From the Principal

Andrew Watt

Our busy and fruitful 11-week term has concluded with a range of activities to celebrate Pesach. Our Years K-2 students and their parents enjoyed a Family Pesach Seder and our Year 3 and 4 students participated in Family Pesach Workshops, involving making Matzah and clay Pesach cups (Year 3) and student displays and presentation on their learning, followed by a Pesach Art activity (Year 4). Our Years 5 and 6 students enjoyed a Pesach Seder experience earlier in the week. In the High School, our students enjoyed a variety of Pesach Pe’ulot:

• Year 7: Seder and Substance
• Year 8: Dayeinu – excess or sufficiency
• Year 9: Social Action – from Mitstrayim to Yerushalayim
• Year 10: Mitsri to Ivri
• Year 11: Me-MeiAvdut LeCheirut

During the break some of our staff and students will be departing on the March of the Living trip to Poland and the Year 6 trip to the Northern Territory. We wish them a safe and happy trip and look forward to their return next term.

I hope that this break provides you with an opportunity to pause, breathe and enjoy a more slow-paced approach to life, hopefully with sleep-ins, family time, friend time and time to exercise, read or simply relax. I am looking forward to the return of a much refreshed and rested school community!

Chag Pesach Sameach

CABARET…. a showcase of incredible talent

On Tuesday night The Aron Kleinlehrer Performing Arts Centre was adorned with fairy lights flowers and candles. The perfect setting and mood created for a CABARET….. and the audience were not disappointed. The performers were incredible. We were treated to a variety of show tunes from the students favourite musicals such as Hamilton, Les Misérables and even Shrek! 

Congratulations to all the singers for their commitment and professionalism – they were amazing. Thank you to Samantha Bauer for her outstanding leadership of the event, to our amazing accompanists, Michelle Lowy and Ezra Hersch (Year 10), and to Alumna Genevieve Goldman who opened the show with the aptly named number We’ve got some magic to do. Thank you also to Lara Rutstein and Rachel Turtledove: organisers and “hosts with the most,” for all their hard work in making the show the success it was. Echoing your sentiments from last night – I too hope the CABARET becomes another wonderful Emanuel School tradition. Congratulations and “Thank you for the Music”. 

Author Talk

I was privileged to attend a talk at the School by South African, Beryl Crosher-Segers, author of A Darker Shade of Pale. Beryl shared her story of growing up as a child of mixed race in Cape Town during the Apartheid-era. The audience of Emanuel parents, grandparents and staff were left reeling from Beryl’s memories of her life during this awful time in history. A Darker Shade of Pale is a number one bestseller on the Australian Amazon list in four categories and Beryl has been recognised as one of the 100 most influential Africans in Australia. I can understand why.

Our sibling waitlist priority

The School Board has made amendments to the sibling waitlist priority, given that current enrolments at the School are strong and places are limited. This new policy addresses the circumstance where a family will enrol a child in an early year, in order to fast-track a place for a second child through gaining a priority place on the waitlist. It also brings equity into the enrolment process for those families with no prior connection to Emanuel School, who have submitted their applications in good time. Whereas in previous years their children’s applications would be gazumped by late sibling applications, they are now being afforded the opportunity to join the Emanuel Community. If you wish to have your child attend Emanuel School, we encourage you to submit your applications as early as possible.

Sibling Priority

All applicants within a family group need to be on the waiting list for a minimum of two years before the sibling priority is activated. In the case of a new enrolment where there is a sibling on the waiting list, the sibling priority for the child on the waiting list is only activated once the enrolled student has attended Emanuel School for two years.

Years 1-2 Swimming Carnival

On Wednesday, Years 1-2 students attended their swimming carnival at Des Renford Leisure Centre. The students participated in a range of 25-metre races, including freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke. There was also a number of races across the pool including kickboard, doggie paddle, duck diving and a cork scramble. It was lovely to have parents involved in the parent-student races and relays. The Year 6 House Captains did a wonderful job running the events and supporting the younger students. Thank you also to Stuart Taylor and Sharon Fairfax for planning and facilitating such an excellent carnival.

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Mazal tov

Last weekend four Year 6 leaders, Sam Salamon, Max Salamon, Raphael Harpaz and Jayden Segal, did volunteer community service with Stand Up, working with Thread Together. They are a non-profit organisation that fights fashion waste by taking clothes that stores are going to throw away, and giving them to people in need. 

Ariella Tracton in Year 10 recently performed both Advance Australia Fair and Hatikvah at UIA NSW Women’s Division major campaign event in front of 600 women! She not only volunteered her time on a Sunday morning and sang beautifully, but they said she was very professional and lovely to work with.

Liat Granot in Year 10 was accepted into the Great Jewish Books Summer Program run by the Yiddish Book Center out of Hampshire College in Amherst, MA, USA

Debating: All of our 5 HICES Debating teams won their debates in Round 3 of the competition. Our Senior Year 10 team and our opens team are undefeated so far this year.

Quote of the week

“Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better that you found it.”

Marian Wright Edelman

Primary News

Katie Brody – Director of Studies K-6

K-2 Learn With Us

As you are aware, for the last couple of years the K to 2 teachers have been working intensively with Jo-Anne Dooner from Get Reading Right. Teachers have undergone significant professional development in the Synthetic Phonics approach to reading development and have focused their learning around the teaching of phonics, grammar, reading and writing.

Teachers have transitioned to a more targeted Guided Reading Program – a model where the teacher facilitates learning and students are grouped in order to work towards achieving specific goals.

This Guided Reading Program:  

• Promotes students’ learning and independence
• Allows teachers to differentiate for all abilities
• Enables the teachers to assess student learning
• Offers greater flexibility for explicit teaching

We recognise that, in the past, parents have been involved in the facilitation of reading groups and we have greatly valued this involvement. We appreciate this connection with you so we will continue to open the classrooms, but in a new way.

