From the Principal

Dealing with disappointment

This year has not been easy for our students, as they seek to navigate their way through myriad changes and restrictions, brought on by COVID-19. Inevitably, they have encountered disappointments, with cancelled holidays, school excursions, ski camp, cross-year programs and Year 12 graduation events, in addition to restricted family gatherings, and so much more. After seven months of restrictions, with no relief in sight, there may also be a loss of hope that things will get better in the near future. As parents bear the largest burden of responding to these disappointments, it may be helpful to reflect on the positive outcomes of supporting your children through their disappointment and loss.

Disappointment is the most immediate emotion we experience, after a thwarted desire, loss, failure or discouragement. It is also a very normal part of growing up. A natural response for parents is to shield their children from hurt or disappointment (and failure, and boredom and any sort of struggle!). However, supporting young people to cope with their disappointment will be more helpful to them in the long run. Teaching them (and modelling) the skills and mindset to bounce back after disappointment and to deal with their emotions, would be a great gift to them. Kristen Howerton, a family therapist suggests that we can give our children one of two perspectives: “That of victimhood – that they’ve lost things they’re entitled to, that they should remain outraged, and that they will be forever scarred by their current losses. Or that of empowerment – narratives of delayed gratification, or resilience, of grieving and moving on, and of finding new meaning and new coping skills.”

COVID-19 has presented parents with the opportunity to coach their children (whilst they are still under your care) through a season of disappointment, and to teach them to weather the future storms that life will bring. Howerton also advocates a shift in our thinking, to protect our mental health over this challenging period:

1. Choosing to lower our expectations: for parents, for children, for the cleanliness of our home, for the productivity of our day;
2. Choosing to opt-out of rigid expectations for grades and opt-in to discovering our children’s own learning skills;
3. Choosing to opt-out of our pre-pandemic goals and opt-in to new goals that better match our resources – mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally and financially.

Dr Jim Taylor (University of San Francisco) suggests that, in the face of disappointment, parents:

• Allow their children to feel disappointment about the setback;
• Don’t ‘spin’ the situation to make your children feel better;
• Help your children find ways to surmount the causes of their disappointment;
• Tell your children that they will survive these disappointments and will achieve their goals if they keep trying hard; and
• Make sure that they know you love them regardless of their success and failures.

The full article can be accessed here.

Advice from Wendy Mogul, author of The Blessings of a Skinned Knee, in a chapter titled ‘Raising Hardy Children’, resonated: “I have watched as well-meaning parents become even more deeply enmeshed in their children’s lives…. The child’s problems remain a central preoccupation. Instead of enjoying the remaining time with their children, they are fretting and fixing.”

Enhancing our Sport Program

With the appointment of Kristy Genc to Director of Sport across Kindergarten to Year 12, we are now looking to strengthen our offerings in the Primary School and to gradually introduce a compulsory Sport/EActive program from Years 7-9.

The experiences in sport and physical activity for our younger children will graduate from training in gross motor skills, to skill development across specific sports, to involvement in games, and finally, to involvement in competitive sport. The enhancement of levels of physical fitness will occur across each developmental phase. Our specialist sport coaching staff will be working across both Primary and High School, to ensure that our students are well prepared to participate and to enjoy the program.

All students in Year 7 (2021) will be involved in our High School Sport and/or EActive programs. The aim of the program is for all students to maintain a sound level of physical fitness and to enjoy the social, leadership and mental health benefits of participating in regular physical activity. For those who love their sport or want to dip their toes in the water of a new experience, a range of competitive sports at varying skill levels will be available. For other students, the recreational and general fitness activities associated with our EActive program will be a better fit. The Sport/EActive programs will extend to Year 8 the following year and will culminate in our Years 7-9 program in 2023.

Parent-Teacher Night (PTN) with a difference

This week, we trialled a Zoom PTN, where parents could communicate online from work or home and both be involved without needing babysitters or to leave work. We will survey parents and staff, to gather feedback on the event.

Celebrating Rosh Hashanah

Over the past few weeks I have been greeted by the sound of the shofar being blown each morning – sadly, due to COVID restrictions, this has been a recorded version rather than performed live, as our students do each year. However, I have enjoyed seeing the students’ excitement when preparing for Rosh Hashanah – they’ve been baking challah and honey cakes, making honey pots and pomegranate artwork, re-enacting The Adventures of the Very Hungry Caterpillar on Rosh Hashanah and making greeting cards for their families.

In the lead up to Rosh Hashanah, Emanuel grandparents usually join their grandchildren at school and enjoy these activities, together. While we are saddened by the fact that the students couldn’t share this special time in person, we have brought the experience to you. In case you missed it, please enjoy the Rosh Hashanah video, which was sent to the Emanuel Community yesterday, along with a beautiful Shanah Tovah card, with artwork by Jessica, one of the Year 6 Art Leaders. I hope you enjoy it!

In the High School, Rosh Hashanah Pe’ulot took place in class this week. Year Group events were held in different places around the campus for Kabbalat Shabbat by Zoom, with the exception of our Year 12 students, who enjoyed a ‘live’ Kabbalat Shabbat. Today, the P&F generously provided all our students with an ice block, for Rosh Hashanah. This treat was gratefully received and enjoyed! Our staff were gifted with honey muffins, with wishes for a sweet, COVID-free New Year.

