From the Deputy Principal

Margaret Lowe – Deputy Principal

Emanuel School continues to hum along combining excellent classroom teaching with a range of opportunities for students of all ages. Here are some of the highlights of the week:

Congratulations to our Year 7 students for their excellent Shorashim projects, presented on Thursday night to their family and friends.
Congratulations to our HICES Middles A Debating team who won the grand final.
Years 3-5 enjoyed a fantastic camp experience this week.
K-2 had a special Camera Word party.
Our Year 12 Music 1 students performed for the HSC Showcase on Tuesday and then their actual HSC on Thursday.
Year 12 student Aaron Ellis-Bloor performed his LMusA (Licentiate in Music, Australia) program for an appreciative and impressed audience.
Dr Ella Dreyfus talked about Holocaust art as part of the Year 11 Speaker Series in Jewish Studies.
Numeracy Week was exciting for our mathematically inclined students who enjoyed many activities including a STEAM challenge and a Sudoku challenge.
Years 7 and 10 participated in Mifgashim with our Israeli madrichim.
Our High School Madrichim hosted Dancing in the Dark, and raised almost $600 for beyondblue.
Our Year 11 PDHPE students made it through the PDHPE Camp.
Talia Rubinstein and Sally-Anne Janks organizsd a clothing swap for students and staff in aid of Lifeline.

Special mention must go to our Year 12 HSC drama students. Congratulations to Shoshana Blackman, Maya Buhrich, and Charlie Wrublewski for their Drama OnSTAGE nominations. OnSTAGE is a presentation of exemplary group and individual performances by HSC Drama students. Student selection is based on outstanding achievement in HSC Drama. This year Emanuel School is proud to announce that Shoshi, Maya and Charlie’s Group Devised Performance as well as Maya’s Individual Performance have been selected as examples of excellence in HSC Drama. OnSTAGE will be held at the Seymour Centre, Sydney from 3-9 February 2018.

Cherrywood Girls High – written and performed by Charlie, Maya and Shoshi

The HSC….. What is it? Is it a challenging year that inspires personal growth OR is it a stress-filled nightmare that catalyses the tragic downfall of Year 12 students? Follow the Cherrywood Girls High students as they encounter the trials and tribulations of their final year.

Doing it for the penguins – performed by Maya Buhrich

Alison, an enthusiastic young woman, tries to make a difference in the world. Instead of taking the car, she chooses to ride her bike to work. Can this one small gesture really make a difference to the bigger picture and save the penguins?

Coming up

The School’s Zero Robotics team is coming second in the NSW-wide competition (ahead of James Ruse High!). They are competing against schools who have entered the competition before and against students who are as old as Year 12. The Emanuel School team is a made up of a small group of students from Year 8 and Year 10 who do all the work in their own time. We wish them luck in their competition on Friday 15 September.

And…

Hebrew Week
Mifgashim for Years 8 and 11
Official photos on Wednesday and Thursday
Year 11 Drama Showcase, Monday 11 September, 7 pm
Year 6 Project Heritage and Jewish Museum excursion
Year 12 Music 2 Showcase, Tuesday 12 September, 7 pm
P & F Monday Morning Cooking Club, Tuesday 12 September, 7.45 pm
K – 12 Curriculum Conference for parents, Wednesday 13 September, 6.30 pm
Grandparents Day, Friday 15 September, 9 am
High School non uniform day, Friday 15 September –in aid of elephant awareness
Year 12 Graduation Assembly, Tuesday 19 September, 8.15 am
Year 12 Graduation Dinner, Tuesday 19 September, 6 pm
Last day of Term 3, Wednesday 20 September (school finishes at 1.10 pm, Erev Rosh Hashanah)

Shabbat Shalom

Drama Showcase

We are the champions!

Suzanne Plume – Debating Co-ordinator

Emanuel – HICES Champion Debating School of 2017

On Thursday, our Middles A debating team travelled to Surrey Hills to contest the HICES Grand Final. We debated Oxley College, a very experienced team, who had also fought their way through the gruelling preliminary and finals rounds.

Our Middles A team lost the coin toss and were allocated the affirmative case. They argued “that parents should get permission from their child before posting online”.

It was lovely to hear them express their heartfelt convictions regarding the trust which should exist between children and parents, articulated both logically and eloquently. They also spoke knowledgeably about filtering information which affected their online presences.

Their victory over Oxley College yesterday not only gained them the Middles Championship but also cemented Emanuel’s victory as the Champion Debating School for 2017.

Every student who debated this year contributed to our record achievement this year, whereby we won 70% of all our debates.

Mazal tov to our victorious Middles A team: Anna Davis, Lara Fosbery, Chloe Miller, Eden Glass and Ruby Hurwitz and their coach, alumnus Joshua Moses.

Congratulations also to all our Junior, Middles B, Senior and Opens teams who contributed to this stellar achievement as well as their coaches, Anthony Small and Danielle Santos.

Many thanks are also due to my fellow Team Facilitators Jemma Lopis and Lauren Wigan for their support and selfless dedication to Emanuel debating.

From the Head of Jewish Life

?אייכה/AYEKAH?

Rabbi Daniel Siegel

It is most fitting that our Year 10 Machaneh Ayekah (Ayekah Camp) coincides with the month of Elul, in which we sound the shofar, daily.

The first evening of Camp, we engaged in a guided meditation seeking to understand the meaning of Ayekah? A one word question, “Ayekah?”/“Where are you?”, was the first question asked of the first human being, Adam, and one which each of us, Elul reminds us, is to ask ourselves.

Following this time of personal meditation and reflection, our students silently gathered together under the hushed darkness of the night time sky and in unison called out an echoing and reverberating cry – Ayekah?

Ayekah? is the cry of the shofar, intended to ‘wake us up from our sleep’ and to take account of where we are in terms of where we might and, perhaps, should be.

The next morning we contemplated using the shofar for a sunrise ‘wake-up call’. But, as one student offered: “Rabbi Siegel, is that seriously how you will wake us up?”, we thought a gentle stirring might be better. That same student, Dylan Herden, then sounded the daily call of shofar following breakfast, when again, we reminded ourselves that Machaneh Ayekah is a time and opportunity to hear the call from within even as it is sounded without.

