Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

Private tour to the Archibald

After a long hiatus thanks to COVID-19, our face-to-face Gesher events have finally resumed. Last Wednesday, 40 Emanuel parents and grandparents attended our amazing private tour to the 2023 Archibald Prize Exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW, where they were enlightened about the artists and their works by our two very knowledgeable guides.

There were, as expected, mixed opinions about some of the portrait paintings and who perhaps should have been the winner. As someone on our tour said: “Art really is such an individual and personal thing!”. 

Amongst the portraits was one of Emanuel grandparent Gene Sherman AM by Danie Mellor, who said: “This work explores Gene’s relationship with aesthetics and her emotional journey following the passing of her husband Brian Sherman in 2022”. Mellor went on to say: “I called it A portrait of intimacy as it felt like a reflective, introspective piece, especially given its muted palette and heightened sense that we are glimpsing Gene’s inner self”. Not only was our group given details about these portraits but they were also enlightened about the Wynne Prize for Landscape Painting or Figurative Sculpture and for the Sulman Prize for Subject, Genre or Mural Painting. We thank grandparent and Gesher Committee member Kathy Passman for organising this event. Kathy says: “My favourite portrait was the one of Noni Hazlehurst by Jaq Grantford titled Through the window and I am really pleased that it has been named People’s Choice Award winner. There were other ones that I really liked as well, however I didn’t like the winning portrait”. Following the tour, some of our group stayed on for lunch and a chat at the café.

Grandparent, Susan Sweller said: “Viewing the Archibald Exhibition was great, and it was definitely enhanced by the tour guide. Thank you very much.”, whilst Daniela Freed, Chair of our Gesher committee, who was there with her parents, said: “It was a very successful morning!!”

People’s choice award winner – -Through the window- (Noni Hazlehurst)[74] copy

Music and drama talent in our community

We all know about the amazing music and drama talent of so many of our students, but did you know about such talents within our past and current parent body? Read on and you will find out about just a few of them now, and we would love to hear from anyone else who is equally talented…

Saturday night, 12 August 2023 (tomorrow) is time for Winter’s Hottest Dance Party…

Everyone who has ever boogied in the East knows Ilan Kidron and the Glassbreakers are party entertainment monsters. You may recognise Ilan as lead singer of massive Australian dance music act The Potbelleez, but yes, you’ve also seen him croon like a legend at events and parties for years. But tomorrow night, with the help of Milky Wave Management, the trailblazing entertainment agency, founded by Ilan, a former Emanuel parent and current parent Melissa Kery, mother of Jared (Year 5) and Ivy (Year 6), launch the Cool Cats and Hot Dogs Winter Ball at Bondi Bowlo with an incredible ripping nine-piece band. They’ll be playing music from Chuck Berry, Swedish House Mafia, Talking Heads, Rolling Stones, Queen, The Bee Gees, Tina Turner, Roy Orbison, The Killers, Marc Anthony, The Gypsy Kings and more. These are all star, elite musicians at their peak ready to make you want to go crazy on the dance floor.

Kidron said: “The local community asked us for a real bang of a boogie so here it is. On and off stage, we are always committed to creating a live music playground that enriches the cultural fabric of our community and beyond through the power of live shows.”

For ticket bookings and more information please visit this website.

Note: The song Nothing is Impossible, written by Ilan for JCA The Choice Foundation, in 2020, was later chosen by Channel 7 as its theme for the coverage of the Tokyo Paralympic Games. He wrote the song during the first COVID lockdown in 2020, having been inspired by families who have a member with a disability.

Winter Ball 2023

Ilan Kidron

Melissa Kery

Fiddler on the Roof

Evie Smith

Who doesn’t love Fiddler on the Roof? This all time favourite musical has been part of our own students’ repertoire and it is currently on show in Melbourne at Alex Theatre in St Kilda, with past Emanuel parent Evie Smith in the role of Yente, the Matchmaker. Evie said: “I have always enjoyed acting and singing. After playing Golde in Moriah College’s 2018 production of Fiddler on the Roof, I accepted the role of Yente currently playing in Melbourne. Fiddler is our story and resonates on so many levels. The music, the comedy and the heartfelt messages never get old and I would do it again and again! The current Melbourne production is under the auspices of MLOC and as far as we know, is the first production of Fiddler to be performed since Chaim Topol’s passing.”

Past parent,  Alan Rosengarten, has over the last 20 years, been in 14 community theatre musicals, with roles such as Mr Bumble in Oliver and Avram in Fiddler on the Roof. Most recently he was the priest in the Regals of Rockdale production of Priscilla, and now looks forward to appearing in their upcoming production of the Hunchback of Notre Dame. He said: “I am really looking forward to performing with so many talented people in The Regals latest musical, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, featuring all the wonderful songs and characters form the Disney animated musical. You can get your tickets following the link with performances in late September and early October.

Alan Rosengarten Medium

If you have a passion for music and/or theatre and would like to share this with our readers, please get in touch with Sonia Newell.