I wish you and your family a Shanah Tovah, filled with health, happiness and memorable moments.

Mazal tov

• Ben Pellow, Year 3, was awarded an ICAS Medal for achieving the highest score in NSW/ACT for Science. This is a superb achievement. 
• Our senior rugby team defeated Moriah 32-29 in the Annual JDS Rugby Cup, ending a seven-year drought. Kol Hakavod to Mr Morley and the players! Enjoy this short clip of a game changing conversion by Alan Drannikov. 
• Sarah Manoy, Year 7, organised a cycling fundraiser for The Children’s Cancer Institute. Sarah, along with 12 other Emanuel students, cycled a combined 418 km in three hours, raising almost $2,000 for the charity. 

 Quote of the week

“The human capacity for burden is like bamboo – far more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance.”
Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper

From the Head of Jewish Life

Rabbi Daniel Siegel – Head of Jewish Life

This too shall pass
גם זה יעבור

This year, as we enter the new Jewish year, on Rosh HaShanah, and contemplate our future, on Yom Kippur, we wonder when and hope that גם זה יעבור/gam zeh ya’avor – This Too Shall Pass.

We begin our Kol Nidre service asking permission to pray with the עבריינים/avaryanim – the transgressors, those who have “passed” beyond the boundary of acceptable behaviour. The word עבריינים/avaryanim, however, can also mean those who are but transitory beings.

On both days of Rosh HaShanah (and in some traditions, on Yom Kippur) we read the prayer that has made Jews, throughout the generations, shudder, U-Netaneh Tokev. The root word עבר/avar is repeated throughout this prayer, as we intone – “Who shall pass”?

We are all said to “pass” before God on this Day of Judgement, and in the New Year we will come to know if we shall pass out of this world. Yet, this same prayer ends with our reminding ourselves that it is we who are מעבירין את רוע הגזירה/ma’avirim et ro’a ha-gezeirah – only we can transcend a life which we but hope to move past.

This Rosh HaShanah, perhaps we can grant ourselves permission to pray and become one with the עבריינים/avaryanim, those who can pass beyond the present in working towards an unbound future. As עברים/ivrim, Hebrews, but more literally “boundary crossers” may we work together in moving beyond a COVID world.

May we all be blessed with a שנה טובה- מעל ומעבר, a New Year in which we move past and beyond our present, renewing ourselves within, and experiencing together, a life-affirming world.

Rosh Hashanah

Chloe Miller – Year 11

Rosh Hashanah

This week is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and a time for self-reflection and improvement. It marks the start of the High Holidays, a period of intense reflection in Judaism. This itself is symbolic of the meaning of Rosh Hashanah beyond sharing delicious food and coming together as a community. Judaism urges us to not only have good values and morals, but also to act on them and integrate them into our lives. This is a key notion of Rosh Hashanah and the upcoming High Holy Days, the Yamim Nora’im.

A central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the hearing of the shofar. The loud cry of the shofar is a wake-up call for us to turn our self-reflections into actions. It reminds us to not discard our reflections and self-improvements, but to act on them and become better people for the next year.

Another Rosh Hashanah custom is Tashlich, performed usually on the first day of the holiday. Tashlich is a custom where we symbolically ‘cast off’ our negative deeds into a body of water. Although an ancient traditional custom, the ideas behind Tashlich further encourage us to actually act on our reflections to achieve true repentance. Maybe that includes apologising or showing gratitude to someone, or setting ourselves achievable goals, for the year to come.

To me, the overall purpose of Rosh Hashanah is to remind us to reflect and improve. I find it quite incredible that Judaism begins its year with a festival dedicated to waking us up and calling us to address the good and bad about ourselves. Maybe this Rosh Hashanah, reflect on the year that has just passed and recognise what parts of yourself and your actions may need improvement and actually take some actions to improve. I also think it is important to look at what we have achieved this year, especially during the pandemic, and how we have come together as a community to help each other. 

Ma Koreh

Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary

Rosh Hashanah

Primary students have been busy learning, reflecting and preparing for Rosh Hashanah. Themes of change, renewal, self improvement, reflection and repentance have been incorporated into tefillah and Hebrew and Jewish Studies lessons.

To share Rosh Hashanah with their families, students have been busy creating clay honey pots and Rosh Hashanah plates, pomegranate-inspired artwork as well as baking honey cakes and round challot. 

We wish you and your families a שנה טובה ומתוקה  – a good and a sweet new year, filled with peace, health, happiness and a sense of renewal.

High School Sport

Kristy Genc – Head of Sport, PDHPE Teacher and Year 12 Tutor

Term 4 Sport and EActive registrations

In Term 4, the High School Sport Program will offer the following Sport and EActive options:

• Elite Tennis Program 
• Girls Touch Football
• Boys Touch Football
• Girls Basketball 
• Boys Basketball
• Fitness Training
• Surfing

Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, activities offered will be offered in stage groups. 

Enrolments for Term 4 Sport are now open and can be made at http://www.trybooking.com/FNNJ

All Term 4 registrations are required to be made by 29 September. Once registered for a sport, students are expected to be committed to that activity, attend all training and games and to adhere to the sport uniform requirements. 

