Volume 30 Issue 10 23 Apr 2021 11 Iyyar 5781

Remembering our Holocaust Survivors

Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

Sean Torban

Welcome back to school for Term 2.

We hope you all had a wonderful Pesach and an enjoyable break. During the holidays we commemorated a number of sombre occasions including Yom HaShoah and Yom HaZikaron.  Micayla Sacks (Class of 2017), AUJS NSW Secretary, wrote a poignant article about the Shoah whilst alumnus, Sean Torban (Class of 2018), represented “The Next Generation – grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors” at the NSWJBD Yom HaShoah event. We then commemorated Yom HaZikaron, to remember all the Israelis soldiers who gave their lives so Israel can survive. Past Emanuel student, Ben Adler, and his Klezmer fusion band CHUTNEY, released a new arrangement of Avinu Shebashamayim (The prayer for Israel) in honour of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut.  

George Grojnowski – photo by Katherine Griffiths, SJM collection

It would be remiss of us not to acknowledge the recent passing of Holocaust survivor George Grojnowski, aged 94, whose connection to Emanuel School started as a Living Historian for the Year 6 students Project Heritage – long before becoming a member of our grandparent community. We wish George’s wife Ella and family “Long life”. His daughter-in-law, Emma, is an Emanuel alumna (Class of 1990) and her older daughter Noa, now in Year 6, started at Emanuel last year. George was a Holocaust survivor-guide at the Sydney Jewish Museum (SJM) for many years and the jacket he wore whilst interned in Buchenwald Concentration Camp is on permanent display at the Museum. Watch here for an insightful and poignant interview about George with alumna, Dr Rebecca Kummerfeld (Class of 2003), Head of Education at the Sydney Jewish Museum.     

Rebecca says: “I had the enormous privilege to get to know George in my work at the Museum. George is the sole survivor of his family. He suffered unimaginable trauma. And yet, he chose to focus on those few times during the war that police and soldiers showed him kindness. He believed in the capacity of people to be good, even after witnessing humanity at its worst. I will always remember his gregarious laugh that drew you in and made you feel like you were part of the joke, and his ability to connect with everyone he met. George could walk into a room of strangers and know exactly what to say to make them feel welcome. He was full of warmth and good humour and I will miss him terribly”.

Eddie Jaku OAM

101 years young

We extend a hearty mazal tov and birthday wishes to Emanuel great grandfather Eddie Jaku OAM, who recently turned 101. His memoirs The Happiest Man on Earth published last year still receives rave reviews whilst Eddie continues to be a sought-after speaker, including two sold-out events at the Sydney Jewish Museum next month.

Private Art Gallery tour with a difference

Please keep the morning of Wednesday 16 June 2021 free for our Gesher private tour of Salon des Refusés 2021 (The alternative Archibald and Wynne Prize selection) at the S.H. Ervin Gallery, Observatory Hill (The Rocks). Details will be out soon.

If you have photos and/or news to share, please send to Sonia Newell.                                       

Shabbat Shalom and have a great weekend.