Inspired by Dylan’s efforts, several students followed suit as we sounded the shofar after every breakfast.

Machaneh Ayekah afforded our students abundant opportunity to explore and express who they are individually and collectively and who they might be in uncovering and sounding their unique voice. Machaneh Ayekah summoned our students to new beginnings, as does the month of Elul and the sounding of the shofar, when we rouse ourselves to another new Year.

Machaneh Ayekah

Rachel Turtledove – Year 10

Machaneh Ayekah was one of the most eye-opening, incredible camps I have ever been on. I learnt so much about myself and so many other people in my year. It was so great to see our entire Year Group bond and become closer in such a short time. Camp was all about the term, “Ayekah?” meaning, “Where are you?” For us, this term does not mean where are you physically, but rather on a spiritual and deeper level, such as what our place is in the world and who we are as individuals.

On camp we were all split up into five different family groups and spent the majority of camp in these groups. Each family group was led by one Israeli and one Australian Madrich/a. Family group time was so special and the family groups allowed us to bond with people in our Year who we may have not been close with before starting camp. Every family group bonded very quickly which meant that we could all easily have meaningful conversations in an inclusive environment.

The atmosphere on camp was always a buzz. We participated in so many different activities, many of which were created by the Israeli Madrichim. We meditated, learnt about Jewish people and different aspects of life such as the environment and food, engaged in a mock IDF training morning, participated in the Amazing Race and of course, could be found Ruach dancing every night, which was definitely a highlight for all. Shabbat was a very special experience and it was so nice to share it with the whole year.

One of the most incredible and moving experiences about camp was one of the meditative activities we did outside on one of the nights. We were led, with our eyes looking down at the floor, to a spot away from the main area of the campsite. We did a short reflection activity with our eyes still closed and eventually looked up at the stars and it was incredible. It was something so easy to do at home but it is so rare that any of us take time out of our day to appreciate the nature around us. It became even more special as we looked around and saw all of our Year Group with arms around each other and being together in silence.

Overall, Machaneh Ayekah was truly an amazing experience and all of the Peulot activities were really enjoyable. Making long-lasting connections with both the Israeli and Australian Madrichim heightened each and every one of our camp experiences and made it even more special for all of us. On behalf of Year 10, I’d like to say a big thank you to all the teachers who came on camp, Mr Bloom, Mr Samowitz, Ms Goldberg, Ms Selinger, Mr Ezekiel, Mr Janks and Rabbi Siegel, as well as all the Israeli and Australian Madrichim.

Devar Torah

Machaneh Ayekah

Our Year 10 Students planned, prepared and conducted their own Shabbat Tefillah during Machaneh Ayekah. Below is the Devar Torah, for last week’s parashah, written and shared by Matthew Joffe at Camp.

Following Matthew’s Devar Torah, Noah Klein engaged his peers in a peulah to further consider how we should treat non-human animals based upon the mitsvah to shoo away the mother bird when taking her eggs. Below is an outline of Noah’s peulah which generated a lively discussion and debate among his peers.

Rabbi Daniel Siegel

Mathew Joffe – Year 10

Machaneh Ayekah

Ki Teitsei, this week’s parashah, lists many mitzvot that the Israelites are commanded to abide by. In Devarim, the final book of the Torah, Moshe is finalising his preparations for the people to enter the land of Israel. This Parashah is designed to teach the Israelites, about to enter the promised land, the requisite mitzvot before they begin the final leg of their journey.

Some of the mitzvot, commanded by God, seem fair, a key idea throughout this parashah. However, there are others that would seem outright crazy today. The Law of the Wayward and Rebellious Son instructs the parents of a misbehaving child to first reprimand their child, but if he continues to disregard them, he must be brought in front of the elders of his city, and pelted with stones until he is killed, eradicating all possible evil from the people and the land of Israel. This seems pretty harsh, right? We also need to think if parents would willingly have their son killed, as they are the ones who have been instructed to alert the town elders. To what extent will one go to serve God?

Other mitzvot seem to be more reasonable for the Jewish people, as we see in the case regarding inheritance. In the times of the Torah, having multiple wives was normal, and possibly the husband in this situation would have a favourite wife. God tells us that no matter which wife is the favourite, the husband must give the first born his birthright – double the possessions of any other child. This is clearly not relevant in society today, as having multiple wives is pretty rare, but the simple, fundamental ideas of favouritism and justice between those naturally favoured and all others still prove to have some effect in the modern world. Think about what you would do if given the choice between two options, a clearly favourable situation, and another less appealing option, but the more favourable option was morally wrong. Think about how many people you could disadvantage unfairly due to your own personal gain. Would it be worth it?

Next is one of the most significant ideas in the whole of the parashah. The idea of animal rights, portrayed as ‘sending off the mother bird’. The Bible reads that if you are to come across a nest containing bird eggs, if you require them for your own purposes, you may take them, but only if you first shoo away the mother bird. Quickly, think about why the Torah instructs us to not take the mother bird too for our own benefit. The Torah does not give us a definitive explanation as to why it tells us to do this, but many scholars have suggested that it is not to prevent animal cruelty, and not for our own personal betterment, but to allow the mother bird to have more children, and to allow her to continue the circle of life again. This brings up the issue of justice and fairness, to whom is this more fair, the mother bird or the person taking her eggs?

If there is any overarching theme in Ki Teitsei it is the distinction between right and wrong, and how one act can have deep impact later in a chain of events. The parashah aims to differentiate between ritual mitzvot and ethical mitzvot, as in how we treat other people and animals, and the effects our actions have on them, as well as how we should serve God and behave in our general day to day life.

As Rosh HaShannah soon approaches, and we hear the sound of the Shofar every morning in this month of Elul, we are requested to reflect on the past year, and think about our actions – what we did right, what we did wrong and how we can improve for next year. We are encouraged to do better next year, be better people, do more for our community and environment; keep and practise more mitzvot. But do we need to keep every mitzvah passed down to us? What about the ones we deem unfair and unjust, do we have to keep those too?