Further details can be found on the Parent Portal and enquires can be directed to kgenc@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl

Preparations for going to school

It’s that time of the year when we need to think, reflect and start to prepare some of our Kornmehl children for going to Year K next year. 

International research reveals two key factors that underpin learning success in the first years of school and beyond:

1. Self-regulation – enables a child to control inappropriate behaviour, to pay attention and to respond positively to changing circumstances.
2. Language development – enables a child to listen, participate in different conversations, interact socially with peers and grasp important information the teacher gives them.

Here are some ideas to start thinking about:

Each child responds differently to changes and each child will deal differently with the transition into school. Children need help to adjust to the rules and way of doing things that school offers. Some of these changes include:

• Physical environment is bigger with playgrounds that are shared with older children, facilities spread across a wide campus and with basic facilities, such as toilets, in unfamiliar places.
• Routines may be a lot more structured, with set times to eat, play, go to the library or to the toilet. 
• Relationships may be more complicated than previously, where the child will have to learn to relate to different teachers, specialist teachers and lots of different children across many age groups.

Children who make a positive start to school are more likely to feel comfortable, relaxed and ready to learn, good about themselves as learners and social beings and develop a sense of belonging to the school community.

It is important for parents to talk positively about going to school, without building up unrealistic expectations. 

Below are a few tips to think about: 

• Personal skills include the ability to look after yourself and your belongings, to manage your time and get tasks done and understand that particular rules and routines apply in each situation.
• Relationship skills – include being able to join in games, take turns, make and maintain friends and learn how to talk with less familiar adults.
• Learning skills – include being able to keep going with a task, knowing how to ask and answer questions, how to listen to and follow instructions and having a positive disposition or attitude towards learning new things.

Parents are the safe base from which children can move out to explore the world, to learn and grow and become socially confident, responsible young people.

Things you can do to build your child’s personal, social and learning capacity:

• Gradually ask your child to take responsibility for organising their belongings e.g. setting out clothes for the next day.
• Give your child small manageable responsibilities at home, such as cleaning up, setting the table, clearing their plate, putting their toys away.
• Involve your child in family decisions according to their age and ability; offer them choices about what to wear, what they want to eat, or where the family could go on an outing.
• Talk about the different rules that apply for different situations e.g. wearing a seatbelt in the car, crossing a road, in the park, at the pool etc.
• Play games as a family and remind children about rules and turn taking.
• Invite children over to play and guide your child into joining in and making friends. It’s important for parents to model kindness and respect.
• Sit with your child doing small tasks, encouraging them to persist and solve problems.
• Read books and develop your child’s listening skills, concentration, comprehension, thinking and conversation.
• Encourage your child to explore, be curious, come up with questions and investigate how things work.
• Encourage your child to be independent, to believe in themselves and to take some risks in a protected way.
• Teach your child that things don’t always work out the way we want them to, but that we can learn from every situation and to keep trying until we succeed.

Things you can do to give your child confidence about starting school:

• Show your child how they will get to school each day and where they will be collected.
• Practise getting ready for school, dressing, packing the lunch, bag, sunhat, spare clothes.
• Make sure your child can manage things such as taking off jumpers and zipping up jackets.
• Use shoes with Velcro fasteners until your child can manage laces.
• Check that your child can open their lunch box and drink bottle and get them to help choose the contents.
• Make sure your child can go to the toilet independently or talk with the teacher about how to manage toilet problems.
• Label all belongings – including shoes! – and provide spare, labelled undies in case of accidents; putting labels on the outside of clothing minimises “accidental swaps”.

Sources
Your Child’s First Year at School – Getting off to a good start. A guide for parents – Jenni Connor and Pam Linke, 2012
First year at School – Essential Tips for Parents and Carers – Jenni Connor and Pam Linke, 2017

Rosh Hashanah

This week, the children walked to the post box to post their Rosh Hashanah cards. We hope families enjoy the excitement of receiving their cards in the post and opening them together with your child.

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The Pre-school has been immersed in singing lots of Rosh Hashanah songs, exploring this rich festival through the creative arts and different mediums, such as clay, water colours, paper, drawing and exploring this festival through the senses – tasting apples dipped in honey, hearing the sound of the Shofar, touching and learning about all the symbols for Rosh Hashanah and smelling the delicious honey cake and round raisin challot on Friday. 

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Clay bees

CLAY APPLES & HONEY

A Rosh Hashanah message from the Dolphins

• On Rosh Hashanah we blow the shofar to let everyone know it’s Rosh Hashanah and to wake up people’s minds.
• The shofar has a very strong noise, so everyone knows it’s Rosh Hashanah And you think how to be on your best behaviour.
• We let everyone know it’s time to say sorry to people that we hurt.
• We dip apples in honey to have a Sweet New Year.
• The challah is round because the world is round, and the year goes round and round.
• We make the challah round and we sprinkle sugar on top to have a sweet New Year. We put sultanas in the challah.
• On Rosh Hashanah you think about what you want to get better at. 

Shanah Tovah

Farewell Ms Birrell

Sadly, we have to farewell our special Music teacher, Ms Birrel this week. Ms Birrell’s music lessons this year have been inspirational, fun and interactive. The children have looked forward to music every Thursday with enthusiasm. They have learnt so many beautiful new songs and Ms Birrel has known just exactly how to engage pre-schoolers in a meaningful and age-appropriate manner. Ms Birrell joined us on Friday for our weekly Shabbat celebration. She was our guest at the Shabbat table and the children gave her lots of messages from the heart and we sang lots of Shabbat songs to farewell her.