We invite you to join your child’s class for a “Learn With Us” session if you are available at the times we have on offer. The following links have been set up to provide information regarding these sessions for each year level as well as the dates. Please select the relevant year group and complete the form. A teacher will email you to confirm your place on the relevant day. If you miss out on this occasion, please know that we will be offering further opportunities to “Learn With Us”.

Click on your child’s year group:

• Kindergarten
• Year One
• Year Two

We look forward to continuing to work with you to foster learning and thank you in advance for your support.

K-2 Teachers

From the Head of Jewish Life

Rabbi Daniel Siegel

?מה נשתנה הלילה הזה

Mah Nishtanah HaLaylah HaZeh?

Perhaps the most memorable words of the Haggadah and our Seder experience are:

Mah Nishtanah HaLaylah HaZeh – Why is this night different?

It is remarkable that the Mah Nishtanah passage was first recited in the Greco – Roman period, when Jews experienced enslavement (in varying degrees). While telling of their redemption from Egyptian slavery, surely they were also commenting upon their personal contemporary circumstances and expressing their community’s hoped – for deliverance.

Two questions of the Mah Nishtanah reflect practices of the Roman Symposium, often enjoyed by the nobility and betokening the custom of free men:

Usually, one does not dip food into condiments even once – yet we repeatedly do so, tonight.

We generally sit, or some may recline, when eating – tonight, however, we all recline.

These are actions of free men. Thus, at this “Festival of Freedom”, the Mishnah states:

“Even a poor person among the Jews will not eat (at the Seder) until he reclines”.

In thinking of the Mah Nishtanah and its intimations of freedom, the following Talmudic story is all the more remarkable.

Rav Nachman said to Daru, his slave:

“A slave who is freed by his master, who gives him gold and silver, what should he say to him?”

He (Daru) said to him: “He should thank and praise his master”.

Rav Nachman said to him:

If so, you have exempted us from saying the questions of Mah Nishtanah.

Rav Nachman immediately began to recite “We were slaves”.

“We were slaves” is the Haggadah passage following Mah Nishtanah.

What is this story telling us? Are we to understand that having asked this question of his slave, Daru, Rav Nachman then released him? If so, we could understand why there no longer was a need to ask why this night was different, with the hope that “next year we will be free”. For Daru is now free and together they immediately could say “we were slaves”.

A slave-owning Jew in 4^th Century Babylonia, while uncommon, was not unheard of. Being married to the daughter of the Exilarch, Rav Nachman lived lavishly.

Is this story, then, telling us that to truly celebrate the liberation of his ancestors and to work toward his own freedom, this Rabbi, could no longer enslave others?

Sadly, Rav Nachman, who is cited as saying” a slave is not worth the bread he eats”, did not grant Daru his freedom, and continued to retain his other slaves, as well.

We might say that, in some respects, Rav Nachman was a product of his time. Perhaps, he even considered himself as privileging Daru, who could not otherwise “pay his way”.

As Pesach draws near, let us remember Daru, even as we would Rav Nachman. The story of Daru persists in the various forms of modern day slavery in which many of us, unknowingly, play a part. Whether it be physical abuse or wage theft making for the products we buy or dangerous health and safety conditions making possible the services from which we benefit  – this Pesach, let us ask ourselves, and each other, the question, “How can it be different”?!

Ma Koreh

Adam Carpenter | Head of Jewish Life Primary

In recent weeks students have been preparing for Pesach through singing songs of the Haggadah and exploring the many rituals and symbols of the Haggadah.

During this last week of Term, we welcomed families of Years 1 – 4 students to the school to participate in our Pesach Family Celebration. Primary students celebrated Pesach in the following ways:

K-2 Model Pesach Seder: students experienced and created a model Pesach Seder in full costume. The Seder was filled with music, ruach, dramatic performances and presentations from the students.

Year 3: Matzah Factory and Clay Kos Miriyam workshop: students and their families were able to make their own matzah at the Chabad Matzah Factory and created their own clay cup to represent

Year 4: Student presentations on the Seder and Matzah Cover Workshop: Students shared their learning and understanding of the 4 children, 4 cups, 4 questions and 4 names of Pesach to their families. Together they created their own beautiful Matzah cover for their families Seder.

Year 5 and Year 6 students collaborated in groups to present an aspect of the Haggadah and Pesach meal, which they shared with their peers in a Pesach Seder experience. In addition to exploring the Haggadah and singing songs and blessings, students shared slide presentations, drama performances, videos readings and quiz questions for a different kind of Pesach Seder.

Here is a selection of some of the students’ work and thinking about Pesach and the Seder:

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Year 10 Freedom & Responsibility Jewish Studies Elective

Jessica Turtledove – Year 10

Modern Slavery Campaigns at Your Pesach Seder Table

This term, I took part in the Freedom and Responsibility Elective in Jewish Studies. During the course, we connected the ideas of Pesach and the slavery that the Jews in the bible experienced with forms of modern day slavery and oppression.

I learnt all about different ways that people can be enslaved. Before I started this topic, I only though of slavery as physical. From learning about the different types of slavery, I was able to understand that slavery comes in all different forms, and that slavery can also be psychological, שִׁעֲבּוּד הַנֶפֶשׁ, as well as physical, שִׁעֲבּוּד הָגוּף. From my new understanding of slavery, I was inspired to do my Performance of Understanding on a psychological form of enslavement that I could relate to, and learn about, so I was able to educate myself and the class on a topic that I was dealing with myself.