Calling school-age children who love to take photos

Entries for 2023 Head On Student Awards close on Sunday 27 August 2023. If any of our readers are parents or grandparents of students in Year K to Year 12 who love taking photos, please encourage them to enter their favourite photo for this year’s competition.

In the words of Emanuel parents Anita Schwartz and her husband Moshe Rosenzveig OAM, Founder and Creative Director of Head: “We would love to see more Emanuel students enter this year’s Head On Student Awards and show us what they can do! There is no theme and students can enter work of any photographic genre or style – flex your creativity. The Awards are a theme-free photography competition aimed at supporting and celebrating the unique talents of Australia’s student photographers. By entering, students have the opportunity to experience a world-class photography festival, have their work exhibited in a professional exhibition and win from a suite of prizes to support their photographic pursuits!”.

Closing date for entries is Sunday 27 August 2023, 11:59pm (Sydney time). Enter now.

Australian Emerging Motion Awards (AEMA)

Alumnus, Ethan Cohen (Class of 2017), has now launched his competition designed to connect emerging motion designers aged 25 or younger. Ethan, together with fellow alumnus and current parent, Danny Stern (Class of 2004), a motion designer and director, will be judging this competition, which is open to High School students. Competitors can enter their work across four categories: 2D Motion, 3D Motion, student work (for all university or school work) and Mixed Media/Experimental (for anything else).

Check out the AEMA website for more details.

Sydney Jewish Writers Festival (SJWF)
Wednesday 23 August 2023 – Sunday 27 August 2023

With just two week’s to go before this year’s Festival, tickets are selling fast. This will be held at Bondi Beach Pavilion and promises to be an amazing event, held over five days with three streams of exceptional writers, poets, musicians, playwrights, comedians and thinkers who promise to challenge us to explore the theme of identity from every angle. Presenters include members of our Emanuel School community – parent Kerri Sackville, author, columnist and social commentator; parent Lee-Anne Whitten, Senior Educator at Sydney Jewish Museum; Kim Slender, past Emanuel parent and was also our School Counsellor for many years, now Psychology and Education Consultant at The Sydney Jewish Museum and past parent Joanne Fedler, an internationally best-selling author.

This event is powered by Shalom.   

Friendship Circle Walk
Sunday 27 August 2023

Friendship Circle (FC) believes that each child has purpose and a gift to give the world. That’s why they connect young people with and without disabilities at their programs. Each person benefits and learns from each other, creating the diverse and beautiful world that we are all a part of. To run their programs, events and community initiatives, Friendship Circle relies on the generosity of donors in our community. Please support generously and help Friendship Circle reach and support more people.

Chana Kavka, Sydney Friendship Circle Founder, said: “We are grateful for your support and one of the many ways to support FC is to be part of the Friendship Circle Walk on Sunday 27 August which will start at Vaucluse Public School. Friendship is at the root of everything we do, and that truly is what we are all about. FC provides opportunities for friendship and connections among children and young people with and without disabilities. And often, parents become friends too after getting to know each other as they drop off their child at a program or meet up at one of our Parent Nights. Over the years, FC has been able to create an inclusive community where everyone feels welcome. Any amount you can donate will be turned into friendship, inclusion, and community and make a local and lasting impact.”

FC Walk 2023

UNSW Centre for Ideas 
Don’t miss this event on Thursday 7 September 2023

UNSW Centre for Ideas presents a thought-provoking program of event and digital content, bringing the globe’s leading thinkers to UNSW Sydney and also presenting UNSW to the world. On Thursday 7 September 2023, you can hear Emanuel alumnus, Sam Koslowski (Head Madrich, Class of 2012) and Zara Seidler, co-founders of The Daily Aus, unpack the big business of youth-focused news, and reveal how digital platforms are transforming the news landscape. The Daily Aus has cracked the code on resonating with young people, distilling the big news stories of the day into accessible, bite sized pieces. From fearless journalists to savvy entrepreneurs, witness the rise of a new generation that’s leaving a lasting imprint: Register Now

Sam and Zara’s new book No Silly Questions: The Daily Aus explains how the world works (and why you should care) is out on 6 September 2023. You can pre-order the book here.

Primary Grandparents and Friends Day
Friday 8 September 2023

Please help spread the word about this very special event next month where Grandparents and Special Friends of our Primary students are invited to spend the morning with our students to help celebrate Rosh Hashanah and share in classroom activities followed by morning tea.

Remember September 2023

Founded by alumnus Ben Wilheim (Class of 2008), Remember September is leading the charge to find a cure to pancreatic cancer. Ben hopes our School community will get behind this campaign again this year and choose one of their challenges during the month of September to help raise awareness about this dreaded cancer and raise funds for research that will hopefully help find a cure. The theme is Give It Up or Move It this September. You can give up caffeine, chocolate, sugar or alcohol, or you can walk 68 km during September for Australians living with pancreatic cancer. Please note, all donations over $2 are tax-deductible. Together, we will remember those we’ve lost and stand with those fighting to survive. What will you give up for the month of September to help with most worthy cause?

We look forward to sharing our news and yours, so if you have photos and/or news you would like to share with us, please send to Sonia Newell.     

Shabbat shalom, stay safe and have a great weekend.