From the Principal
Andrew Watt
Celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut
We are not a community that passes up the opportunity to get out of our school uniform and enjoy a party! Our exuberant celebration of Israel’s 71st Birthday included a whole-school event, filled with music, ruach, singing and special messages from Israel. Years K-2 activities included an Israeli market (shuk) experience; Israeli dancing; Hebrew/Israeli songs; creating class name posters and face and biscuit decorating. Years 3-4 activities included designing a new Israeli flag and creating a tourist campaign for Israel. Years 5-6 activities included researching and creating a presentation about an aspect of Israeli society and culture and creating a music video for HaTikvah.
Whilst celebrations commence in Australia, Israelis will celebrate the anniversary the 1948 Declaration of Independence with official ceremonies, followed by night-time festivities on the main streets of the cities, where crowds will gather to watch public shows offered for free. Many spend the night dancing Israeli folk dances or singing Israeli songs. During the daytime thousands of Israeli families go out on hikes and picnics. Army camps are open for civilians to visit and to display the recent technological achievements of the Israeli Defence Forces. The day is concluded with the ceremony of granting the Israel Prize recognising individual Israelis for their unique contribution to the country’s culture, science, arts, and the humanities.
Yom HaZikaron Memorial Ceremony
Our High School students led this moving Memorial Day Ceremony for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel and Victims of Terrorism, with maturity and sensitivity. With 59 added this year to Israel’s list of over 23 000 fallen, our ceremony included insights into the lives of several fallen soldiers, and we observed a minute of silence. The student reflections included Motti Hammer’s song below, which captures the emotions, but also the hope and the search for a way forward, looking to a time when the cycle of death and violence will end.
One Living Human Tapestry
Because we are ALL ONE living human tapestry
And if one of us is gone from among us
Something dies in us and something stays within him…
If we know how to pacify the animosity
If only we know how
If we know how to quieten our anger
Despite the hurt, to say “I’m sorry”
If we know how to start afresh.
Because we are all ONE human tapestry
Wanted: Go With The Flow (GWTF) Traffic Assistant – paid position
We are seeking to employ a member of the Emanuel School community to assist us in both the mornings and afternoons, during term time. Key responsibilities include ensuring that cars move to drop off and collection areas, approaching stationary cars to assist with doors or bag storage, ensuring that cars do not stop in prohibited areas or remain in GWTF zones for extended periods and generally, troubleshooting and supporting a smooth flow of traffic around the campus. The hours are 7.00 am to 9.00 am and 2.45 pm to 4.45 pm. Please direct all enquiries to our Director of Finance and Operations, Jillian McCormick. Applications can be lodged through Deborah Beder at dbeder@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au
The Emanuel Babysitting Registry
For some years, students from Years 9 to 12 seeking babysitting work for members of our community, have been listed in our Babysitting Registry. The Registry is currently advertised in Ma Nishma and on our two private Facebook pages. Whilst this was created as a beautiful initiative that reflects our community spirit, unfortunately, we have recently received legal advice that, as the School has a non-delegable duty of care in relation to the safety of its students, we should have no links to advertising or supporting the Registry. Therefore, we have revoked our involvement with the registry; we will not be publishing the Registry and will remove it from all our sites. The Registry may continue as an initiative organised by the community, rather than the School.
Dogs on campus
Parents are reminded that dogs are not permitted on campus. This policy removes the risk of dogs potentially attacking our students.
Mazal tov
Our intermediate boys team reached the Easts Cup Basketball Grand Finals. They put up a valiant effort but were narrowly defeated by Cranbrook.
Sienna Poswell, Eden Levit and Hannah Kim
Eden Levit, Hannah Kim and Sienna Poswell played in the CDSSA 15 years representative football team at AICES Championships yesterday and won the tournament, a fantastic result!
Juniors, Middles and Seniors B teams all won in Round 4 of HICES Debating on Wednesday.
Our Year 10 HICES Seniors B Debating team remain proudly undefeated after the first four rounds of the fiercely fought competition.
Quote of the week
“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.”
Clay P Bedford