The highlight from this term for me was definitely the Slavery and Freedom Awareness Campaign. I loved that we were able to present our findings and research to the class in a fun and different way, that also related to the topic that we were studying. We presented our findings at a Seder table setting, as the idea of the assignment is that we bring these campaigns and related items to our own Pesach Seders. This helped to reduce the nervous feelings that I had since I didn’t have to present in front of a class, but in front of my peers in a less “intimidating” way. The discussions that we had after each presentation were so interesting as we got to hear everyone’s opinions and were able to understand the topic better.

To me מִצְרַיִם“Mitzrayim” means a place where you feel unsafe, unwanted and not loved. Before starting this topic, I thought that מִצְרַיִם meant Egypt. Although, now I know that there is a much greater meaning to the word, a meaning that anyone in the world can relate to. Now I know that עַבדוּת “avdut” means slavery, and that חֵירוּת “cheirut” means freedom and that there are other words and concepts connected to these words in Hebrew. Because of this, I can now understand that there is a way for people to go from slavery to freedom. We can help by donating to organisations that support and help the families and victims suffering from the slavery, and sometimes, we can help the victim directly, depending on the type of slavery.

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Students presenting their Freedom Campaigns at the Seder Table

Campaign Poster by Jessica Turtledove

Freedom Campaign Slide by Sophie Sawicki

Presentation Slide by Joseph Fonteyn

Seder Awareness Ritual by Charlotte Lyons

Campaign Flyer by Charlotte Lyons

Rikudei Am – Folk Dancing

Year 6s last unit for Term 1 was about folk dancing and different cultural dances. As an introduction to this fun and active topic, the students danced Israeli dances led by the expert dancer Morah Gaida. We learnt two new dances and enjoyed well known ones. The Ruach (atmosphere) in the hall was amazing and students had lots of fun. We thank Morah Gaida for her assistance and enthusiasm. Have a great term break.

Year 6 Hebrew teachers

Year 7 Synagogue Visits

On the 26 March 2019 the Year 7s of Emanuel School went to multiple shuls (synagogues) to learn about the different streams of Judaism. We visited 4 different shuls, although we heard about five different streams of Judaism.

In each shul we had the rabbi or rabbis talk to us about the different types of Judaism and then there was an activity we had to do for that particular shul. The synagogues we visited were Emanuel Synagogue in Woollahra, The Great Synagogue in the City, Coogee Synagogue in, well Coogee, and the Sephardi Synagogue also in Woollahra. The denominations of Judaism that we learnt about were: Progressive, Renewal and Masorti at Emanuel Synagogue, Orthodox at Coogee and The Great, and the Sephardic way of Judaism at the Sephardi Shul.

In each shul we learnt about many different aspects of each way of Judaism such as what are some customs, what they believe in and what they support, such as same sex marriage, and why did the rabbi become a rabbi.

We appreciated the time that the rabbis gave us and how we learned new things about the different types of Judaism that we didn’t know before.

Year 7

A Strive for Peace

Miriam Itzkowitz – Year 11

As Jews, we are well aware of the pain that racial and religious discrimination can cause. We know how hard it is when someone makes a nasty comment, draws a swastika or targets and kills or injures members of a Jewish community. We understand the hardships that are faced.

Four weeks ago, a far-right, white supremacist, neo-Nazi from Australia shot up two mosques in Christchurch killing fifty people, all of whom were in prayer. These people were non violent. They were in their sacred place trying to connect to their God, yet, in what was meant to be their most peaceful, safest place, they were brutally slaughtered for practising a religion.

While this was definitely a shock at first, unfortunately I am not surprised. Our words cause impact. Not only on the victims, but the perpetrators too. Had there not been so many negative statements made about Muslims over the past decade, it is far less likely that this heinous act would have occurred. That being said, white supremacists tend to hate anyone who isn’t them, but I strongly believe if we’re able to eliminate stigma and create love and peace, we will hopefully be able to ensure a safer world, where attacks such as these will eventually cease. Racism is ignorance. Let’s educate.

“The pen is mightier than the sword”. I believe this quote is especially relevant to this particular situation. With people constantly labelling all Muslims as “terrorists” and telling them to “go back to their country”, this has created a stigma surrounding Muslims and Islam, perhaps resulting in an attack such as this one.

It is appalling. It is despicable.

I urge you all to keep these victims in your mind and prayers. Whether you say Kaddish or write a personal condolence to them – whatever you think would be appropriate, please remember the fifty lost, the other fifty injured. As an Australian, I stand in solidarity with my New Zealander cousins and as a Jew, I stand in solidarity with my Muslim brothers and sisters. Please don’t let them be forgotten, and together, let us strive for peace.

From the Head of Music

Diana Springford

All music ensemble rehearsals resume from Tuesday 30 April 2019, the first day back in Week 1 (except for Korngold Strings, which is our new name for Intermediate String Orchestra, who resume in Week 2 when most members should be back from their Jilkminggan trip).  

Instrument Program ((IP) lessons resume in Week 1

Year 3 and Year 6: The first day of IP in Term 2 is Tuesday 30 April 2019

Year 4 an Year 5: The first day of IP in 2019 is Wednesday 1 May 2019

Please remember to bring your instrument and music book to your first IP lesson and ensemble rehearsal.

Sign up now – Emanuel School Music Camp 2019!

Music Camp is open for bookings now – please see our separate page in Ma Nishma this week.

Night of Song (information for soloists)

Please mark in your diary that Night of Song is on Thursday 22 August 2019. This very popular concert is our main annual event for choirs as well as a number of vocal soloists.  Aspiring soloists who are planning to audition for Night of Song, please note that this year our theme is Musical Theatre, so we are giving you plenty of advance notice that you will need to prepare a song from a musical.