We will miss her very much and wish her much happiness and success in her new role. Thank you for making our music lessons such fun.

A thank you message from the Montefiore

Two weeks ago, we sent a special Shabbat video and special drawings and messages to the Montefiore to bring some joy and happiness into the lives of the residents who are very isolated at this difficult time. We feel very happy that we were able to reach out to others in our community to make a difference in their lives. A true example of Tikun Olam from our youngest members of the Emanuel Community.

The residents received our beautiful Shabbat pictures and got to watch our special Shabbat video in small groups.

We received this lovely letter of thanks and some photos of the residents enjoying them both:
Thank you so much for facilitating the Shabbat recording and drawings for our residents. The residents were delighted to watch the video and it really put a smile on their face. Please thank the students at The Kornmehl Centre Emanuel Preschool for brightening up our resident’s day. 

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Happy Birthday

We wish a very happy birthday to Phoebe Glikin (5) and Finn Zurnamer (5). We also wish a very happy birthday to our special educator, Renee Schneider, who celebrates her birthday in the first week of the school holidays. We hope you all have a lovely day.

We wish all our Kornmehl families a Shanah Tovah u’metuka – a sweet and happy New Year and well over the fast.

Changes: bus routes

School bus route timetable changes for Term 4, 12 October 2020

 Some morning school bus services to Emanuel School have been adjusted to improve reliability: 

• Route 683e will depart Watsons Bay 4 minutes earlier.
• Route 697e will continue to depart South Head Cemetery at 7.12 am but may pass some subsequent stops a minute earlier or later.

There is no change to route paths or stopping patterns.
The change to times will be reflected in the TransportNSW.info website trip planner and online timetables. 
Students are required to ‘tap on’ and ‘tap off’ with a valid School Opal card on every bus boarded as part of their journey.
State Transit and Transport for NSW will be closely monitoring Opal card usage on all school services to ensure buses have been allocated to meet customer demand.

Should students or families require further assistance, please go to TransportNSW.info website or telephone 131 500.

Information provided by State Transit 

The Forest in the Tree

Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

A good and sweet New Year

As we celebrate to start of 5781, Rosh Hashanah this year will be a very different celebration to previous years here in Sydney and all over the world. Many of us will bring in the Jewish New Year far away from our families and friends, with Zoom featuring in many households as we join loved ones through our virtual world. We hope the new year will bring the world closer to peace and above all, allow us to be with family soon.

Keeping it in the family

Emanuel Grandparent, Stephen Rothman AM, recently retired as President of the Great Synagogue and congratulations to his successor David Lewis, an Emanuel past parent and past School Board member. I know other congregations and communal organisations including the Communal Security Group (CSG NSW) have Emanuel connections and we appreciate all the hard work done by them to keep us all connected and safe. CSG provides advice, assistance and security or crisis deployment to the NSW Jewish Community.

Emanuel parent Emile Sherman and his sister, alumna Ondine Sherman (Class of 1990), both featured in the news recently for very different reasons. Emile, film producer and Academy Award winner for Best Picture for The Kings Speech in 2010 and also producer for the well-acclaimed film Lion through his company See-Saw Films, is co-producing a new Holocaust movie “One Life”, starring Anthony Hopkins in the lead role, about the late Sir Nicholas Winton who saved hundreds of Jewish children from the Nazis.

Ondine who lives in Israel with her husband and three children, is an author and advocate of animal rights, through her role as co-founder and managing director of Voiceless, the animal protection institute, was interviewed recently about her latest book Vegan Living: How to Protect Animals, Save the Planet and Be Healthier and Happier Than Ever Before.

Emanuel alumna, Aviva Reed (Class of 1998), is an ecological artist, environmental book author and an art science educator living in Melbourne. She recently held an online launch of her new book The Forest in the Tree, set in a chocolate forest and explores how the best cocao grows in complex indigenous forests. Aviva said: “Our story is inspired by the chocolate forests of the Amazon, where indigenous tribes are fighting off the genetic engineering companies who have developed cocoa crops that can grow in full sun plantations (think clearfell and ecocide). In its indigenous life, a cocoa plant grows as an understory plant within a diverse rainforest of plants and fungi, cultivated and cherished for centuries by the indigenous communities of the Amazon. When you buy ethical chocolate from these agricultural projects, you are supporting rainforests and indigenous communities whose practices keep the Amazon alive!  We chose the #chocolate plant as it is both a food plant (though I don’t think many children make that connection) and it is a rainforest plant.” She previously published a book titled EON. The Story of the Fossils

Emanuel alumni and AUJS

Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) has represented Jewish students on campus across Australia and New Zealand since 1948, whilst AUJS NSW is the representative body for Jewish students in the NSW region. Currently operating on five campuses across the region: Sydney University, UNSW, UTS, Macquarie University and Wollongong University. Mazal tov to the incoming AUJS NSW Executive committee for 2021, whose president Nadia Coburn (Class of 2017) joined Emanuel School as a Year 11 student when she and her parents moved up to Sydney from the Mornington Peninsular, Victoria. The new committee also includes alumni Miki (Mikayla) Sacks (Class of 2017) as Secretary and Sean Torban (Class of 2018) is Campaign and Education Officer. 