Ki Teitsei tries to teach us the most vital mitzvot before entering the land of Israel, before we need to be the best versions of ourselves. But, keeping unfair mitzvot, in theory, should lessen how morally right we are. For us, perhaps, Ki Teitsei does not suggest that we abide by every single mitzvah, but, instead, requires us to distinguish between right and wrong, ourselves. Maybe God wants us to make our own personal choices as to how we want to act, rather than forcing everybody to behave in the exact same manner, and therefore, influencing us, through Torah, to act positively.

Noah Klein – Year 10

Machaneh Ayekah

Parashah Peulah

Shiluach Haken – Shooing away the mother bird

Is it fair to take a mother bird’s children or kill them in front of it? Or should we, at least, first shoo her away, sparing her the pain?

Hey Guys, so this Shabbat morning I’m going to be running a little Peulah for us all. So as Matt spoke about in his Devar Torah, I’m going to be discussing the issue of this line that separates actual abuse to animals and using them in a positive useful way that we would struggle to live without. So what we’re going to do is put you into groups – I’m going to give you a number between 1-8 and you’ll move to your groups in a bit.

Each group should talk about the things their animal does for the environment, how they help humans and what would happen if they weren’t there.

Pieces of paper are distributed among the students:

RAT – sniffing out mines, use in experiments, rats trained to locate people buried under rubble from natural disasters
BEES – honey, pollenate flowers, bees use their keen sense of smell to detect environmental contaminants.
DOGS – pets, sniffer dogs, races, blind people
COWS – milk, beef, leather
SHEEP – wool, milk, lamb
CHICKENS – eggs, meat, feathers,
SPIDERS – string, Spiders eat pests. Spiders feed on common indoor pests such as roaches, earwigs, mosquitoes, flies and clothes moths. If left alone, spiders will consume most of the insects in your home, providing effective home pest control.
HORSES – racing, transport, food, pull things
CAMELS – transport, milk, meat
WHALES – blubber, regulate the flow of food by helping to maintain a stable food chain and ensuring that certain animal species do not overpopulate the ocean. Even whale poop plays a large role in the environment by helping to offset carbon in the atmosphere.

So now let’s order the animals in order of how important they actually are to the world.

So why did I want you order these animals?

I wanted you to order these animals because I wanted you to really think about what these animals bring to us as humans and how some are very vital and seem more important to us as humans. I guess what we have to understand is the importance and necessity of these animals upon which we rely. But, if we think about it, do we do this in the best interest of the animals and how much of our use of animals is for the need to survive, the same way a lion kills a zebra to survive?

Now let’s sit down.

Do animals have rights?
Do animals have the same rights as humans and why?
Should animals have the same rights as humans?
Do animals understand when their children are taken from them?
Is it right to assume that humans are the most important animal in the ecosystem?
If you could change one reasonable, possible thing about the way we treat animals what would it be?
What is cruelty to animals?

Ma Koreh

**Weekly Torah Portion**

Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life K-6

Parashat Ki Tavo Deuteronomy 26:1 – 29:8

In this week’s parashah, Moshe recounts for the Israelites of their recent journey, leaving slavery in Egypt and journeying to freedom in the land of ‘milk and honey’. One of the often most repeated phrases in the Torah, the people are reminded to leave a tithe, or portion of their fields, to support the vulnerable in the community – the stranger, the orphan and the widow. Moshe speaks to the people of their obligations and responsibilities regarding the rules and teachings of the Torah and how to serve God with joy and gladness of heart, in seeking to elevate the Jewish people to be a holy people belonging to God.

Family discussion

Who are the vulnerable members of our community, society, nation and world today? What kind of actions can we do to support and assist them?
Why do you think the Torah is instructing us to serve with joy and gladness?

Month of אלול/Elul – Repentance (re-turning) תשובה/Teshuvah

One of the most significance mitzvot and aspects of this time in the Jewish year is תשובה /teshuvah or repentance. Repentance can be understood as acknowledging one’s mistakes and missteps, expressing remorse, making amends and then working to change one’s actions so the mistake is not repeated. In Hebrew, תשובה/teshuvah is connected to the word שוב/shuv meaning to ‘turn’. In this sense, תשובה/teshuvah is a ‘turning’ or ‘re-turning’ to God, or returning to our true/ideal/best self. Every day is filled with opportunities for reflection and תשובה /teshuvah, and we are reminded of this three times a day in one of the blessings of the Amidah prayer.

The שופר/shofar continues to sound and to call us, during the month of אלול/Elul – ‘לשפר/ leshapear‘ to work on improving ourselves and our world.

“When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. But I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my country. When I found I couldn’t change my country, I began to focus on my town. However, I discovered that I couldn’t change the town, and so as I grew older, I tried to change my family.

Now, as an old man, I realise the only thing I can change is myself, but I’ve come to recognise that if long ago I had started with myself, then I could have made an impact on my family. And, my family and I could have made an impact on our town. And that, in turn, could have changed the country and we could all indeed have changed the world” Rabbi Israel Salantar

Year 1 Shofar blowers

From the Primary School

Emma Clemens – Deputy Head of Primary

Growing Happiness – Part 3

This term I have been writing about the science of happiness based on ‘The How of Happiness’ by Sonja Lyubomirsky. The science of happiness is part of a growing body of research called ‘positive psychology’. The premise of the science of happiness is that we can develop a positive state of mind to live a happy and rewarding life. There are three important factors that determine happiness. Your happiness set point is genetically determined and affects 50% of your happiness. Life circumstances, such as whether you are wealthy or poor, healthy or unhealthy, married or single, determine 10% of happiness. The remaining 40% of your happiness is impacted by behaviour based on intentional activity.

Sonja Lyubomirsky suggests there are five strategies that can be used to change you and your child’s happiness levels using intentional activity. In my last Ma Nishma article I addressed the first two strategies and today I will explore the third strategy – managing stress and hardship.