Music Camp

The annual Emanuel School Music Camp for students in Year 4 to Year 12* is a wonderful celebration of our vibrant music culture and the talents and hard work of our young musicians. Each camp is a special experience for students as they unite in a shared love of music and work together in the pursuit of excellence. Emanuel School music staff join with a team of highly – skilled professional musicians and outstanding special guests to develop and hone students’ musical skills in preparation for an exciting showcase concert.

Emanuel School Music Camp is a four-day camp from Monday 1 July 2019 to Thursday 4 July 2019. The first 3 days are held at Merroo Conference Centre in Kurrajong and the final day is held at School. Students return to Emanuel on the evening of Wednesday 3 July 2019, to be collected by parents at 6.00 pm.

This year, we are returning again to Merroo, located in Kurrajong on the edge of the Blue Mountains National Park. The centre is set in hectares of natural bushland and will provide a private and peaceful environment for our students and staff, as well as excellent accommodation and rehearsal facilities. Students will be transported between school and the camp on privately chartered coaches.

All Years 4 to 11 students who are members of the following ensembles are expected to attend Music Camp: Mendelssohn Chamber Strings, Korngold Strings (formerly ISO) Rubinstein Strings (formerly JSO), Copland Concert Band, Bernstein Concert Band, Gershwin Concert Band, Senior Stage Band, Junior Stage Band, Senior Choir and Junior Choir.  Please note that ensembles at camp are not always exactly the same as ensembles at school and all camp participants are expected to perform in large ensembles. 

* Involvement in Music Camp for Year 12 musicians is encouraged but due to the importance of the HSC, it is not compulsory. We offer Year 12 musicians the opportunity to attend Music Camp at a reduced fee for the day on Tuesday 2 July 2019 and to attend applicable rehearsals and the Concert on Thursday 4 July 2019. They would have to make their own way to and from camp on the Tuesday.

Music Camp: important dates for your diary:

Monday 1 July 2019: depart Emanuel at 9.00am sharp.

Wednesday 3 July 2019: depart camp at 4.00pm. Anticipated arrival at Emanuel by 6.00pm.

Thursday 4 July 2019:  Camp continues at school with rehearsals from 9.30 am sharp.

Thursday 4 July 2019:  Showcase Concert at 6.15pm in the MPH, concluding by 7.40pm.             

Students must be at School by 8.30am on Monday 1 July 2019 and should be collected at 6.00 pm on Wednesday 3 July 2019.  On Thursday morning, students can either come to school at their normal time and go to class until 9.30am or arrive at school to begin Music Camp rehearsals at 9.30 am sharp.

Students will need to bring their lunch and recess as normal on the Thursday.  A BBQ dinner for performers only will be provided prior to the concert.

The cost of Music Camp will be $496. You can pay in full, OR in two instalments of $248.

To attend Music Camp two actions are required as soon as possible please, but no later than 30 April.

• First, register and pay online via TryBooking.
• Secondly, complete the online permission form.  

Register and pay by pasting this link into your internet browser: www.trybooking.com/BBYQS This will take you directly to the TryBooking website where you can follow the prompts to register your child’s full name, school year and to pay either the first instalment OR the full amount by credit card. You will be notified by email when the second instalment can be paid.

Complete the online permission note by pasting this link into your browser: https://forms.gle/w5BznZgDtZJUChDT8

If you have any questions regarding Emanuel Music Camp please contact Joanne De Araujo: jdearaujo@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au  

Meir Advocate

Hi Meirians,

It is officially holidays – YAY! We hope you all have an amazing break.

Words of Wisdom

Our last words of wisdom to finish up this term are: ‘try something new.’ Whether we realise it or not, we spend majority of our days doing things we have already done THOUSANDS of times before. Very rarely do we actually try something new for the sole purpose of a unique experience. School holidays are the perfect time to change that (especially since we do not have any PoU deadlines to worry about)! Trying something new these holidays might help you discover a new hobby or interest, meet new people and gain a new perspective on something you never considered. Here is a list of new things you can try these holidays!

Try:

• A new sport
• Cooking a new meal every night
• Doing some community service
• Making a scrapbook
• Doing a flip on the trampoline
• Redecorating your room
• Having an outdoor picnic
• Learning to play a song on an instrument
• Writing a journal
• Watching sunrise or sunset

And there are so many more. Remember to enjoy this much – needed break as well as stay safe.

Inter – House Netball Competition

Thank you to all the Meirian’s who represented Meir in the recent Inter – house netball competition during lunchtimes on Wednesday. The Meir team made it through the round games and ended up playing the grand final against Rashi. In an excellent game, Rashi just took the honours with a narrow victory. Well done to Rashi, Szenes and Rabin on an excellent competition that ran throughout Term 1.

Chag Sameach!

Love your Meir editors,

Charlotte and Tara

Rabin Bugle

Shabbat Shalom Rabinites!

The holidays are upon us and we have a couple of relaxed and fun – filled weeks to look forward to. Our oldest Rabinites in Year 12 will mix their holidays with studies in the break and start their preparations for the Half Yearly Examinations. We wish them the very best in their preparations.

Rabinites of the Year

Our House celebrates students’ achievements and engagement across the year, and there are many fond memories to look back on from 2018. This year has got off to a great start with some engaging House Assemblies, fun Inter – House Competitions and the exciting Swimming Carnival. Rabin House each year, in Term 1, takes a moment to reflect on where we are and on our great spirit and to celebrate the Rabinite of the Year award.

The Rabinite of the Year award is an informal award to celebrate engagement, student involvement and personal growth and resilience. There were many students nominated by Tutors, our Head of House and House Captains this year. The Rabinite of the Year award was for the first time shared between three students. The 2018 Rabinites of the Year are: Adam Rothschild, Justin Faul and Jade Berson.

