Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

Happy Hanukkah

With Hanukkah starting this Sunday evening, we hope you all enjoy these celebrations with family and friends sharing yummy Sufganiyot (jam-filled donuts) and latkes (fried potato pancakes) during the eight days of this very special Festival of Lights. Take a look at these yummy Hanukkah donuts from Friendship Bakery – there is something for everyone, from the classic jam-filled doughnut to their tropical mango and coconut creation – available all next week for pickup at 2 Laguna Street Vaucluse, but they can only be ordered online.

Don’t forget the many community celebrations including Hanukkah in the Park, Dudley Reserve, Dover Heights, Chanukah Family Day at Taronga Zoo with JNF and Jewish House, Hanukkah at the Bay, Steyne Park in Double Bay and Friendship Circle and the Board of Jewish Education (BJE) has several events designed for specific age groups.

Join our very special very bright Kabbalat Shabbat tonight at 4.45pm – the last of the year. Log on here with your very bright challah that your child would have brought home today. 

Although COVID rulings have relaxed significantly, we still need to remain vigilant as there are cases of COVID reported in the suburbs in which we live. Younger children for now, are not eligible to get a COVID vaccination and from time to time, we will hear of positive cases, in particular for this younger age group perhaps at School and out in the wider community. Please stay safe everyone. Here are the latest COVID rulings updates.

Licence to Krill written and illustrated by alumna Dr Ilana Hoffman (Class of 2005), artist and wildlife veterinarian.

Perhaps you would like to help raise some money for marine conservation this festive season and you happen to be also looking for the cutest non-denominational holiday gift, full of manta ray adventures, silly whale tales and fun facts about sea creatures in the perfect rhyming bedtime book format for little learners.

Ilana has put together just that! Suitable for a wide age-range, there is something for everyone: with a simple rhyming story in one font and lots of scientific facts in another. Ilana says “this book was first published a few years ago, but luckily the science of marine biology moves slowly and you can rest assured your child’s expertise will remain at the cutting-edge. $5 from each sale will be donated either to Australian Marine Conservation Society or Sea Shepherd”. If you would like a copy of Ilana’s book, please email her and mention which of the two charities you’d prefer supporting.

Cost per book: $15.00 plus postage. 
Modelling credit: Shlim Sadie (aka JaDrool) and Sossy the Sausage (aka Prince of Blankets) 

Ben Wilheim (Class of 2008)

It’s wonderful when alumni get in touch to let us know about what they are doing – such a call came earlier in the week from alumnus Ben Wilheim (Class of 2008), who recently moved from the corporate sector to Not For Profit (NFP). You may be familiar with the work Ben does as founder of Remember September, raising awareness of and funding for a cure for pancreatic cancer. Ben is now the Community Fundraising Manager of RSPCA NSW and is responsible for growing, developing and executing all areas of community fundraising (the wing of fundraising that comes from the community) to maximise their fundraising income – this includes their biggest fundraising campaigns (Million Paws Walk, Cupcake Day and Rescue Run), as well as all the sporting events (City2Surf, SMH Half Marathon and Blackmores Half Marathon) and all smaller community fundraisers (birthdays, weddings, or what Remember September started as). Ben says “It’s an incredible role, doing amazing things, has great potential and I’m absolutely loving it. As a rescuer of two kittens of my own recently, I’m loving every second. We all love our furry friends!” 

About The Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals NSW (RSPCA NSW):

The RSPCA is a not-for-profit organisation in Australia that cares for, treats, protects and re-homes animals across the state, providing a strong voice for animals experiencing cruelty and neglect. They run a number of shelters and veterinary hospitals dedicated to treating, rehabilitating and rehoming animals. With over 500 members of staff, RSPCA NSW is dedicated to working with the community to prevent cruelty to animals by actively promoting their care and protection.

TATTLETALES by alumnus Davey Seagle (Aka David Friedman, Class of 2011)
Season extended

Davey’s latest production has been getting rave reviews. If you haven’t already seen it, there’s still time to book. Davey runs his own theatre company Ponydog Productions – his latest production, TATTLETALES is an immersive storytelling experience.

You, the audience, are invited to share in creating an original adventure with The Storyteller as your guide. Designed to be experienced by no more than 10 per show, the decisions you make will determine the characters you meet and the challenges you’ll face on your journey.

Your tale, once told, will never be told again.

Davey says “I’d love to see some Emanuel folks at my show, so please use the code ‘STORYTIME’ for 10% off adult tickets”

Flight Path Theatre, Marrickville

Season extended to Sunday 19 December 2021

Book now

Grandparents – we will always want you!

Ma Nishma each week remains one of the best ways to stay connected with our School and with our community no matter where in the world you live. Please help us to get our grandparents database updated by sending through grandparent contact details so they too can read Ma Nishma to find out what is happening at School, albeit it only online for now.  We will have an end-of-year edition of our Grandparents and Friends newsletter and you can see past issues of this newsletter along with our alumni newsletters online. Living interstate and/or overseas, means some of “our” grandparents never have an opportunity to come to School, so connecting electronically can be really meaningful and a great way for them to see what their grandchildren are doing at School in spite of the distance apart. As we still cannot have visitors on campus Ma Nishma and our Community Facebook (FB) page are great ways to stay connected with us. If  you are not already a member of our Facebook page, join here.

Summer holidays activities

There are lots of choices for activities for your children, some of which involve helping others, whist some provide creative and/or sporting experiences. Here is information about two events, along with a link to a Facebook page you might find useful.

• Friendship Circle January Day Camp volunteer registrations have now opened
• Past parent Vivienne Radomsky, Project Manager at B’nai B’rith NSW shares details about B’nai B’rith Kids Club photo workshop on Monday 18 January 2022. For more information or to book, please call her on 9321 6300
• Maccabi Junior Carnival – see below for further information.

FC January 2022 Day Camp Poster NEW 2[97]

B’nai B’rith photo workshop January 2022

 You can find more holiday activities on the Facebook group Sydney Jewish Mums. 

Maccabi Junior Carnival 2022

Many of our students play sport in one (or more) of the hundreds of Maccabi Club teams, making lifelong friends through such times. Parent Lara Levin is on the Maccabi NSW Board (since 2018), with her portfolio initially being “Maccabi Life” but is now “National Sport” and she is involved with organising Junior Carnival 2022.

We look forward to sharing our news and yours, so if you have photos or news you would like to share with us, please send to: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Shabbat shalom, chag Hanukkah sameach, stay safe and have a great weekend.