Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

Mazal Tov

Shana Kerlander

Emanuel parent, Shana Kerlander, mother of Year 7 student Jack Fridman, has just been awarded this year’s annual President’s Award, for her work as CEO of Mandelbaum House. Read the full story.

Preventing genetic diseases

An article in last week’s AJN highlights just how far the Community Genetics Program (CGP), a collaboration between Wolper Jewish Hospital and NSW Health Pathology, has come in screening for genetic diseases over the past 25 years. The OneScreen Community Genomics Study conducted by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research’s Kinghorn Centre for Clinical Genomics in collaboration with Wolper and NSW Health, will run alongside the existing screening programs involving our students and those at all Sydney Jewish High Schools and Reddam House. The study will determine whether DNA analysis for more genetic conditions would benefit individuals and their families. Emanuel parent and alumna Associate Professor Sarah Kummerfeld (Class of 1997) is the Scientific Head of the Centre, and she says that although it will take at least three years before this research could be implemented into clinical practice, by conducting the study, “we can work out the kinks” and understand how the genetic information can be used effectively. 

New life

Betty Levy with her daughter Janine Davidowitz

Most of us take it for granted that if we want to have children we will. For some however, that is not the case. One in six couples in Australia understand the heartbreak of infertility whilst one in 20 Australian babies are born as a result of IVF – that is one in every classroom. The Australian Jewish Fertility Network (AJFN) was set up in 2006 to help provide financial and emotional support to Jewish couples struggling to achieve their dreams of having a baby. AJFN recently screened a free online event, Stories of the Soul which included a mini-documentary following the IVF journey of Janine and Shimon Davidowitz. There seems to be an Emanuel connection with so much in our community. Janine’s mother, Betty Levy came to Emanuel School mid-way through 1987 as a Commerce teacher and later became Co-ordinator of HSIE and Careers Advisor until she left 10 years later in 1997. Betty was always keen to hear about the School and her students and she attended a number of alumni reunions over the years after she left. Sadly, Betty passed away on 24 November 2015, just two days after Janine and Shimon’s wedding. Loren Finger, Development Manager of AJFN was a student here for four years in Primary School and is married to alumnus Adam Finger (Class of 2001) whose sister Samantha Butt (Class of 1998) is a current parent and Betty Levy was one of her teachers. Small world! Other Emanuel connections with AJFN include current parents Gabbie Budai, Leigh Goldberg, Amy Friedlander, alumni Leanne Kawalsky, Kate Samowitz and Sarah Robuck also a current parent, who are all Committee members.

B’nai B’rith & JNF Jewish Changemakers Awards 2020

Nominations have now closed for these wonderful awards that recognise and honour the volunteering efforts of Australian youth and young adults. We wish our Emanuel student and alumni nominees the best of luck, and we thank you all for your volunteering efforts: Ezra Hersch, Chloe Miller, Ari Merten, Liat Granot, Lara Fosbery, Sarah Manoy, Joshua Moses, Nadia Coburn and Julia Sussman.

Please keep 14 December 2020 at 8.00 pm free for Live Panel Discussion and Awards. Julia is one of the panelists at this event. The Zoom link will be sent on registration.

Friendship Circle (FC) needs your children

It’s that time of year again with Friendship Circle Day Camp just around the corner, and they are seeking teen volunteers who are Year 7 to Year 12 students. This is an amazing opportunity for your children to volunteer their time helping children and teenagers with disabilities who will attend this day camp from the 18 January 2021 to the 22 January 2021, based at North Shore Synagogue, Lindfield. There will be free transport available from Bondi by Telfords Bus to Lindfield and then back to Bondi at the end of each day. FC will have a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place.

Find more information here     

If you have photos and/or news to share, please send them to: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Stay safe and Shabbat Shalom.