Adam Rothschild – Year 8 2019

Justin Faul – Year 9 2019

Jade Berson – Year 10 2019

Adam, Justin and Jade have brought enthusiasm, commitment and have, in their own way, gone above and beyond to support and inspire their fellow Rabinites. Rabin House commends them on their achievements and the character shown.

Mr Morley

Head of Rabin

Mr Rembson will, after 11 years of service to Emanuel, be on long service leave in Term 2. Mr Morley will be the acting Head of Rabin during this term. We wish Mr Rembson a very enjoyable term with lots of travel and time with family and welcome Mr Morley to his new role. Mr Morley has been in Rabin House for close to six years, is the current Year 12 Tutor and has much experience with House and wellbeing matters.

The Friendship Circle

Rabin House recently had a great guest speaker for the Friendship Circle organisation. The organisation offers a range of rewarding programs. The programs and activities include Sunday Circle, Teen Club, Friends At Home, Gymnastics, Sports, Holiday Day Camps, Jewish Festival Programs and the Friendship Walk. The organisation assists volunteers to develop tools and strategies necessary to build a society that is truly inclusive of everyone and we hope many Rabin students will take the opportunity to join.  For more information on becoming a Friendship Circle Volunteer please contact: Chana Kavka, email: chanakavka@sydneyfc.org.au

That’s the Bugle for this week – enjoy the holidays Rabinites!

Reminders: We would love to acknowledge your achievements or celebrations. Please remember to email Mr Rembson or our House Captains – Adam Riesel and Tia Mallinick, if you would like a mention or make an announcement.

Kol Szenes

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the last week of term!

So much has happened this term already! Some examples include:

• Swimming Carnival
• Years 7 and 8 Survival Camp (led by our amazing Peer Support Leaders)
• Purim
• Inter – House netball
• Practice Pesach celebrations (now we’ll all be experts for the real thing)
• Cabaret
• Dancing in the Dark

I was curious as to what your favourite parts from the term were, what you are looking forward to in the holidays and what you are looking forward to for the rest of the year. Personally, my favourite part of the year has been my musical endeavours on clarinet, in Music 2 and also performing at Cabaret! In the holidays, I am looking forward to catching up with friends and going on the March of the Living with Claudia and, for the rest of the year, I am excited for Emanuel’s Autism Awareness Day, Music Camp, Night of Song and starting Year 12! I asked you to reflect as well, and here are some of your answers:

My favourite part of this term was camp. I’m looking forward to going to Bali in the holidays. I’m looking forward to Shorashim.

Alena Lewy (Year 7)

My favourite parts of this term have been Somerset Camp, Maths and Music. I am looking forward to going to Noosa, chilling at home and getting some sleep. I am looking forward to more Maths, Music and completing my pinball machine for Technology. I am also excited for Israel Expo and Speech Night (the end of the year).

Ruby Miller (Year 8)

My favourite part of this term was doing Maths. I am looking forward to the holidays because a) I don’t have to go to school and b) I get to see Avengers Endgame in cinemas. I am looking forward to the Da Vinci Decathlon.

Jake Newfield (Year 8)

I have enjoyed camp, I have bonded with my whole tutor group and we got to know one another. I am looking to going camping with my friend and going away to Avoca Beach and Terrigal with my family. I am looking forward to completing Year 8 and progressing through school.

Lewy Saul (Year 8)

We’ve been enjoying more independence in our assignments and starting our new subjects and electives. In the holidays, we are looking forward to not having to do homework, the Easter Show and sleeping in. For the rest of the school year, we are looking forward to doing practicals in Science and Ski Camp!!!

Year 9 Szenes

I enjoyed Elective History this year. I’m looking forward to sleeping in and going to Melbourne and I’m looking forward to Chavayah.

Kyah Laishevsky (Year 10)

I loved peer support camp; being with the kids and getting to know them better was amazing – it was definitely one of my favourite camps of all time! I am really looking forward to having some time to relax as this term has been extremely busy with the additional workload compared to Year 10. This term has been great; I have especially enjoyed being able to do the subjects that I chose and am interested in. The new topics and subjects have really intrigued me and I am looking forward to the rest of the year.

Jesse Waller (Year 11)

I am so happy to be a part of SRC’s relationship with Knit for Life. Our fundraiser this term was a large success and a beginning of a beautiful connection. Sleeping. Relaxing. Organising. After quite an overwhelming start to year 11, I am looking forward to taking a breather in the upcoming holiday break! The rest of 2019 holds much excitement. I am looking forward to what many of my classes are yet to teach me.

Asha Friedman (Year 11)

My favourite part of this term was Purim. In the holidays I’m looking forward to not going to school and sleeping in. For the rest of the year at school, I’m looking forward to Hospitality excursions.

Claudia Burman (Year 11)

My favourite part of this term was Student vs. Teacher Basketball. In the holidays I’m looking forward to taking a break from exams and spending some time away from school work. For the rest of the year, I’m looking forward to the madrichim and school run events from both Year 12, and next semester’s Year 11 madrichim.

Matt Joffe (Year 12)

March of the Living

Claudia Burman and I will be embarking on an immersive educational programme in Poland and Israel to learn about the Holocaust. We are both very much looking forward to returning to Israel after Chavayah, and, although there is some angst about going to Poland and visiting concentration camps, such as Auschwitz, we both feel as though it will be a very important learning experience that will be absolutely priceless in terms of the insight and information we get out of it.

Liat Granot

Great Jewish Books Summer Program

Liat Granot in Year 10 was accepted into, and may be about to embark, on an incredible journey to Amherst, MA, to learn about Jewish literature from around the world, in an American summer camp, called Great Jewish Books Summer Program, run by the Yiddish Book Center out of Hampshire College. Having been last year, I know for a fact that it is an absolutely incredible experience, and it is really like none other, living on a university campus and having a real American “college experience”. Liat says she is excited, if she is able to go.