Practising gratitude and positive thinking
Investing in social connections
Managing stress and hardship
Committing to your goals
Taking care of your body and your soul

Managing stress and hardship

It is inevitable that everyone will undergo stress, adversity and crisis at some point in their life. It may seem contradictory to talk about stress and hardship in relation to happiness. However, becoming a happier person means rising above your happiness set point. Coping and forgiveness are two key strategies for managing challenges in life and influence the 40% of happiness that is impacted by intentional activity.

Coping

Coping is used to alleviate hurt or stress caused by a negative situation or life event. In psychology there are two methods for coping. ‘Problem focused’ is where you focus on resolving the situation. ‘Emotion focused’ is about managing your emotional reactions. Both ‘problem focused’ and ‘emotion focused’ coping can be valuable but are dependant on the person or situation. Constructing benefit from trauma is when you see value or gain from a negative life event. This is a very effective coping strategy. For example there might be a relational gain, increased maturity, enhanced resilience or a renewed sense of meaning. As Friedrich Nietzsche said: “That which does not kill me, makes me stronger”.

Consider what coping strategies could be used in your family when you hit life’s bumps and roadblocks:

Social support through friends and family to provide comfort in times of strain and distress.
Expressive writing is another technique to overcome trauma through letting go of emotions.
Disputation is a strategy used in cognitive therapy for depression. This involves challenging pessimistic thoughts. With children we use the terminology of ‘detective thinking’. In difficult situations we are often overwhelmed by negative emotions that can then catastrophise the situation. Disputing negative thoughts and beliefs allows you to look for more optimistic explanations. Encourage your children to ‘think like a detective’ to examine the evidence around them and see if their negative emotions are based on facts and if there is a more positive outlook they could take.

Forgiveness

Stress and hardship are often associated with being wronged, hurt or attacked by someone. Forgiveness can disrupt unhelpful patterns of avoidance, vengeance or revenge and instead replaces these attitudes with more positive feelings or behaviours. Forgiveness has two elements, forgiving yourself and the one who has wronged you. Forgiveness doesn’t always mean that you will restore the relationship with the offender, but those who have forgiven are more able to re-establish relationships. Long term hostility and resentment ultimately hurts us emotionally and physically. Forgiveness creates a shared sense of humanity and a greater desire to help others.

Think about how you can model forgiveness in your family. Firstly, show appreciation when you are forgiven. Next, seek forgiveness for yourself, whether it is a past or present wrong. We can seek forgiveness in person or through a letter of apology. Recognising and accepting when you are in the wrong creates greater empathy to then in turn forgive others. Psychologists also recommend imagining forgiveness where you mentally and emotionally rehearse the process before seeking forgiveness in person. When asking for forgiveness it is important to be aware of ruminating on past hurts and instead remind yourself of times you’ve been forgiven.

Practising empathy towards others and taking proactive steps to repair and rebuild relationships are also key strategies in forgiveness. If your child needs to ask for forgiveness, encourage them to consider what they can do to continue to restore the relationship and create deposits in the emotional bank account of trust with the person they have hurt.

In my next article, I will describe the final two strategies for increasing happiness – committing to goals and taking care of your body and soul.

Years K-2 Camera Word Party

On Monday Years K-2 had a Camera Word Party to celebrate their learning of Camera Words. Students were placed in mixed groups and moved around various stations. Each activity was led by wonderful Year 4 helpers. They participated in games such as Jenga, Connect 4, paper plate ball throw, Twister, Hopscotch, life-size Snakes and Ladders, Magnetic Fishing, Skittles, Tic-Tac-Toe, paper cup towers, Cross the River and enjoyed a puppet show. Each station had a spelling element, where students had to either read the word, spell the word or put the word in a sentence. It was a fun-filled morning. Thank you to the Years K-2 teachers for preparing and running the activities. A special thank you to Talia Hynek for her creativity and initiative to make the event happen.

Years 5-6 Ping Pong Competition

This week the Primary Madrichim hosted the finals of the Ping Pong competition. The students who progressed to the final rounds were incredibly skilled players. The semi-final games included Levi Ehrlich, Jake Fleischer, Aaron Harpaz and Toby Danon. The final was between Aaron Harpaz and Toby Danon. Aaron Harpaz won the competition with a very close game of eight to six points. Thank you to the Madrichim for organising the competition. A special thanks to Ruby Miller and Ethan Berkovic for organising the draw and umpiring the games.

Years 3-6 Sport and Recreation Camp

On Wednesday to Friday this week all of Years 3-5 attended the annual Sport and Recreation Camp. This year the camp was situated at Myuna Bay. The students participated in a range of activities including archery, canoeing, kayaking, bushwalks, giant swing, high ropes course, flying fox and rock climbing. Sport and Recreation Camps are a wonderful way for students to learn new skills in an outdoor environment. The philosophy of the instructors is to ‘challenge by choice’ where students discern what level of challenge they feel comfortable striving for. It was so exciting to see so many students challenging themselves to develop greater confidence and resilience. Camps are also an excellent opportunity for the students to develop new and deeper friendships with their peers. Thank you to all the teachers who attended the camp and cared for the students.

Year 2 Our Big Kitchen

On Thursday Year 2 students went to Our Big Kitchen (OBK) as part of their Make a Difference Project (MAD). During the year, each grade engages with a MAD project where they seek to put the 7 Habits into action in order to give back or care for those in need. On the excursion to OBK Year 2 baked challot that was then sold to Emanuel families on Friday afternoon. The money raised through the Challah Bake Sale will go back to Our Big Kitchen so support their wonderful cause. Thank you to Nicole Esra and Leisha Strub for organising the excursion and the bake sale.

Calendar links

Next Week’s Calendar Link

2017 Calendar Link

Terms 3 and 4 K-2 assembly items

22 September (Week 10): School closed for Rosh Hashanah
20 October (Week 2): Music Assembly
3 November (Week 4): 1T Mrs Silver’s class
17 November (Week 6): KE Ms Grieve’s class
1 December (Week 8): Year 1 Hebrew

From the Head of Music

David Gwilliam -Head of Music

Deadline – Private Music Tuition and Infant Strings Program

The due date for new enrolments, notification of changes or intention to discontinue private tuition or Infants String Program for Term 4, has now passed. All students currently receiving private music tuition and students participating in the Infant Strings Program will be automatically entered into tutor schedules for next term, committed to the full term of lessons and liable for the full term of fees. Please contact Gail Mackenzie by email to music@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au if you have any questions.

