Welcome back!
Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations
I could dedicate my whole page this week to the Year K students whose parents are Emanuel alumni but I do want to let you know about other news too.
We love that all our Year K students are settling into life at Big School. Here are just some photos of a few of our alumni who have returned this year as new parents, with children in Year K. Twins Jordan and Kobe de Melo are part of this Year Group. Their mother, Claudia Maman, was in our very first Year 12 cohort in 1989 and their big brother, Ethan de Melo, finished Year 12 in 2020 and is now one of our Sports Coaches.
Claudia says, “I always feel very comfortable walking my boys into school. Being a past student from long ago, I have seen Emanuel grow from very humble beginnings. A very new, very small school with lots of dreams to becoming an incredible Jewish Day School. At the time the PAC was just an empty space and I eventually saw it become the High School Library.
Returning for a school tour, when I was considering Emanuel for my son Ethan, I remember walking into the MPH and literally being blown away. All the dreams the School had talked about when I was there had eventuated, too late for me but right on time for my son. I knew immediately that this was the right school for him. Ethan had an incredible experience at Emanuel, so much so that although he graduated in 2020, you can still find him on campus coaching futsal and soccer to students from Years 1 – 12. He wants to pass on his knowledge to other Emanuel students and I think that is the best compliment a school can receive. Now I have the incredible joy of starting again with my twin boys, Kobe and Jordan, starting Kindergarten – they are so very proud to attend the same school as their mum and brother and nothing excites them more than seeing their big brother at their new school. So, my journey at Emanuel continues and I look forward to watching it grow from strength to strength.”
Ethan sent me this quote: “For me, the best quality of Emanuel is that it truly feels like a family. From the moment I arrived in Year K, the warmth and support from the students and staff was special; a feeling I still experience today as a Sports Coach. Seeing my brothers in their new school uniforms the other day brought back so many amazing memories from school. Now it is their turn to join the Emanuel family, and to make lifelong memories and friends just as I did.”
Other children of alum to start in Year K this year include: Noa Greenblo whilst his brother, Asher, started in Kornmehl Pre-School. Their father, Shaun Greenblo, who was Head Madrich in 2003 says: “Walking through the Emanuel School gates with my son Noa on his first day of Kindy, 20 years to the year after I graduated, was an overwhelmingly beautiful experience. I’ve been blown away by the love and support of the staff, parents and students and it’s only re-affirmed to me that Emanuel has retained the magic it had during my time at the school.”
The Class of 2004 is well represented in the new Year K parent group this year – Gabi Keen (nee Rein) was Head Madricha in 2004 and her daughter, Mila Keen, has just started in Year K, along with one of her best friends Lily Stern, whose parents Danny and Georgia (nee Snow) are also from the Class of 2004. Gabi says, “I feel like I’ve come home again! Coming back to Emanuel and being able to share it with my daughter has been so special for me”, whilst Georgia Stern says, ” I’m very excited to be back at the School now as a parent. Lots has physically changed but it is heartwarming to still feel all the love and community that I remember!”
Della Shandler (nee Einfeld) from the Class of 2005 works part-time at School as EA to the Director of Finance and Operations, and she is also a new parent this year. Della says, “It has been really special having my first son start Kindergarten at my school. I have loved going from being a student and alumni to a staff member and now a very proud parent. Jacob has settled in well thanks to the warm and nurturing Year K teachers. Emanuel School holds a very dear place in my heart and we look forward to many more years being part of the Emanuel community.”
As we welcome new families to Emanuel School, that of course also includes new grandparents. If you would like your children’s grandparents to receive Ma Nishma each week as well as our bi-annual Grandparents and Friends newsletters, please ensure we have their email contact. Many of our grandparents live interstate or overseas and do not have the opportunity to come visit their grandchildren on campus but through reading our newsletters they are still able to know what is happening here at our amazing School. One new grandparent I want to introduce is Louise Glaser, whose has two grandchildren here – Sebastian Larsson who started last week in Year 2 and his sister Isabelle, known as Bella, in Year 3. Listen to this wonderful interview with Louise and another Emanuel Grandparent Nitza Lowenstein, Executive Producer and Senior Broadcaster/Journalist at SBS Radio, Australia. In this podcast, Louise talks about her passion as a Volunteer Guide at the Sydney Jewish Museum for the past 12 years.
WorldPride/Mardi Gras Parade 2023
Dayenu is the Sydney’s Jewish LGBTQ+ Community, a not-for-profit group that provides social events, advocacy and support to the diverse needs of Jewish LGBTQIA+ people in Sydney, as well as their partners, friends, families and communities, across the whole spectrum of religious observance, from Secular to Reform and Orthodox. They do not conform to any political ideologies. Dayenu was born in 1999 as a co-operation between local Lesbian and Gay Jewish groups to enter a combined float in the 2000 Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras. Emanuel alumnus Toby Evans (Class of 2006) is an official photographer for Dayenu and many members of our extended school community are part of this group.
Emanuel Synagogue takes pride in its long history of support for the LGBTQIA+ community and they will hold their annual Dayenu Mardi Gras Kabbalat Shabbat Service on Friday 24 February 2023 followed by dinner.
Sydney Jewish Museum (SJM) and World Pride
SJM has an exclusive tour on Thursday 23 February 2023, where you will learn about the symbolism of the pink triangle used to oppress the LGBTQIA + community during the Holocaust. The experience will leave you reflecting on the shared persecution of both LGBTQIA+ and Jewish communities during the Holocaust, whilst celebrating their triumphs in human rights made in the years since.
Gennarosity Abroad
Whilst many of our readers will know the name Genna Radnan, an Emanuel alumna (later known as Genna Onuchukwu following her marriage to Peter). Genna returned to School as our School Nurse Emanuel until recently and she is the founder of Gennarosity Abroad, a registered charity with DGR status that focuses on improving living standards of future generations through education of girls and women and providing health services to those living in remote and disadvantaged communities. Over 90% of funds raised are applied to the development of projects on the ground in Kenya. If you would like to know more about Genna and the amazing work she and her team do, along with future fundraising events, check out her website.
Don’t forget!
Register for the 2023 NSW Maccabi Swimming Championships
There is still time to register for this event on Sunday 5 March 2023.
We look forward to sharing our news and yours, so if you have photos and/or news you would like to share with us, please send to Sonia Newell.
Shabbat shalom, stay safe and have a great weekend.