Half-way through September

Remember September has raised over $270,000 since it began in 2015 and this year is breaking records with over 250 challengers signed up for this year’s event. Emanuel alumnus Ben Wilheim, (Class of 2008), founder of this most worthy annual event to raise funds in the fight to find a cure for pancreatic cancer said: “We thank the Emanuel School community for past support and there is still time to join us again this year – we encourage you to get involved by signing up as an individual, a team of friends or even a family using the Team functionality during registration.” For more information and to register, visit Remember September.        

Wolper wellbeing seminars

Our extended Jewish Community has many Emanuel connections, including Wolper Jewish Hospital in Woollahra whose Community Development Officer, Ruth Guth, is a past parent, whilst current grandparent Dr David Golovsky AM is an Honorary Life Governor.

Friends of Wolper, during COVID-19, is running their informative wellbeing seminars online. Their most recent webinar Boosting your immune system; never more important than now was recorded and is on the Wolper website should you wish to review the session or share it with friends or family. During these times of coronavirus, it is even more important that we all stay well and safe. This webinar offered some top tips on boosting your immune system:

• Eat 1 – 2 pieces of fruit each day.
• Eat more plant-based foods.
• If you are overweight, lose five kilos.
• If you spend a large part of your week indoors, get out and about on the weekends or take a vitamin D supplement.
• Avoid junk food.
• Get enough sleep.

Wolper Hospital conducts the Community Genetics Program (NSW) School Screening Program for Year 11 students at all Sydney Jewish Schools including Emanuel School as well as for students at Reddam House. For those who did not undergo screening at school, you can undergo screening by contacting the hospital on 9328 6077 to book an appointment.

Friendship Circle (FC) NSW

Following last Sunday’s successful virtual walk FC is now preparing for their Spring Camp during the upcoming school holidays, on 6 and 7 October, and they are seeking volunteers to help on these two days.  The camp will be lots of fun and a great chance for volunteers to connect with their buddies as we all transition our COVID-Friendly approach. For more information: www.sydneyfc.org.au/day-camp

B’nai B’rith & JNF Jewish Changemaker Awards 2020

The Australian Jewish News has come on board to support the prestigious Changemaker Awards 2020, and nominations are done online.  

Emanuel School has so many students both past and present, who volunteer their time to an array of worthy causes/organisations, and the competition is divided into two age groups – youth (age 14 – 18) or young adults (18 – 35) so if you know someone in our community who is making the world a better place, nominate them for these awards. Don’t we all love the opportunity to recognise such wonderful volunteering efforts.  Anyone can nominate – parents, staff and even the nominees themselves. It would be amazing to see some of our students and alumni nominated again this year. Nominations must be received no later than Monday 16 November 2020.

We wish you and your family Shanah Tovah u’metukah and well over the Fast.

Stay safe and Shabbat Shalom.

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

JDS Rugby Cup Victory

JDS Rugby Cup victory

It has been six years in the making, but finally our Emanuel Rugby Firsts won the JDS Rugby Cup in what was thrilling match on Tuesday afternoon against Moriah. 

Playing at the home of Easts Rugby, on Andrew Pietre Oval, the Emanuel boys played an exceptional game under the guidance of coach Heath Morley. 

It was a close match, Emanuel winning 29 – 26 in the final minutes of the game. Try scorers included Adam Winter, Ben Torban, Matthew Bozic and Ryan Rubinstein, and goals by Alan Drannikov and Adam Winter. Ben Toban was outstanding on the day, awarded Best & Fairest. 

Congratulations to Jared Robinson, Benjamin Torban, Alon Erez-Rein, Jesse Koslowski, Maximilian Kidman, Jonathan Eremeev, Alan Drannikov (Vice Captain), Elijah Grynberg, Matthew Bozic (Captain), Ariel Berger, Ryan Rubinstein, Benjamin Horwitz, Adam Winter, Ari Karjalainen and Nathaniel Speilman. 

Emanuel Rugby Firsts

Primary extra-curricular

Extra-curricular activities in Term 4

We are pleased to offer a range of extra-curricular and EActive activities for all year groups in Term 4. We are following regulations set by the Association of Independent Schools which require stage groups to be separated at present. These regulations will be reviewed at the end of this term. We will advise you in Ma Nishma if there are changes which allow us to offer extra-curricular and EActive classes to more year groups.

Club information, including enrolment & booking details are now online on the Parent Portal

Please note clubs have minimum enrolment numbers.

Mondays

Tuesdays

Wednesdays

Thursdays

Fridays

Learning to play

At the beginning of the year, it was the Kindergarten’s introduction to the School. The Years K – 2 play leaders and the teachers set up a system where we helped the Kindergarten students learn how to play together nicely. They learned that everyone is equal and the importance of playing fair in the playground. We helped them make new friends. They will be able to use the skills we taught them for the rest of their time at Emanuel.

In Term 2, we were scheduled to assist the Year 1 students, but unfortunately, COVID-19 took us into online learning. When school returned in Week 5 of Term 2 we were able to continue our role and help the Year 1 students. At the end of Term 2, all of the Years K – 2 Play Leaders ran a gratitude day with the Years K – 2 students and had such a great time. We had lots of fun and activities that all of Years K – 2 loved.

