Ruby Brody – Year 9

Our responsibility in rescuing refugees

Our Year 9 Slavery/עבדות, Responsibility/אחריות and Freedom/חירות class had a learning session with Emanuel parent, Shira Sebban, in which we discussed her work with refugees around the world.

She shared many stories about families that were in a מצר/מצרים, (narrow place physically and metaphorically) who were seeking to gain a new life of חירות (freedom) away from their מצרים. 

Hearing these stories made us think more deeply about the importance of freedom and being an  איש (upstander) to help free those in a “narrow place”.  She talked about three families that were dramatically affected by both שעבוד הנפש ושעבוד הגוף  (psychological and physical enslavement).  One family twice attempted to escape from their שעבוד (enslavement) and risked their lives in order to become בן/בת חורין (free people).

Sometimes they were simply denied entry to the countries in which they were seeking refuge. She spoke about how she helped each family member seek their own form of freedom and we understood how what she did was empowering to them. 

Ashley Goldman – Year 9

When families were caught trying to escape the country, they found it hard to seek job opportunities in order to provide for their families. Shira made sure they were each empowered to create their own source of income by helping them gain the necessary skills to work in a field of interest. 

One 16 year old boy loved to cook and worked hard to get into a school in which he learned to be a chef. Shira supported him by providing him with the means and encouragement to attend the prestigious school, which was empowering him to become his own free person (בן חורין).  In addition, the boy’s mum was finding it difficult to find work because she had a reputation for trying to escape the country, which limited job offers. She had a job washing dishes outside for 14-16 hours a day and then was only paid $1.00 – $2.00. Due to COVID-19, the mother was laid off from her work, which became the turning point of her attitude in becoming a free person (בת חורין). Previously, the mother didn’t want to accept help. Shira helped her by sending her son home and encouraged them, providing financial assistance through fundraising, to start their own business and become self-sufficient.

This was a very inspiring and touching pe’ulah for our class and it brought to our attention that you can turn your life around and move from being someone enslaved, psychologically and/or physically, to a free person. It also showed us that when we see others in a “narrow” place we are able to empower them to achieve their own freedom. Our eyes were opened to how lucky we are to have what we do and to live in Australia as free people. We also learned the responsibility (אחריות) we have to help others achieve their freedom (חירות).

By Ruby Brody and Ashley Goldman, Year 9