whole lot of information.  I learnt, among other things, that my mother and my one-year-old brother were interned in the UK from October 1940 until September 1945. She was employed for a while as a canteen worker for £2.50 per week, out of which she had to pay £1.10.0 every week for full board. My brother was evacuated to a home during that time so my mother could work. Amongst the records I got was a statement showing that they received dental work and my brother had an appendix operation. My mother passed away in 2012 aged 94 and had told me she was treated very well in the UK. I was so incredibly grateful to see these records with my own eyes”.

The Choice Foundation

Who doesn’t remember “Nothing is Impossible”, the theme song from the 2020 Paralympic Games, written originally in 2020 by the Choice Foundation with Glassbreakers and then used in countless promo videos.

The Choice Foundation supports disability programs and projects through JCA Member organisations, to create innovative new education, vocation, housing, respite and social services that enable everyone to better contribute to and benefit from the community we all share. Emanuel alumna Jade Reuveny (Class of 2018) and Romi Adler have formed a very special bond through “Weekend Away,” one of their many amazing programs. Jade says ” my friendship with Rom iand the Choice Foundation are two things that are very close to my heart. A huge thank you to JCA The Choice Foundation & JewishCare NSW to have provided us the platform to facilitate “A Weekend Away”, where such special friendships are formed. It’s such a privilege to be a part of something so powerful, please reach out if you’d like to get involved!! 😇 LOVE YOU Romi Adler!!” Watch this video about their special friendship here.

Calling our Grandparents and Great grandparents 

Again, a huge thank you to parents who have been in touch to provide grandparent updates for our database. I should also add we have a number of great grandparents in our community, and I am sure some of them would also like to read about our wonderful school.

If you read my page last week, you may recall the name Ella Blumenthal, one of our great grandparents.

Ella, a Holocaust survivor born in Warsaw now aged 100, lives in Cape Town and is the subject of one of the JIFF films now showing at the Randwick Ritz. I saw her film “I am Here” last week. Just 73 minutes duration, it is a powerful film about resilience in the face of adversity, of survival beyond comprehension and the absolute love of family.

If you have the time, I highly recommend you see this film and some of the many other films at JIFF before the season ends on 4 April 2022. Visit the website for film times.

Parents, if you have previously provided email details for grandparents, can you please double check they are getting Ma Nishma, as we are still getting a lot of bounce-backs. Perhaps their inbox is full, or maybe we do not have the latest email contact for them?

Friendship Bakery

A week cannot go by where I won’t mention this amazing bakery, a social enterprise under the banner of Friendship Circle, located at Mark Moran Vaucluse. Run by volunteers, including Emanuel parent Ilana Akres, and alumna Shoshi Blackman, they are open Monday to Wednesday from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm for their kosher yummy salad bar, quiches, pastries and coffee and on Fridays from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm for their Shabbat Shop. You can also order online.

Friendship Circle (FC)

Volunteers are still needed for upcoming weekend and holiday camps organised by FC for children and young adults with disabilities. The Young Adult Melbourne Getaway is from 1 April 2022 – 3 April 2022.

Some of our readers with older children who might be interested to volunteer for this weekend, should get in touch with: emmasharp@sydneyfc.org.au to register. FC is also planning a fun and exciting Day Camp from 11 April 2022 -14 April 2022 for their younger members, with orientation scheduled for Sunday 10 April. Register here. 

If you have any questions, about Friendship Circle and/or if you or someone you know would like to join their programs as a participant or a volunteer, please email: hello@sydneyfc.org.au.

Call out for 2022 Careers Event

We are still seeking alumni who left school 10 years ago or less to come back to speak to our current Year 11 and year 12 students for our Careers event on campus on 18 May 2022 from 8:30 am – 11:00 am.

This is an informal and small-group setting, where groups of 5-10 students will rotate to chat to Alumni from all professions – healthcare, design, the creative industries, businesses, human services, the STEM areas, law, government or anything else.

We are also seeking alum still studying for a student-group. The pathway is what interests us, regardless of whether if it was smooth or bumpy! Parents, please pass this request on to your older children who were students here and ask them to complete this form if they are keen to join us and/or for them to pass details on to their old classmates

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

Shabbat shalom, stay safe and have a great weekend.