ALS Plain Clothes Day

On Wednesday, we had a plain clothes day raising money for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) along with Dancing in the Dark. Many well known people have suffered from this terrible autoimmune disease, such as Lou Gehrig and Stephen Hawking. Many people pass away from this disease within three years, and we lost our very own Mr Churm to this terrible disease. This initiative is to honour his legacy and the amazing things he did for our school before he retired in 2015 to take care of himself in his last few years.

Announcements

• I will not be here for the first two and a half weeks of next term because Claudia Burman and I will be going on the March of the Living! To assist in the running of Kol Szenes, we have two wonderful contributors from Year 10: Tara Linker and Liat Granot! If you have anything you would like to be put in Kol Szenes, please talk to them and they will try to organise it for you!
• Congratulations to Liat Granot in Year 10 for being accepted into the Great Jewish Books Summer Program run by the Yiddish Book Center out of Hampshire College in Amherst, MA – having been myself, I can vouch for the fact that it is a truly wonderful experience, and it will be lots of fun!
• Well done to Szenesians, Erin Nabarro and Miriam Itzkowitz, for their respective performances of I Dreamed a Dream from Les Misérables and You’ll be Back from Hamilton at Cabaret Night!
• For the next two terms, we will be in winter uniform which means that ties and blazers are required
• Next term, we will be returning to school on Tuesday the 30 April 2019

Happy Birthday to the Szenesians who celebrated their birthdays this week and those who will be in the holidays!    

• Mia Port (Year 12)
• Jordan Baskin (Year 9)
• Myles Cohn (Year 9)
• Eden Glass (Year 9)
• Hannah Lax (Year 10)
• Lenny Levy Vainer (Year 12)

Finally, a little challenge for all those artistic Szenesians out there:

Design a new Kol Szenes logo

We will all vote and all the designs will be featured in Kol Szenes and the winner’s design will be the new header to Kol Szenes every week! To submit your designs, please e-mail them to me: itzkowitz.miriam@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Miriam Itzkowitz

Kol Szenes Editor

Quote of the Week

They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.

~ Andy Warhol

Shabbat Shalom and have a fantastic break!

High School Basketball News

Kristy Genc | Head of Sport | PDHPE Teacher | Year 11 Tutor

Term 1 has been an exciting period of basketball for Emanuel. We have increased the number of teams competing in the Easts Sunday basketball competition and selected multiple junior boys and junior girls teams that competed in both the Jewish Schools Gala Day as well as the Sydney Schools Cup. We have also created an elite pathway with the creation of the Emanuel Senior Firsts and introduced strength and conditioning sessions in the Wellness Centre. Through all of these opportunities there has been an exciting level of engagement by students, which has seen a massive rise in participation as well as an increase of individual skill and development. As a whole, it is definitely fair to say the Emanuel basketball program has had a term of extreme growth and success!

Junior girls basketball team

Emanuel hosted the Intermediate Girls Sydney Schools Cup each Tuesday throughout the term and also convened the Jewish Schools Gala Day. We now look forward to convening the highlight event of the year, the CDSSA Gala Day in June.

Some notable performances from the term include:

• The Emanuel Firsts team finishing in the top 8 at the AICES Basketball Schools Championship
• The Junior Girls team winning the Sydney Schools Cup
• The Intermediate Boys making the Grand Final of the Sydney Schools Cup
• The Years 7/8 Girls Team finishing 2^nd in the Jewish School Gala Day

Individual achievements include:

• Zac Greenberg representing CDSSA at the AICES Basketball Championships, with the team finishing 2^nd overall
• Georgia Kahane representing CDSSA at the AICES Basketball Championships
• Ben Shapiro making the Sydney Comets Under 6 Representative Team
• Alexander Kirievsky making the Sydney Comets Under 14 Representative Team
• Marcus Tsimbler making the Sydney Comets u14 Representative Team

As the program continues to develop, things we can look forward to next term include:

• Emanuel girls and boys teams to compete in the CDSSA championships in both the Senior and Junior divisions
• More Emanuel teams to compete in the Easts Basketball Sunday Competition – boys and girls
• A girls inter-school social basketball competition
• A primary focus on individual skill development, through small group sessions

Thank you to all the fantastic coaches who have put time and effort into teaching the students and good luck to all the teams who have qualified for a final this Sunday in the Easts Competition.

Indiana Faithfull – Basketball Coach

Years 7-9 Optional Theatresports Drama

Years K-6 Optional Drama Classes

Year 6 Gratitude Day

Ashleigh Gold – Year 6

Wednesday 10 April 2019, saw Year 6 students go around the school assisting teachers and staff as a part of their Gratitude Day. Every student in Year 6 wrote a thank you card to a different staff member across the school. Some of the students did not know who the person was that they were given, but that did not stop them from being able to write a very kind and thoughtful card for the person, thanking them for everything they do.

It brightened everyone’s day to either receive a card or see someone’s face when they received a card. Some of the Year 6 students went around the school and helped clean up in different places around the school such as Saunders (otherwise known as Waxman), under the deck at the basketball courts, the Year 1, 2 and 6 classrooms and the MPH.

Gratitude Day was such a great opportunity to give back and to say thank you to everyone one who makes our life better than it already is.

K-6 Gifted and Talented

Leah Joshua – Year 4

Year 4 Reporters Club

Welcome to our new Year 4 Reporters Club. We are very excited to be writing news articles and creating live ‘news broadcasts’ Please see below for our first broadcast.

Years K – 6 has been focusing on responsibility during Term 1. Within responsibility, Year 4 has been learning about sustainability. Sustainability leads to being respectful of the environment and using environmentally friendly materials.