Since remote learning stopped us from helping the Year 1 students, in Term 2 it was decided that we would give them another turn in Term 3. Every Friday recess, we would go to the Triguboff Forecourt play area and help them learn to socialise, play fairly and become friends with their peers. We helped them learn social skills and good sportsmanship by running games like handball, soccer and tip. 

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We are looking forward to Term 4 and all the fun activities we can do with the younger students in our final term as K – 2 Play Leaders.

By David Miller, Sam Dworkin, Yael Joffe, Jamie Nabarro, Maya Hersch, Josephine Miron, Jonathan Goldberg, Declan Christie and Ben Diamond.
The Year 6 K – 2 Play Leaders

Linguafest Films

Oren Thaler – Hebrew Teacher and Year 9 Tutor

Linguafest Film Competition 2020

Our Year 8 and Year 6 Hebrew students took on the challenge and produced films for the Linguafest Film Competition. Linguafest is aimed at  students learning a second language. Each year hundreds of films enter the competition from all over the State. We wish them good luck in the competition. Enjoy!

High School

Too Addicted

The Haunted House

Operation A+ 

Primary School

The Black Shoes 

Careers

Claire Pech – Careers Advisor

Showcase of a new initiative

This week in our last Year 12 careers session, I showcased a new initiative by Daniel Brockwell, Class of 2015. He has set up earlywork.co a job-finding service for students, interns and graduates in the start-up space featuring tech roles, and entrepreneurial positions. Each week he sends out new roles and positions, that are connected to students at the major universities. These are the kind of opportunities that will help the Class of 2020, and beyond, secure employment.

Daniel Brockwell

Sydney University webinars

Here is a list of great webinars for Sydney University (but relevant to all students) who want to hear from students about what university is like. These would be great for Year 11 students who missed out on Open Days and want a taster for what is to come in 2021.

Science Student Panel
Monday 14 September 2020, 4.00 pm – 4.30 pm

Artist talk series: Dr Madeleine Kelly
Monday 14 September 2020, 4.30 pm – 5.30 pm

Medicine and Health Student Panel
Tuesday 15 September 2020, 4.00 pm – 4.30 pm

Where can a Bachelor of Arts take you?
Wednesday 16 September 2020, 5.00 pm – 6.00 pm

Business School Majors Showcase
Thursday 17 September 2020, 4.30 pm – 6.00 pm

Sydney College of the Arts portfolio evening
Thursday 17 September 2020, 5.00 pm – 8.00 pm

Teacher Education Personal Statement Workshop
Tuesday 29 September 2020, 5.00 pm – 7.00 pm

UAC

UAC closes its SRS application process on the 30 September 2020. This takes about two minutes to complete but can gain access to an early offer in November. Anyone who has already applied in UAC can do this quickly here.

Music Matters

Diana Springford – Head of Music

Private Tuition and Infant Strings Program

Thank you to those who have already advised us of changes to private tuition and the Infant Strings Program enrolments for next term. The deadline for new enrolments, notification of changes or intention to discontinue for Term 4 has now passed. All students currently receiving private music tuition and ISP will be automatically re-enrolled into tutor schedules for next term, along with students commencing lessons for the first time. If your child intends to discontinue, please act swiftly to provide formal notification in advance to avoid being committed to the full term of lessons and liable for fees.

Links to online forms for Term 4 enrolments and discontinuations:

New enrolment requests for private tuition

To discontinue private tuition

To enrol into the Infant Strings Program (ISP)

To discontinue Infant Strings Program (ISP)

Please contact Matilda Grieve if you have any questions about private music tuition.

The schedules for Term 4, 2020 will be created at the end of term and emailed in October. 

Free advertising

Boost your business

We’re always on the look-out for ways to further connect the Emanuel Community. We know that for many it’s harder than ever to find new and targeted channels to advertise your business.

We have developed a free online advertising platform called Business Boost for Emanuel parents, grandparents and alumni to promote their businesses within our community. Some of you may remember the concept from many years ago – this time it’s online, easy to navigate and even easier to advertise.

To add your business details to this free platform, simply click on the link and answer a few questions. You can even include your logo and a special offer for ‘Emanuel-ites’.  

We’d love to launch Business Boost in the new term – all it takes is a click and a few minutes of your time.

Questions? Email mfavero@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au.

Michelle Favero, Business Booster

Rabin

These past few weeks have been incredibly eventful for Rabin House with victories in sport and music, as well as raising a significant amount of money for charity. Unfortunately, we also have to say goodbye to our lovely year 12s as their time at school comes to an end.

A huge congratulations to the Senior Boys Emanuel Rugby Team for winning the JDS Rugby Cup. After a close match against Moriah (29-26), Emanuel took home the victory! Rabin had their fair share of top players, with Ben Torban scoring the opening try and being awarded Man of the Match by the three referees, Ryan Rubinstein making the game-winning intercept and Ari Karjalainen playing for the first time in 13 months. Of course, they couldn’t have done it without our Rabin Head of House, Mr Morley! Congratulations Rabin and the Rugby Team. 

In other news, Ariella Tracton has won the NSW teen division of the Take the Mic Singing competition. This event was live streamed on YouTube on 30 August and you can watch her performance at 9:54 of this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSTmW1rpV3M&ab_channel=TakeTheMic

Another massive congratulations to Ariella for the incredible effort and amazing singing she displayed at this event!

