JET-ting into the future
Tori Shapiro – Year 12
Eden Grynberg – Year 12
JET-ting into the future
Jewish Educators of Tomorrow
On Tuesday 23 August 2022, we attended the first ever JET Open Day at the University of Sydney with Ms Levin-Kahn. It was an amazing experience and we both feel so grateful to have participated. The program was initiated by Mr Ben Ezzes from Moriah College and the Jewish Board of Deputies Education Committee, Dr Micheal Abrahams-Sprod, a Jewish Studies Lecturer at Sydney University and Ms Shana Kerlander, an Emanuel parent and CEO of Mandlebaum House.
The day started with a lunch at Mandelbaum House, which was such a nice way to see the Jewish culture at university. We got the opportunity to talk to the Moriah College students about their unique passions and perspectives, hearing from likeminded Jewish people who are also passionate about teaching.
After this discussion, we received a tour of the campus, taking special notice of the beautiful old buildings and the “Harry Potter” quad. It was especially interesting to hear the panel of lecturers in different areas of teaching; early education, primary education and secondary education. We took particular notice of how each course contained unique and interesting subjects, and how different each presenters’ teaching style was – getting us to think about the kind of teachers we want to become right then and there. Lastly, we sat in on a demonstration lecture on Holocaust History by guest lecturer (and former Emanuel parent) Dr Sharon Kangisser-Cohen, giving us a glimpse of the university experience.
Ultimately, the day was such an eye-opening and exciting opportunity, filled with interesting ideas and discussions. A key takeaway from the day would be that there is always a place for our Judaism, even once we leave Emanuel School. There are many structures in place – such as Mandelbaum House and AUJS (Australasian Union of Jewish Students) – to ensure that we, as Jewish students, are continuously supported throughout our time at university.
