Natanya (Tany) Milner – Head of Primary

Term 4 has begun and I look forward to a wonderful term ahead.

I don’t usually share my holiday stories in Ma Nishma but these past weeks have been so powerful for me and I felt it would be special to share some of my thoughts with you all. I was blessed to spend Rosh HaShana in the Netherlands. My father is Dutch and as the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, it felt like an important time to share the story more deeply with my own children. It was a trip filled with juxtapositions. Spending Yom Tov with my cousins was so special and a reminder that no matter where we come from, there is such a powerful commonality and comfort in our traditions and customs. Our next activities included visits to the Holocaust Museum, the Jewish Quarter, the Resistance Museum and Anne Frank’s House. These experiences were filled with highs and lows as we came to terms with the worst of humankind and yet in these moments, also heard stories of togetherness and hope. Anne Frank’s House was so meaningful for us all. Anne’s innocence and resilience were incredible and in her diary she wrote, “When I write I can shake off all my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived!” She so desperately wanted to be a writer and found such comfort in her diaries and stories. Even in April 1944, she wrote, “I want to go on living even after my death”. How true this sentence proved to be with her diary touching so many lives and teaching us so many lessons. I was also impacted by Emma Thompson’s response to visiting Anne Frank’s House. She stated, “The only thing we have to remember is: all her would-haves are our opportunities”. I have never felt this more remarkably than after this trip. I was privileged to spend time with my Dutch family and also to meet the principal from one of the Jewish schools in Amsterdam. To know that the community is again flourishing and positive and that we have continued to survive in response to such evil is inspirational. I have returned to Australia feeling so blessed and also feel a responsibility to truly embrace the opportunities that we have – because we are so lucky to live in an incredible country, at an incredible time and because I feel I owe my family, both those who perished and survived, the acknowledgement of our opportunities. So, as we head into the final term of 2019, I wish for us all that we are able to embrace the opportunities around us and truly feel the blessings that we have.

Chess success

I am so excited about this year’s chess success. Last week, our team won the State finals and are the NSW Primary School Chess Champions. We have one more round to go and are preparing for the National competition which will be held in Canberra. A huge mazal tov goes to our chess team – Josh Barnett, Oscar Salek, Gabriel Pozniak, Max Tsipris, Dylan Vitek and Daniel Zipser. These children have been totally committed to their chess and have spent hours and hours preparing for the tournament. I also thank them for representing the school so proudly at all times.  A huge thanks to our coach, Michael Todd and co-ordinator, Colleen Elkins, who have both spent countless hours training, coordinating and organising the students. We are incredibly grateful for their dedication and support!

Mazal tov to Year 3

Our Year 3 group has been awarded 2^nd prize in the Randwick Council – Best School Garden awards. Thank you to the Year 3 students and their teachers, Julia Tritsch and Melanie Horin, as well as Joseph Peacock and the Year 9 STEM group for their support with the irrigation of the garden. Thank you also to Liz Kollias who has always been such a wonderful support of our gardening initiatives and again was instrumental in the success of this year’s project.

Sophie Poisel

At the end of last week, we farewelled Sophie Poisel who begins her maternity leave and we are thrilled to hear that she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on Wednesday. We wish Sophie and Alex all the very best as they embark on parenthood. We look forward to hearing all the news about the baby and welcoming Sophie back to Emanuel during 2020.