Links to online forms
New enrolment requests for private tuition: http://tinyurl.com/PrivateTuitionEnrolment

To discontinue private tuition at the end of Term 3: http://tinyurl.com/PrivateTuitionDiscontinuation

To enrol into the Infant Strings Program: http://tinyurl.com/InfantStringsEnrolment

To discontinue Infant Strings Program at the end of Term 3: http://tinyurl.com/InfantStringsDiscontinuations

Emanuel School / King David School Music Exchange 2017

King David School, Melbourne, will be visiting our School from Sunday 22 until Monday 23 October. High School students in Years 7-11 who are members of the Copland Concert Band, Senior Choir, Senior Chamber Choir, Emanuel String Orchestra and Senior Stage Band will have received an information email encouraging them to participate in this event. Parents should please grant online permission for students to participate by Friday 15 September.

Rashi Times

Hey Rashi, Eden and Liv here

AYEKAH? Year 10 has returned and changed for the better! Last week, we embarked on one of the most emotional and moving experiences in many of our lives. We participated in activities that challenged our ideas of Judaism and of ourselves. We developed understanding of relevant world issues that can be difficult to discuss. After seeing each other at our most vulnerable and most passionate in certain situations we ultimately became a big family.

Hannah Adler said: “Machane Ayekah was one of the highlights of my time at Emanuel School. Not only did it make me more confident but it brought me closer to many people in my Year Group. My favourite parts of the camp were the amazing race, ruach and the star gazing but all together the camp was incredible. I would definitely recommend it to everyone. Although it was sad to say goodbye it was a happy moment for me knowing that what I have learnt from camp and from the madrichim could take me so many places in life. Thank you to all the teachers and madrichim who made this camp possible and made it the way it was. I wish I could go back.”

In conclusion, Machane Ayekah was an unexplainable experience, thank you to everyone who made it possible. I know that Liv and I both grew so much from the experience, learning about our peers and ourselves. We already miss it.

On 5 September the Year 11 students, along with the madrichim, organised the amazing dancing in the dark event with all proceeds going towards the amazing ‘beyondblue’ organisation. This Australian independent non-profit organisation works towards addressing issues associated with depression, anxiety disorders and other related mental health issues.

Students who were interviewed loved the event. “Dancing In The Dark was incredible! It was so cool to be dancing in the PAC with so many people from lots of different years and know that our donations were going to a really good cause. There was really good pizza and fairy floss, as well as a chilled area outside. I loved the night.”

Some more exciting news… next week is Hebrew (Ivrit) Week so everyone get excited. On Wednesday at lunch there will be a shuk on the basketball court. Tokens can buy you classic shuk items with an Emanuel spin on them all, with every token costing you 50c. Daily activities such as classic Israeli dancing and fun games will occupy the basketball court for the whole week and on Wednesday there will be an Israeli lunch special at the canteen so come along for a great time.

!להיתראות בשבוע עברית

That’s it from us this week. Have a great weekend.

Liv and Eden signing off

Rabin Bugle

Gabriella Amoils – Year 10

Banter versus bullying

On the last day of Machane Ayekah, students were given the opportunity to come up with a topic for discussion, and run a 30-minute discussion independently, while other students had the option to attend. I ran a session, attended by over 30 students called ‘Banter versus bullying – where to draw the line’. We spoke about name calling and jokes that are made by students and if it is okay to say them. Nicknames can bring relationships closer, and can create a bond with one another, but on the other hand the person with the nickname may not even like the name, and is afraid to say something because they think their friends will judge them. What can also happen is that students can use that nickname in the wrong context, and use it in a negative way. In this discussion, we focused on the point that people in our year usually can’t say anything, because they are afraid of what their friends might say. Students in Year 10 would continue saying the name or create a new nickname that was worse than the first one.

Another issue that was raised in our discussion was how incidents from a person’s weekend/personal life can be used for a nickname. This person may not feel comfortable with many people calling them out for something that happened on a weekend that was personal. Even comments that are made after someone says something that is mean shouldn’t be said. We shouldn’t shut people down, or say unnecessary comments, as we may think it is a joke, but the victim may not feel that way, and may be hurt by the comment that was said. Jokes and nicknames can be based on a variety of things such as religion, sexuality, gender and others. But a lot of nicknames in the Year Group are based on appearance, which a person cannot change, and shouldn’t be made fun of for it.

In this discussion, the main word that was brought up a lot was awareness. We came up with the conclusion that we must have awareness of what we say. We need to stop and think if it is okay to say what we are about to say, and whether the other person will like it. If someone is afraid to stand up for themselves, we should talk to them individually and ask them if they like the nickname and if they want us to stop calling them that. Year 10 students will attempt to become more aware with what jokes and comments we say, and if someone says something rude, we should step in and not be bystanders.

Chelsea Rutsetin

Chelsea, in Year 10, continues to go from strength to strength in her fishing competitions. Please see the awards and trophies Chelsea has acquired in the past few weeks in the photo to the left.

Chelsea had her local club fishing presentation, where she took out Junior Champion, Ladies Champion and overall Club Champion ( against men, women and other juniors), as well as a number of other trophies.
Chelsea had her NSW fishing presentation (fishing against people all over NSW) where she took out 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd in Junior girls and 1^st in another length-only division.

Mazal tov Chelsea!

R U OK?

Ashne Amoils – Wellbeing Madricha

Every year, approximately one in five Australians face a mental illness, along with the heavy stigma of discrimination and condescension that generally comes with it. Unfortunately, as a result, approximately 65,000 Australians attempt suicide each year, with eight succeeding every single day. A not-for-profit organisation, R U OK, is dedicated to preventing this by empowering people to meaningfully connect with those around them by asking “Are you ok?” and providing a support outlet for anyone struggling with life.

