Andrew Watt – Principal

Farewelling our Year 12 (2023) 

With their Trial HSC Examinations and course revision sessions completed, our Year 12 students are looking ahead to (hopefully) maintaining a disciplined home study routine as they prepare for their final examinations. Planning for post-HSC celebrations and the following break could also be on their collective agendas! On Tuesday, our Year 12 cohort were farewelled with a breakfast event, hosted by each of our four Houses. The following day, our High School staff and students joined with the families of our Year 12 students, to enjoy a memorable Graduation Ceremony, followed in the evening by a formal Graduation Dinner.

The Graduation Ceremony 

Each of the speeches placed a strong focus on the adventures, achievements and unique nature of the Year 12 (2023) cohort. Much was spoken about the legacy they will leave: a culture of care, inclusivity and enthusiastic engagement in the life of the School. As each student walked across the stage to receive a gift from the School, a commentary, capturing special moments and key achievements, was read by Year 12 Co-ordinator, Dr Julie Duncan. Farewell messages from our Year 12 teachers were captured on video and shared throughout the ceremony. A short excerpt of my speech is shared below:

To our Year 12 students – today marks the formal end of your schooling, and I hope that you will look back on your Emanuel journey with warmth and pride. As one famous author reminds us: “That last page turned is a perfect excuse to write a whole new book.” Simple but true. Importantly, I want to acknowledge the impact of the covid pandemic, across two years of your learning, and pay tribute to your resilience, and determination to overcome all the hurdles you faced. In the words of the Greek philosopher, Pericles – What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others. For me, this graduation assembly is the most bitter-sweet of moments each year, as whist I am excited for you, as you embark upon your next adventure. I am also sad to farewell a group of young adults I have come to know, to like, and to share the highs and lows with.

The Year 12 choir singing The Good Old Days was a touching moment, as was watching our Year 12 students (and some of their parents!) depart through a student guard of honour that stretched from the basketball courts to the Waxman Gates – a fitting send off for a great group of students.

The Graduation Dinner

The graduation dinner was held at Dockside, Cockle Bay Wharf, where families and staff enjoyed a great view of the Harbour. Both the venue and the meal were very good, as was the joyous, celebratory atmosphere. In addition to the witty and heartfelt toasts to our staff and our parents, we were treated to an energetic and entertaining musical performances and ruach by many of our parents. This has become a much-anticipated Emanuel tradition, and it was very well received. Kol Hakavod and thank you to Dr Julie Duncan and our Year 12 Graduation Dinner Parent Committee, led by Ruby Berkovic, who overcame many hurdles, to deliver what was a first class event.

Update on B’Yachad Building

As one would hope, significant progress has been made since the last update. The courtyard has been paved and the playground space is also nearing completion. Furniture will shortly be placed in Level 2 of the building, which now only requires an AV fit out. Acoustic ceiling panels and major joinery have now been completed on both Level 1 and the Ground floor. However, the more intricate joinery work is still underway. The Star of David ceiling detailing in Level 1 also nears completion and capping for the balustrade has commenced, with the timber risers to follow in the near future. The next steps will include the paving of the link bridge, the installation of building signage and glass awning, and the fit out of the Imaginarium. At this stage we anticipate that we will receive our Occupancy Certificate on 29 September. The design and appearance of each level of the B’Yachad Building are both attractive and functional. We are looking forward to moving in!

Level 2 Ballustrade[92] copy

Level 2 Breakout Space[99] copy

Celebrating Rosh Hashanah

For Rosh Hashanah this year, the High School explored the theme of sleep and waking. This is a theme close to any teenager’s heart. However, we were exploring that every Rosh Hashanah is an opportunity to ‘wake-up’ a little more to ourselves and the work of the world around us, through the actions of introspection, prayer, and social justice, spurred on by our Jewish alarm clock, the shofar. Students sang songs and prayers of this time, including a Sephardi poem which starts: “Human, why do you sleep? ” Rabbi Rafi Kaiserblueth offered a traditional and beautiful singing of the U’netaneh Tokef prayer and personal interpretations of this prayer were shared. After the singing, students reflected quietly in journals on their past year, their gains, and disappointments, setting the tone for the Teshuvah process of this time. Many thanks to Kobi Bloom, Sidney Melamdowitz, and the Informal Jewish Life team for bringing it all together. After the events, students enjoyed a piece of honey cake in anticipation of a sweet new year for 5784.

Machane Bissli

On Wednesday, our Year 5 students attended Machane Bissli, learning about Israel, enjoying fun and educational games, creating crafty Bissli-themed art and concluding with an extremely energetic afternoon of ruach.

Thanks to Hagit Bar-On, the Hebrew teachers, Israeli Madrichim and Informal Jewish Life educators for creating a day of experiential Jewish Learning. 

Ruach at Machane Bissli

It’s a Mitzvah!

We are so grateful to the P&F, and particularly Carli Rothman, for organising the year’s third Mitzvah Meals cook-up with parents. The Food Lab looked like a food market with piles of fresh veggies, chocolate chips, lasagne sheets and other ingredients, too many to mention. The meals, which will be kept in a new chest freezer generously donated by the P&F, will help those in our school community who are going through hard times due to illness or a bereavement in the family. We do hope that you will never have the need to receive a Mitzvah Meal, but if you do, please know that they were made by our parents with love and good wishes. 

Mazal tov

• Mazal tov to the Emanuel Super 6 Netball team (Nava Weiss, Frankie Paez, Tali Gellert, Shayna Abitz, Kiki Aronstan, Lily Smaller, Amelie Lipman, Zoe Laurence and Evie Brodovcky), who won the Super 6 Netball Championships competition this term. The girls were a formidable force throughout the round-robin section, before sealing the deal against IGS in the final.
• A big congratulations to the Emanuel U10 boys futsal team for making the semi-finals of the state futsal championships – this is an incredible achievement!

Thank you

Thank you to Poppy Berkovic, Year 5, for her beautiful illustrations which adorn our Community Rosh Hashanah Recipe Book and greetings. You would have received a copy this morning as a special Rosh Hashanah gift. If you missed it, you can download it by clicking on our card below.

Quote of the week

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” ~ Nelson Mandela

Shanah Tovah