On the 9 September, Rebecca Pillemer (our very own Rabinite) as well as Mirabelle Mirvis and Jasmine Barea held a mufti day and sold brownies in support of the Animal Welfare League, a no-kill shelter that helps surrendered, neglected, and abandoned animals, finding a safe and loving home for them. They raised an impressive $730 and also held competitions for the “coolest pets”, allowing students to submit pictures of their own pets. The winners are below: 

Sausage dog

Lizard

Cat

Turtle

Congratulations Rebecca, Mirabelle and Jasmine for raising so much for an amazing cause!

Sadly, our time with the Class of 2020 is coming to an end. While we will miss you greatly, we will remember the passion you have for the mighty Rabin, and all the incredible things you’ve done for the House. Your endless enthusiasm has been a great inspiration to all of us, and we hope to maintain the spirit you brought. 

To Ryan and Simone – we would especially like to acknowledge all the hard work you’ve done for Rabin. We know you will both achieve fantastic things, and we’re always here to cheer you on. 

Wishing you all the best for your future endeavours. You’ll always be a part of the Rabin House! 

As you can see, Rabin has been pretty active despite the current situation. A final congratulations to everyone and have an enjoyable and safe holiday. 

Shanah tovah

Ari and Ezra

Szenes

Miriam Itzkowitz, Year 12

Ashley Cohen – Year 7

Week 8 in Szenes House

From our House Madrichim, Jess and Lexi

This week’s tutor period was centred around the importance of exercise – especially following our COVID-19 isolation! Years 8, 9 and 10 wrote easy, fun, physical activities on pieces of paper and then had a paper snowball fight with them (safe and recyclable of course). They then chose the piece closest to them and had to complete the activity. It was a great way to demonstrate that exercise can be done with friends, at any place and at any time. They found it really enjoyable and engaging and it was a great way to wake them up for a day of learning. We can’t wait for next week’s session!

From Mirabelle Mirvis – Year 10 

Even though we are in different Houses, Rebecca Pillemer, Jasmine Barea and I decided to raise money to support the Animal Welfare League NSW. This is an incredible organisation that houses, saves and stops the unnecessary euthanasia of cats and dogs. Organising this fundraiser was both a rewarding and fun experience. From meetings with Ms Lowe to request a plain clothes day, to packing and selling amazing brownies made by our canteen. Thank you to everyone for donating to this worthy cause. We raised a pleasing $713.

Week 9 in Szenes House

Year 12 completed their last full week of school and Year 10 completed their examinations.

Goodbye and thank you Miriam!

This week is our co-editor Miriam’s final week, and we interviewed her below.

She has been an avid part of Kol Szenes since 2017, when Miriam was in Year 9! We thank Miriam for her dedication to Kol Szenes and hope she enjoys life outside of school and we wish her well for the future!

What was your favourite part of editing Kol Szenes?

My favourite part of editing Kol Szenes was having the opportunity to write on a weekly basis, as I want to be a writer when I am older.

What is your favourite section of the article?

My favourite section would have to be the quote of the week because it is short, as well as it’s not written by me, meaning that it is someone else’s work that I can appreciate and take inspiration from.

What has been your favourite experience throughout High School?

My favourite experience would have to be mediating the Night of Dangerous Debate earlier this year. Doing this has been my dream since Year 7, and I have watched the speakers every year. It was something I really wanted to do, something of interest to me, as I found it cool to be able to speak to so many people in the academic, medical and political fields.

What has been your favourite House activity? 

That is a tricky one. I enjoyed House Music every year, I also enjoyed being part of small House Choir and helping out with House Drama. My favourite would probably have to be House Assembly. I loved House Assembly because of all the activities that the House Mads ran. I loved trivia activities like Getting to Know your Teacher.

What will you miss most about Emanuel School?

I think the thing I will miss the most is the people. People are a really huge part of the community. Emanuel would not be Emanuel without all the teachers and students there. I have been here since pre-school so I know everyone and it is a really important thing to miss all the experiences that I have had over the years, because that shows me that I have been an important part of such a loving community.

Announcements

• Remember to sanitise your hands everyday as you enter our school grounds, and enjoy the last week of Term 3!
• Formal uniform is to be worn Term 3, including blazer and tie. 
• Blazers to be worn to and from school – not left in lockers.
• If you are not wearing the correct uniform, please ask your parent to email: uniform@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au 
• Be responsible – lock your locker
• COVID-19 current information – Department of Health 
• Follow @szeneshouse on Instagram for some wellbeing and study tips, memes and just general Szenesian spirit.
• Also follow your madrichim on @es.madstagram for some updates, challenges, wellbeing and overall fun times.

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to these Szenesians who recently celebrated their birthdays in the past week

• Jasper Narunsky – Year 7
• Toby Port – Year 11

Quote of the week

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.”
Edmund Burke

Wishing our Emanuel community a good and sweet New Year.

Shanah Tovah!

Szenes House

Holiday reading

The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge

This has been completed for 2020 but students can continue to note down titles and authors of books they are reading in their own journals – ready to enter them when the NSW PRC 2021 opens next March. Reading from the end of the previous challenge is eligible to be entered in the next one.