Next Thursday, 14 September, marks R U OK Day, a national day to remind us that we’ve all got what it takes to ask, “Are you ok?” and support those who are struggling in our community.

For many, starting the “Are you ok?” conversation can be difficult. You may think “I don’t know what to say,” or “I wouldn’t want to make it worse,” or “I’m worried they might get angry,” or “It’s none of my business.”. R U OK Day aims to ensure that if someone says “No, I’m not ok,” people know how to respond in order to ensure the wellbeing of that person. You don’t have to be an expert to start a conversation; by simply asking, you’re showing that you care and that can make a really positive difference in someone’s life.

To start a conversation all you need is four simple steps:

Ask ”Are you ok?”
Listen without judgement
Encourage action
Check in.

High School students will find out more about this on R U OK Day next Thursday, when a special tutor program will be run in Period 0 to teach them how to detect signs of not being ok, how to appropriately approach someone and ask “Are you ok” and how to get in touch with the various support networks available to reach out to for help.

Additionally, fruit with positive action directives will be handed out at lunch. Please take a piece of fruit and do the action that’s on the sticker to contribute both to your own wellbeing and someone else’s.

A school-wide variation of the game “What’s in your Pockie?” will be played all week. You start by writing someone a compliment, either anonymously or not, and trying to put it in their pocket or locker without them noticing. If you notice a compliment in your pocket, you are then challenged to write your own compliment to someone else and try to put it in their pocket – and so this becomes a continuous chain of compliments throughout the week.

Although it is not a mufti day, you are encouraged to wear a small yellow accessory (for High School, unfortunately not Primary) in honour of this day, but keep in mind it is also photo day so it must be removable.

Every day is the day to start a conversation. Small actions such as starting conversations and giving people compliments can have a massive impact on people’s wellbeing. I hope you all get involved with R U OK Day and remember that every day you can make a huge difference in the lives of those around you.

To find out more, you can visit the R U OK Website: ruok.org.au

Thank you

Ashne Amoils

National Art School HSC Intensive Studio

Over the Term 2 holidays, Year 11 Art students, Gal Cohen-Kvatinsky, Erin Baskin and I were lucky enough to participate in the four day National Art School (NAS) HSC Intensive Studio, and will be going back for part two in the coming holidays. Each of us had been selected for a specific type of art making studio, Gal – photography, Erin – sculpture, and I did life drawing, out of a range of other disciplines like painting, ceramics and printmaking. Below are the individual reflections of the three studios we each participated in.

Erin, on the sculpture studio:

My time at the National Art School while learning skills within sculpture was an incredible privilege to experience. Over the course of four days, we looked into great depth at the 3D form of the human figure and the role it plays within art and representation. We were taught by our wonderful mentor Harry Fasher how to create the figure by building it up from clay, often using a life model to guide our practice. It was amazing to be able to take part in this opportunity and I am excited to participate in the second module during the next break.

Hannah, on the life drawing studio:

Learning the art of life drawing, studying live models for four days, being taught by a practicing artist, working in the beautiful campus of one of the most, if not the most, prestigious Art schools of Australia, and meeting like-minded teenagers from all over New South Wales, was an opportunity and experience of a lifetime. The skills I gained over the intensive course have already change the way I practise and look at Art forever.

Gal, on the photography studio:

Having the opportunity to experience art in a different way was the highlight of my holidays. I was quite nervous that it would be the most stressful four days of my break, however, I actually didn’t want it to end. I learnt new skills, developed my creative thinking further and extended my perspective of things that surround me. The concept we focused on was turning the ordinary into something peculiar which led into the end product of a magazine. Working with layout, aesthetics and new programs, I successfully produced an original magazine which will be one of the works I exhibit. I am so grateful for both being accepted into NAS as well as being surrounded by different and amazing people.

Hannah Shteinman, Year 11 Visual Arts student

Photo Days

Maxine Chopard – Assistant to the Deputy Principal

Music, House, Co-curricular and Representative Sport Photo Days

Wednesday 13 September is whole–school photo day – Music, House and Co-Curricular groups for both High and Primary School students.

All students are to be in their formal winter uniform. This is a change to the High School Wednesday sport uniform day, so hopefully, this will be a good reminder of the expectation for the day.

Thursday 14 September is school photo day for Representative Sport for both Primary and High School students. All High School students will be able to wear their sport uniform on the day.

Photo days are hectic but enjoyable and students are reminded to be polite, respectful and co-operative.

Careers

Claire Pech – Careers Advisor

Medicine talk – Week 9

Next Monday during lunch time I am hosting a talk for interested Year 10, 11 and 12 students about careers in medicine. We have a guest speaker coming to speak about his career in Emergency Medicine. Dr Fahy is currently an Emergency Physician at Prince Charles Hospital. He is also the Director of Emergency Medicine Training and a Director of AFEM (Advanced Fellowship of Emergency Medicine). He also has a role as a Senior Lecturer of Medicine at the University of Queensland, so he has a wealth of experience to share with students. I have sent out an invitation for this event, so if anyone is yet to respond please do so. Please come with any questions you may have about Emergency Medicine.

Time: 1.15 pm

Place: Millie Phillips Theatre

Date: Monday 11 September 2017

UNSW Law

This week I advertised to Year 11s and 12s the Law Admissions Test that will take place in a few weeks at UNSW (only) for admission to their very competitive Law degree. For anyone who has registered and wants extra information here are the relevant links.