The Green Team at Emanuel is a group of students who help us learn about being sustainable and being environmentally friendly. The leaders of the team are able to encourage our school to become waste free. We have ‘Waste Free Wednesdays’ which encourages each class to have as many waste free lunches as possible. The winning class gets to to have a pyjama day!

Emanuel school also encourages students to think about sustainability at home. We try to do things such as turning lights off when we don’t need them on, composting and using less water. How waste free are you?

Since Emanuel school is very passionate about the environment we regularly donate to the JNF. The JNF is a fundraising group that does things such as planting 240 000 000 trees in Israel and now maintaining the forests.

Are there any areas where you could make a small difference?

I know Ms Elkins is trying to cut down on how many paper towels she uses in her kitchen!

Thank you to the Innovation Leaders and Mrs Poisel for help with taping our broadcast.

Parent Seminar: Years K-2 learning to read

Careers

Claire Pech – Careers Advisor

Thank you to all students and parents who took part in the Careers Avenues assessment debriefs this week. The feedback has been extremely positive and we would love to hear more both from students and parents at the following feedback link, especially as this will feed into how we do things at Emanuel School:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DXS78LH

Year 11

I would encourage students in these holidays to start having a look around at the huge variety of sites, dedicated to Careers. Some of these that we already have paid subscriptions to are:

https://www.jobjump.com.au/ You can register for this account now using the password “emanuel” with a small “e”.

https://joboutlook.gov.au/ This is a great government website looking at future growth and industry outlooks.

https://studyworkgrow.com.au/ you can set up an account with this as we have a full subscription. The password to log in is “EMS0219”.

https://www.careeravenues.com.au set yourself up with an account here and check out the Career Snapshots tab at the bottom of the screen. These are great interactive posters to show you where a love of a HSC subject can take you.

Year 11 is a good time to start the process of asking around, talking to friends and relatives about what they do and start the research process. Leaving it all until Year 12 can sometimes bring about unnecessary stress.

Year 12

As all of Year 12 now know, ANU is now open and ready for business and courses must be applied for during the months of April and May. If you are even remotely interested in ANU, I would set up an account and apply, as it is a free process, and if you leave it after May, you may be disappointed. Remember also that you have to show a co-curricular commitment.

http://www.anu.edu.au/study/apply

UAC is also open and ready for the early offer rounds, but as we know and have discussed, the early offers come with many conditions attached. For more information these can be researched at https://www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/scholarships-and-schemes/schools-recommendation-schemes. Also please remember just because UAC is now open for business does not mean students need to be ready to apply. We will take the usual course, and start our application process in August – December.

https://www.uac.edu.au

All the best for a restful break. Student appointments for next term can be booked in at https://calendly.com/clairepechcareers

Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director Kornmehl

Pesach

We are continuing to learn about Pesach, and we are doing this through a number of different ways. One way is through discussion and storytelling where we are sharing knowledge and understanding and gaining further insight into what the festival of Pesach means, its customs, rituals, symbols, and the foods we eat.

This past week the children have been immersed in drawing wild animals and frogs using a variety of mediums. We have also looked closely at all the foods on the Seder plate and learnt about their meaning.

We have participated in lots of cooking experiences, from matzah pizzas, to charoset, to dipping parsley in salt water and learning about the tears of the Jewish slaves in Egypt, to making matzah at the matzah factory.

The children have loved these interactive experiences and enjoyed all the tasting too. Through all these sensory and visual experience, the festival of Passover comes alive for the children and has meaning for them.

On Thursday, we all participated in our own interactive Kornmehl Pesach Seder. The children all arrived at Pre-school dressed in their best Shul clothes and were eager to participate in this long awaited Chag. The tables looked beautiful and the food was delicious. Each child participated in dressing up and dramatising the story. We had 3 King Pharaoh’s, 3 Moses characters, Yochevet, baby Moses in the basket and lots of slaves. What a triumph it was when Moses led us to the Red Sea, and it parted, and we were all led safely to freedom and the Land of Milk and Honey. We sang, rejoiced and ate delicious matzah ball soup, lots of Matzah and all the traditional foods too. We all had a wonderful time.  Our Seder ended with the children all going on a hunt to find the Afikomen.

Thank you to all our wonderful parent helpers: Mrs Anna Tabachnik, Mrs Ella Lizor, Mrs Ali Bensaquen, Mrs Jade Marishel, Mrs Lindy Lowenstein, Mrs Nicola Zurnamer, Mrs Karen Drutman and Mrs Lauren Hockley. Thanks also to Mrs Anita Weinberger for doing all the shopping for the Seder. Your help is very much appreciated by all the teachers and the children.

Mother’s Day Breakfast

We look forward to sharing Mother’s Day with all our special mum’s next term on Monday morning – 13 May 2019 from 8.30am – 9.3 am in the Pre-school. The children look forward to this special morning together.

We require 5 dads to volunteer their time to help set up and get ready for the Mother’s Day breakfast at 7.30am on the 13 May 2019. Please let Terry know if you can help.

Happy Birthday

We wish a very happy birthday to Sebastian Telesca (5). We hope you have a lovely birthday celebration.

Holiday Care

This will take place next week on Tuesday 16, Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 April 2019 from 8am to 4pm in the Pre-school.

We look forward to seeing you all back at Pre-school on Tuesday 30 April 2019.

We wish you all a Chag Sameach and a happy Pesach with your families.

Connecting our Community – Gesher

Sonia Newell – Development Officer

It is always with great pride that we acknowledge achievements of members of our School Community and as such we wish Mazal Tov to one of our Emanuel grandparents, the Hon Ronald Sackville AO QC who was recently appointed asthe Chair of the $500 million Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.