Holiday reading

If you are wondering what to read this holiday, please consider asking the Teacher Librarian for suggestions.

The most popular books in the Primary Library currently are detailed below: 

Kindergarten to Year 2 
Students are finding Tedd Arnold’s Fly Guy books appealing. These are creating a big buzz with early readers. These popular books appeal to both the reluctant and eager readers as they are full of humour, have large text, bright illustrations and are particularly useful in helping students transition to reading independently.

Kindergarten to Year 4
Readers are rushing the Ninjago books off the shelves. There are 19 books in the Ninjago series. Authors: Greg Farshtey, Tracey West, and Kate Howard. These feature the battle between good and evil and are action-packed books with bright illustrations.

Book 1 Way of the Ninja recounts the kidnapping of Kai’s sister, Nya. Kai must learn Spinjitzu from Sensei Wu, a mysterious old man, to rescue her.

Also in the library is Lego Ninjago, Masters of Spinjitzu Character Encyclopedia. Author: Claire Sipi

Kindergarten to Year 6
Anything Star Wars is popular. From the large books that illustrate in detail the Star Wars vehicles to the many Star Wars novels .

These vary from the:

• Dorling Kindersley Readers DK1 Beginning to Read to DK4 Reading Alone.
• To Star Wars novels such as Return of the Jedi adapted by Brian Houlihan and the Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice series by Jude Watson

Years 2 to 6
Students are enjoying the books by Andy Griffiths, especially the Treehouse Series.

The treehouse started as a 13 storey treehouse that contained a bowling alley, a see-through swimming pool, and a secret underground laboratory. Wonder of wonders there was even a  marshmallow machine that shot marshmallows into your mouth whenever you were hungry.

The Treehouse series has grown over the years by increments of 13 with the addition of many exciting and different attractions such as a wave machine and snakes and ladders games with real snakes and ladders. The latest book is The 117-Story Treehouse: Dots, Plots Daring Escapes!

Years 5 and 6
Students are reading Rick Riordan’s many adventure novels, especially those with a Greek mythological background.

Examples are:

• Percy Jackson and the Greek heroes
• If you enjoyed Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods you will probably enjoy this book in which Percy Jackson tells the stories of twelve of the original Greek heroes.
• The Hidden Oracle Book 1 in The Trials of Apollo series.
  The god Apollo is cast down from Olympus by his father Zeus who has given him the form of a teenage boy in the modern-day world in New York. How can he survive until he can find a way to regain Zeus’s favour? He has many enemies who can destroy him in this earthly form and so he seeks help from the modern demigods in Camp Half Blood

Please remember to select some Holiday Reading!

Uniform update

Parents and Friends

Ruby Berkovic and Jen Opit

Hi Everyone,

We can’t believe Term 3 is almost over.

Entertainment Books

In case you want to order an Entertainment Book, you can do so here. 

Online Disco

Save the date for our Zoom Family Disco:  4.00 pm – 5.00 pm Sunday 18 October 2020.

Get your dancing shoes ready and put the date in your diary for our first ever Emanuel Zoom Disco. It will be fun for the whole family and another way to be together while we are apart.

The special guest DJ will be announced in Term 4.

This is an Emanuel School friend-raising event (without charge to the families).

Monthly meetings

Our monthly Parents & Friends Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month. Everyone is welcome. Please let us know if you would like to attend the November meeting. There will not be one in October due to School Holidays. 

Weekend brain teaser and answer from last week

Question

You’re at a fork in the road in which one direction leads to the City of Lies (where everyone always lies) and the other to the City of Truth (where everyone always tells the truth). There’s a person at the fork who lives in one of the cities, but you’re not sure which one. What question could you ask the person to find out which road leads to the City of Truth?

Answer

“Which direction do you live?” Someone from the City of Lies will lie and point to the City of Truth; someone from the City of Truth would tell the truth and also point to the City of Truth.

We wish you all a good and sweet New Year.

Shanah Tovah

Jen and Ruby

Community notices

Recipe of the week

Each week we’ll bring you a tasty recipe passed down by Emanuel families, from the Emanuel School Community Cookbook, The Family Meal. 

From the Kitchen of Lyn Rosen 

Whole Orange Cake with Citrus Icing

Ingredients

1 medium orange
200g butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten lightly
1 1/2 cup self-raising flour

Citrus Icing

1 medium lemon (2 tsp zest, 2 tsp juice)
1 cup icing sugar mixture
1 tsp boiling water, approximately

Directions 

Preheat oven to 180⁰C (160⁰C fan-forced).
Grease a deep 20cm deep cake pan and line base with baking paper.
Wash and dry orange, cut into quarters and remove seeds. Process in a small food processor until it becomes pulpy.
Transfer orange to a medium bowl, stir in butter, eggs, sugar and sifted flour until smooth.
Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake in a moderate oven for about 50 minutes or until cooked when tested.
Stand for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

Citrus Icing

Using a zester, remove strips of lemon rind from lemon and orange (2 teaspoons each).
Squeeze 2 teaspoons of juice from each fruit.
Sift icing sugar into a bowl, stir in juices and enough water to make a smooth paste. Stir in rind.
Pour citrus icing immediately over cake. Stand until set.

Serves 10 

You can order the Emanuel School Community Cookbook, The Family Meal by contacting rubykb@gmail.com