Information you may want to look at (or already have)

www.law.unsw.edu.au/future-students/undergraduate/law-admission-test-lat

Preparation materials

www.law.unsw.edu.au/LAT-preparation

Events and information

www.law.unsw.edu.au/future-students/undergraduate/information-events-dates

New curriculum

www.law.unsw.edu.au/future-students/new-curriculum

LAT FAQs

www.law.unsw.edu.au/LAT-FAQ

Practice materials

https://lat.acer.edu.au/prepare/practice-material and

https://lat.acer.edu.au/files/Law_Admission_Test_Sample_Paper_for_Website_2017.pdf

LAT online brochure

www.law.unsw.edu.au/sites/law.unsw.edu.au/files/ebooks/ug/2018/index.html

Resumes

Finally, this week during Year 10 Commerce class I ran sessions on creating resumes. What was more interesting was actually the discussion on resumes – why do we use them, what information do we put in them, do we put our date of birth anymore, how long should they be and so on. From the variety of readings I do about current resume practice (and there is lots) this was a snapshot of what I suggested:

Keep it to two pages long maximum.
Only put in information that is relevant to the job you apply for.
Keep a master resume and then save tailored resumes for each application.
Keep your cover letter punchy, with two relevant things to get the employer interested.
Dates of birth and gender are no longer included in resumes.
Have two referees and ensure they will speak favourably about you.
Ensure there are no spelling errors or grammar issues. A misspelt resume may cost you a job interview.
Try and find out who you will be applying to and address the cover letter personally.
There is no substitute for face-to-face contact so if you are looking for a casual job and handing over a resume, use that time to impress the employer.
If you want to use a template, register with the following sites for very easy-to-use templates:
- emanuelschoolcareers.com
- jobjump.com.au (password ‘Emanuel’)

Notices

TAFE NSW degrees

TAFE NSW offers a number of degree-level courses and higher education options with strong industry links and both practical skills and theoretical knowledge.

www.tafensw.edu.au/courses/tafe-nsw-degrees

Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Young Guides information session

21 December 11.00 am – 4.00 pm

MCA Young Guides are a committed team of arts-interested volunteers between the ages of 15 – 21 who deliver professional tours of exhibitions to museum visitors. www.mca.com.au/events/young-guides-try-outs/12515/

MCA Young Creatives program

MCA’s Young Creatives programs are developed in collaboration with a diverse team of 13-18 year old volunteers who are recruited yearly and form the MCA Youth Committee.

www.mca.com.au/learn/young-creatives/

ros and cons of studying a Bachelor of Education

http://thefootnotes.com.au/6-students-talk-pros-and-cons-of-a-bachelor-of-education/

What to do if you change your mind

You might be worried about changing your mind about your career once you have already started studying. This information from Youth Central has some tips on what you can do in this situation. Remember, it’s okay to decide on a different career direction.

www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/studying-training/changing-your-mind

Holiday chess

There are some wonderful opportunities for students to attend either a day of coaching or a chess tournament in the school holidays.

Please encourage your child to take part if they are interested.

If you are interested and would like some assistance contacting other parents to share arrangements, please let me know via email.

Colleen Elkins

Connecting our Community – Gesher

Sonia Newell – Development Officer

2017 Primary Grandparents and Friends Day on Friday 15 September

We look forward to many of the grandparents and friends of our Years K to 6 students coming next Friday morning to share special time with their grandchildren as we celebrate Kabbalat Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah. See the invitation on the next page for details. If grandparents have not as yet replied but would like to attend, please ask them to reply to: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au or phone 8383 7350.

Holocaust survivors within our community

An article by Sophie Deutsch in last week’s Australian Jewish News, opens: “Whilst there are many thought-provoking portrayals of the Shoah, ‘Last Witnesses’ sets itself apart from other Holocaust films with its moving message that bears strong relevance to youth today.” Past Emanuel parent, Judy Menczel, is the producer and director of this powerful documentary which was screened on Compass, ABC TV, last Saturday evening and again this morning. If you missed it, you can see it is on www.iview.abc.net.au

There are other Emanuel community connections in this film. One of the survivors interviewed is Emanuel School grandparent, Litzi Lemberg, who only discovered at the age of 46 that she had been a child survivor. She is now the chairperson of the Child Survivors of the Holocaust group in Sydney. The documentary features tracks by well-known pianist and performer Leonie Cohen who is one of our music tutors here at School and also compositions by alumnus Sam Weiss (Class of 2012), whilst Judy’s daughter, alumna Zoe Menczel Schrire (Class of 2012) was Production Assistant.

: Judy Menczel

: Sam Weiss

: Leonia Cohen – Jazz pianist

: Zoe Menczel Schrire

Sunday 10 September – Friendship Circle Walk

We hope everyone has lots of fun at the Friendship Circle Walk, whilst at the same time helping this worthy cause to raise much needed funds to provide assistance and support for families of children and young adults with disabilities: www.sydneyfriendshipcircle.org.au/walk

If you have news you would like to share, please send it to: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Emanuel Academy

Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl

Fathers’ Day breakfast

We celebrated our Fathers’ Day breakfast on Monday morning with 60 very excited children and 60 equally excited dads. The atmosphere in the room was warm and filled with so much energy.

Dads and their kids enjoyed a scrumptious breakfast prepared by a few very capable mums. Thank you to Mel Shilbury, Leona McGee, Naama Merritt and Manda Isenberg for their help in preparing the breakfast. It was delicious and almost every last piece was consumed by our hungry kids and dads. Thank you must also go to Sharon Miller and Gail Stein for shopping for all the ingredients for Fathers’ Day. All your help is very much appreciated.

After breakfast, it was special to see the dads relaxing with their children by reading a book, playing with playdough, building with blocks, playing in the sandpit, flying paper aeroplanes, having a back massage, doing box construction or target throwing together.

Each dad received a beautiful pencil holder as a special gift as well as a personalised card and heartfelt message.

Rosh Chodesh Elul

Over the past two weeks Adam Carpenter has been popping into the Pre-school to blow the Shofar for the children and talk to them about the sounds the Shofar makes and why we blow the Shofar in the month of Elul. Thank you Adam. We love it when you visit us.

Early Childhood Educators Day

On Wednesday, we acknowledged and celebrated all our wonderful educators at Kornmehl.

The purpose of Early Childhood Educators Day is to recognise and celebrate the work of early educators working in long day care, community care and preschool services, for their enormous contribution to the wellbeing and healthy development of the young children in their care.

Early Childhood Educators Day is a day to acknowledge the valuable work of the early years’ educators in educating and caring for tomorrow’s leaders.