Calle and Ronald Sackville

Ronald and his wife Pam, grandparents of Saachi Owen (Year 12) and her sister Calliope (Calle) in Year 6, moved to Sydney from Melbourne in 1972 when he was appointed Professor of Law (1972 – 1985) and then Dean of the Faculty of Law (1979 – 1981) at the University of New South Wales. During his most distinguished career, Ronald has headed many commissions including Law Reform, became a Queens Counsel and Federal Court Judge, as well as a Judge on the Supreme Court of Appeal. He has also been a judge on the Supreme Court of Fiji. Ronald has held many academic posts, including visiting appointments at McGill University (Montreal),  Cardozo Law School, Yeshiva University (New York), Cornell University (New York) and New York University. In the Australia Day Honours of 2009, he was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for “service to the administration of the Australian judicial system, to the reform of federal and state law, and to legal education”. Wow, what an amazing and impressive Law career and series of achievements over the years.  Kol Hakavod. 

Judy Friedlander

Past parent Judy Friedlander, mother of Dr Jordan Kahn (Class of 2010) and Joshua Kahn (Class of 2014), is a newspaper journalist and academic from The Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney where she is a post – graduate researcher. She is Founder and Director of FoodFaith, a social and environmental not -for-profit and she steers the B&B pollinator highway.  Click here to read all about this amazing venture: https://startsomegood.com/BandBHighway

As we all know, our community is interlinked in so many ways – Judy’s husband Anthony Kahn is also a Director of Foodfaith and was integral in the establishment of OzHarvest and was Chairman of the board for the first 6 years. One of Anthony’s sisters is Ronni Kahn, OzHarvest CEO and Founder (www.ozharvest.org) whilst another sister is Emanuel School Hebrew teacher Jennifer Udovich.

Jewish Changemaker Awards

With less than a week to go, please remember there is no better way to showcase to the Jewish community Australia – wide, our Emanuel students and younger alumni (35 years and under) who volunteer their time with numerous organisations and causes, than by this opportunity to nominate them for the Jewish Changemaker Awards.  See categories for Youth (under 18) and Young Adults (18 to 35 years) and please nominate your child/children accordingly.  Check out the new Changemaker promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVZ67BE2SvY&feature=youtu.be

Please note, nominations close on 18 April 2019, and can be done online: www.jnf.org.au/changemaker

Save the Date:

Breakfast with Emanuel – 12 June 2019 in Bondi Junction, and19 June 2019 in the CBD, hosted by KPMG.

Time: 7.30 am to 9.00 am

Topics: Driving for Deep Learning and welfare & wellbeing of our students.

More details out next term.

A few more grandparent contact details have been sent through for our database update, so thank you to those parents who have been in touch.  We love having grandparents involved with activities at School, as well as being able to tell them about what’s happening on campus, even if they don’t live locally, and the best way for us to do this is by getting in touch with them directly, hence the request for up-to-date contact details.  Please send email/address to: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au to ensure they receive invitations to various events throughout the year, and also so they receive our bi – annual Grandparents and Friends newsletters which are a great way to read about what’s happening at School no matter if they live around the corner from our campus or on the other side of the world.

We wish you and your family Chag Pesach Sameach as well as a relaxing break, and we look forward to bringing you more Emanuel Community news next term.

If you have photos and/or news to share, please send it to: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

From the Parents and Friends

Ruby Berkovic and Jennifer Opit

Hi Everyone,

And just like that, Term 1 is over. 

Challah Orders Term 2

We are taking challah orders for Term 2! You can eliminate the hassle of having to pick up your weekly challah and support the P&F at the same time. We will be selling freshly baked challah every Friday at the cost of $4.50 and you can pick it up on a Friday afternoon at the same time that you collect your kids. (Gluten free challah is available at an increased price). The challot must be pre-ordered. Please register your interest by emailing: kendrey@bigpond.com

Mother’s Day Breakfast and Stalls

It is an Emanuel School tradition to celebrate Mother’s Day with a beautiful breakfast for mothers, grandmothers and special friends. Our annual Mothers Day breakfast will be on Friday 10 May 2019. 

Time: 7:00 am – 8:20am in the MPH 

Cost: Adults $15 ($20 on the day), Children $10 ($15 on the day)

Bookings: www.trybooking.com/BBWYB 

To assist us with catering, please be sure to book early. 

We have organised a wonderful Mother’s Day Gift Stall also on Friday 10 May 2019 and we will be selling special gifts for your Primary School children to give to you on Mother’s Day. Please be sure to send your child along with $10 per gift on the day and they will bring the gift home with them that afternoon. The correct money would be greatly appreciated and if you would like to purchase more than one gift, perhaps for a grandparent, just send extra money. 

P&F Theatre Fundraiser: School of Rock the Musical

Join us for the Emanuel P&F theatre outing to see School of Rock the Musical at 6.00 pm on Sunday, 17 November 2019 at the Capitol Theatre! Tickets are selling fast so don’t miss out!

There are limited tickets to this performance. Get the best priced A-reserve tickets available for $94.90 and a free program per booking donated by Playbill, plus a chance to win 2x $100 merchandise packs!

This works as a group booking, so individual tickets will be allocated after sale period is completed and the P&F receives the tickets. Tickets are allocated based on date of purchase. If you have a large group and you want to sit together you need to purchase all the tickets in one booking. Book now: www.trybooking.com/BBAKH

Entertainment Books

Emanuel School is fundraising with Entertainment Books! Your support really helps our fundraising. Order Now: www.entbook.com.au/200508p

Chag Pesach Sameach and see you all at the end of the month,

Jen & Ruby

Parent Safety Group

Thank you to our volunteers last week:

Emanuel Uniform Shop