Talking Holocaust
Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations
We wish all our readers Chag Pesach Sameach. If we think back to last year, we were all in lock-down and celebrating Pesach with extended family by Zoom or some other video conferencing platform but this year here in Australia, we are thankful to be able to unite under one roof, although there are still some restrictions on numbers. We will be thinking of our fellow Jews around the world, many of whom sadly are still in some degree of lock-down and unable to share this important Jewish festival in person with family members who do not live with them. We certainly all look forward to the time when life will really return to “normal” whatever that new normal will be, and we are free to travel again and visit family and friends no matter where in the world they live.
Jewish Women
Members of National Council for Jewish Women of Australia (NCJWA) NSW were amongst the many other Jewish women and men who raised their hands in support of this year’s International Women’s Day campaign theme #Choose to Challenge on the 8 March 2021.
The below photo shows four members of NCJWA (NSW) and includes Emanuel grandparent Nadene Alhadeff who is Executive Director and Co-ordinator Eastern Suburbs Mum for Mum NCJW program, Suzy Wolanski, and past Emanuel grandparent Maxine Bachmayer, co-President, NCJW (NSW). It was taken by Wendy Bookatz, Office Manager/Media Manager who is a past Emanuel parent and mother of alumnus Sam Bookatz, Class of 2007. Hundreds of Jewish women across Australia participated in the Women’s Justice March a few days earlier, including Ronni Kahn AO, founder of the food rescue charity OzHarvest whose photo appeared on the front page of last week’s AJN. She was amongst the marchers in Canberra on the 4 March 2021 and she told the AJN “I stood alongside tens of thousands of women demanding justice and parity for women across the country“. Ronni has visited Emanuel School a number of times to speak to our students who have run numerous food drives over the years to help support OzHarvest.
Talking Holocaust with alumnus Sean Torban (Class of 2018) and staff member Anna Mayliss
Holding their first event for 2021 last Sunday at The Sydney Jewish Museum, three generations met together to learn and talk about Holocaust history, our memories and most importantly our future.
This event was organised by Sean Torban (Class of 2018), the founder of Talking Holocaust project.
Sean would love to see members of our School community get involved with Talking Holocaust so if you are interested please send an email. He will be speaking at Yom Hashoah Commemorations 2021 on the 7 April 2021, commemorating 80 years since the Nazi invasion and murder of Jews in Soviet territory. Registration is required – limited seating available. For further enquiries please email Suzanne Green.
Watch this space
As time goes on and Sydney hopefully stays COVID-free, we are planning our first non-online Gesher event in such a long time. Still in the early planning stages so I cannot tell you too much for now, but it will be a private tour to one of our well-known art galleries. A daytime event in early to mid June, it will be open to grandparents and parents. More details coming soon.
Nu, so what’s new?
Sam Koslowski (Head Madrich, 2012) quit his job as a Lawyer in a large corporate Law firm and together with good friend Zara Seidler, co-founded a brand-new newsletter, The Daily Aus. Don’t you just love the review “The best newsletter I’ve ever read” – written by their mums! Sign up here for this exciting new newsletter.
If you have photos and/or news to share, please send to Sonia Newell.
Stay safe, Shabbat Shalom and Chag Pesach Sameach. Have a great term break and look forward to seeing everyone next term.