Families at Kornmehl joined us in thanking all our wonderful educators by adding a love heart or star to our ‘Appreciation Wall’. Each educator received a gorgeous gerbera flower and a certificate acknowledging their commitment, dedication and passion to Early Childhood Education. I am proud to say that many of our Kornmehl Educators have been at the Pre-school for nearly 15 years!

Ryan about Renee: “I love her curly hair and I like making wires with her. She plays the guitar and I like to sing with her. She is funny and makes me laugh.”

Maddy about Alex: “She helps us do things and she is always one of the beautiful teachers. She is a really pretty lady. I like making things with her and drawing with her. She is the most specialist lady in my heart!”

Toby about Danielle: “I like it when she makes stuff with us like insects. She is so kind to me and always says hello.”

Zella about Justine: “Sometimes I cuddle her and she is special and does nice things with us and says nice words to me. I like to draw butterflies with her.”

Simon about Claudia: “She makes cars and buses with me out of boxes. She is very kind and caring to me. She is in the Starfish group.”

Dalia about Laura: “I love her doing everything which I ask her such as, ‘Can you open this Laura?’ She just opens it. She gives me lots of hugs. I like to draw with her.”

Grace about Lindi: “I like playing with Lindi like making snails with play dough.”

Isabelle about Marlene: “She looks after me and she keeps me safe.”

Hannah about Heather: “I like to give her cuddles. She plays with me.”

Amy about Julie: “I loved it when we celebrated her birthday. Julie is special because she helps everyone and is kind.”

Ellie about Joanne Woods: “She really helps everyone and she gives us the iPads to play ELLA in the afternoon.”

Courtney about Joanne Sank: “She looks after all the children. She helps us with our lunches. She keeps us all safe.”

Message from a parent:

Dear Kornmehl staff

I’m not doing drop off or pick up today so can’t add to the Appreciation Wall, but I still want to express my appreciation to you all. I’ve said this many times, and I’m sure I’ll say it again, but you all know how I feel about you – you are an amazing bunch of women, with incredible skill, dedication and love in teaching and caring for our children. Both my boys flourished at Kornmehl. We couldn’t ask for a better Pre-school. Kornmehl is a beautiful community and we’re going to miss it so much next year!

Keep doing what you’re doing, your hard work does not go unnoticed!

With love, Naomi

Outdoor Classroom Day

On Thursday, we participated in Outdoor Classroom Day. This involved the children spending 90% of their day outdoors. Lucky for us at Kornmehl, the children do get a good deal of playtime outdoors every day as well as when we go to Bush School. We have a strong focus on the outdoors and exposing the children to natural environments.

On Thursday, the children all began their day outdoors and this continued. For morning tea, we all enjoyed time around the bonfire eating baked potatoes and toasting marshmallows. We went for a walk out the gate to Peace Park; we played with mud and clay; made a bug hotel; created potions and lotions using natural materials like berries, figs and beetroot; sat on the Big school deck and looked down onto Kornmehl to draw our garden and were inspired by Andy Goldsworthy to create some beautiful stick installations. We had our weekly music lesson with Mrs Longney outdoors too and even rested outdoors in the afternoon.

Anyone who has seen the impact that learning and playing outdoors has on children knows how powerful such experiences can be. Learning outdoors creates lasting memories, helps build a greater awareness of the environment, provides more opportunities to think independently, and gets children feeling challenged and excited by learning. Children are more active when they play outdoors – it is essential for their healthy development and enjoyment.

Lessons learnt outdoors, whether Maths, Science or a language, often stay with us for life. Being outdoors helps children focus, boosts creativity and imagination, and can simply be more fun.

Play is important too. Children who have the freedom to play today — making friends, getting lost in the moment, having fun — are better prepared for whatever tomorrow throws at them. Playing helps children build friendships, test their own boundaries and solve their own problems. It’s central to a child’s development and to their enjoyment of childhood.

National Child Protection Week

National Child Protection Week has been co-ordinated by the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), with the support of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. The campaign aims to engage and educate all Australians to understand they have a part to play in keeping our children and young people safe from violence, abuse and neglect.

NAPCAN works to promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.

National Child Protection Week is a wonderful opportunity for everyone in the community to think about how we can work together to keep all children safe.

Importantly, we want to remind everyone that:
• we all have a part to play in protecting all children
• even small actions can help to improve a child’s future
• by building stronger communities, we are creating safer environments for our children.

How can I start playing my part to protect children today (and every day)?
• Be a good role model for children.
• Be kind to children, parents (and yourself).
• Take the time to really listen to children and believe them if they tell you something.
• Learn about what help services are available so you can support others if they need help.
• Don’t judge other parents and families. Remember that we’re all trying our best.
• Look out for all children, not just your own.
• Be a friendly, helpful member of your local community.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help or to ask someone if they need help.

Teachers play their part to protect and care for children and young people in their community by building relationships with their students and showing that they respect and value them.

Parents play their part to protect and care for children and young people in their community by showing how to have respectful relationships.

Assembly visits

This term, Kornmehl has attended two K-2 assemblies. The purpose of this is to expose the Starfish and Dolphins who are going onto Year K next year, to what they can expect when they are at ‘Big School’. Attending assemblies gives the children a taste of what is to come. It helps them to develop a sense of trust and belonging and assists in the transition process to Year K.

Student visitor

Please join us in welcoming Ha Phan, a stage three Diploma student from TAFE. We hope her time with us will be rewarding. Please make her feel welcome.

Happy birthday

We wish a very happy birthday to Noam Greenberg (5), Elianah Brock (5), our Educator Marlene Einfeld and Administration Assistant, Maria Moses. We hope you all had a very special birthday.

From the Parents and Friends

Ruby Berkovic and Jennifer Opit

Monday Morning Cooking Club

At 7.45 pm on Tuesday 12 September talented members of the Monday Morning Cooking Club will be coming to Emanuel to demonstrate a couple of recipes from their latest cookbook. There will be delicious food to sample and cookbooks on sale. Space is limited and it is sure to be a wonderful night! Book here: www.trybooking.com/RKEB