Volume 30 Issue 16 04 Jun 2021 24 Sivan 5781

A Blood Moon

Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

All about Mitch (and more)

This year’s JCA Source magazine features Emanuel alumnus Mitch Burnie (Class of 2011) on the front cover, as you may have already seen in the Principal’s report today. Mitch also appears on their community billboard which is on display at all of their 23 member organisations, including Emanuel School – you can see it as you walk up or down Waxman Drive near the entrance to School.

Some of you joined us last year for our Gesher online Speaker Series where we were privileged to hear Mitch talk about Adamama, the first Jewish urban farm in Australia. JCA is the communal hub of the NSW and ACT Jewish communities, connecting the needs of our community with the services that our 23 member organisations provide in the areas of aged care, community care, engagement and culture, education, history and heritage, social justice and outreach and security and advocacy. Consisting of a professional office, many passionate and dedicated volunteers and a whole community of supporters, JCA’s role incorporates planning, engagement, fundraising and facilitation to secure our local community’s vibrant future.

You can read more about Mitch as well as alumna Julia Sussman (Class of 2014) and the work she is doing in community continuity, along with other representatives of our Jewish community here.  

Lunar Eclipse May 2021

Many of us tried to photograph the recent lunar eclipse, but sadly most of us failed to do so, as we watched the spectacular event happening before our eyes in the night skies. Alumnus Max Guerry (Head Madrich, Class of 2008) who is a passionate photographer, with a strong interest in Astronomy, captured two spectacular photos of the great Earth Shadow of May 2021. He says “this is the 5th total lunar eclipse I can remember witnessing. Sadly, it was probably the least impressive as I fought clouds all night and the moon just barely fully entered Earth’s umbral shadow – leading to the faint white glow on the left of the Blood Moon. But it was the first with proper camera and tracking gear!”.

Did you know what you wanted to do after finishing School?

Year 12 is such a hectic year as our students finish their school-life and choose what to do next – something not always so easy to do. We were privileged to have 22 alumni return to School to share their varied career journeys with our senior students. Their passion was palpable as they spoke about what they’ve been doing since graduating from Emanuel School. The students listened and asked lots of questions of our visitors.  At the age of 17 or 18, who really knows what we want to do career/workwise for the “rest of our lives”? 

This event gave our students the opportunity to hear that it is OK to not know and we hope they gained a better understanding that there is so much more to life than an ATAR and the HSC, and that there are so many opportunities available to them out in the big wide world. We sincerely thank our visitors for inspiring our students. Claire Pech, our Careers Advisor and I are already gathering alumni names and new ideas for next year’s event.

The Great Push-Up Challenge 2021

Three alumni, Tai Oshlack, Gabriel Sebban and Tomer Belkin, all from the Class of 2018, have joined forces as a team to raise funds in this year’s Push for Better Mental Health, the Push-Up Challenge. If you would like to help this worthy cause by donating to the team, click here. 

The Alternative Archibald 

We hope you will join us on the morning of 16 June 2021 for our Gesher private tour of Salon des Refusés 2021 (the alternative Archibald and Wynne Prize selection) at the S.H. Ervin Gallery, Observatory Hill (The Rocks), with parking available onsite. Our group has exclusive use of the Gallery, with a private guide for one hour before the gallery officially opens to the Public at 11.00 am. Our event is open to past and current parents, grandparents and alumni as well as friends.

More than ‘Yes’ and ‘No’

Join Matt Friedman, Emanuel School Head Madrich and alumnus (Class of 2015), for this insightful seminar, hosted by JewishCare. 

If you have photos and/or news to share, please send to Sonia Newell.   

Shabbat Shalom and have a great weekend.