From the Principal

Andrew Watt – Principal

Madrichim Leadership team 2021-2022

The votes have been counted and we are delighted to announce our formal Madrichim team below. We have many capable students who missed out on a position, or who did not put themselves forward. We look forward to the broader leadership of this combined group, who, at the recent Nitzavim Training Seminar, built their aims for the year and worked out how to put their passions into action through Va’adot (student-run committees).

Mazal tov to:

Head Madrichim
Myles Cohn and Victoria Miller

Madrichim
Gaija Avshalom; Lily Berger; Isabella Filipczyk; Eden Glass; Talia Kleviansky; Sacha Rosen and Jonah Trope

House Madrichim
Meir: Eden Grynberg and Tori Shapiro
Rabin: Nathalie Freed and Hannah Kim
Rashi: Jesse Herdan and Jayda Sacks
Szenes: Matthew Lowy and Remy Waller

The Madrichim for 2021-22 will have a virtual induction ceremony during Assembly in Week 5. While it is unfortunate that we cannot all be together to congratulate the incoming Madrichim, I know they are eager to start their role in leading the student body. Once restrictions are lifted, we will organise a morning tea, to mark the occasion with the parents of the Madrichim.

100 Days of Learning

I was delighted to participate online in our celebration of 100 Days of Learning on Tuesday. This much-loved annual event marks a significant milestone in the children’s educational journey. The dancing and ever-popular fashion parade were a big hit with both staff and students. Thank you to our Kindergarten teachers, Talia Hyneck and Leisha Strub.

HICES Debating Champions

Unfortunately, the HICES debating competition has been cut short due to COVID. This means that there will be no more HICES competition for the rest of the year. The good news is that HICES awarded winners for each division based on the debates so far. Our middles and senior teams have both won their division in HICES debating for 2021. This is a huge accomplishment, and we are very proud of these students. HICES will be mailing out certificates shortly congratulating our winning teams. Mazal tov to the following champion debaters:

Our Middles team includes Ariel Bloom, Liam Danon, Elias Davis, Jack Fridman, Ruby Friedman, Jaime Keyser, Jessica Linker, Daniel Newfield, Jayden Segal, Daliah Smagarinsky and Liberty Waldner.
Our Seniors team includes Alix Cane, Maayan Granot, Arielle Melamed, Jake Newfield and Daniel Solomon.

Our Head of High School Jewish Studies

Daphna Levin-Kahn has decided to return to a full-time teaching position in 2022. Her contribution as Head of High School Jewish Studies over the past 7 years has been significant. Ms Levin-Kahn has led a change in the culture and expectations within our Jewish Studies Department. The passion and dedication that she has brought to this role is admirable, and the introduction of courses like Be the Change have made a genuine difference in the lives of our students and community.

2021 Census – an important message from JCA

The census will take place on 10 August 2021. As the most comprehensive snapshot of the country there is, the census is a vital resource for the Jewish community. On behalf of the plethora of Jewish organisations providing services and facilities to Jews across Australia, JCA has requested that you please report JEWISH in the religion question.

Why?

By reporting your religion as Jewish, decisions about distributing communal resources can be made in an informed way.
It takes the guesswork out of planning for the future.
It helps ensure Jews in Australia are appropriately represented to Government which assists Jewish communal organisations in seeking Federal and State funding for our community.
It will support the community by providing a clear understanding of how many Jewish school children there are, what aged care provision is needed, and where community security is best placed.
It will help synagogues, community centres and every conceivable aspect of Jewish community life.

As with previous censuses, JCA in NSW will be investing in data analysis so that the results can be made freely available to Australia’s entire Jewish population.

COA Sydney offering support to our families

In addition to providing Kosher Meals on Wheels, The COA Fresh program is available to families in need. Members of the community who are struggling with food security or are trying to keep COVID safe can be visited weekly by COA volunteers, who deliver a mixed bag of fresh fruit and vegetables and other household items (toiletries, cleaning, and sanitising products etc). If you need help, please call 9389 0035. Thank you, COA!

Quote of the week

“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” – Etty Hillesum, Dutch author who was murdered in Auschwitz in 1943

From the Head of Jewish Life

Rabbi Daniel Siegel – Head of Jewish Life

Hearing Voices

We all, at times, imagine what one thing we might wish for if it would be granted to us.

There is only one person in the recorded Jewish tradition that is given the opportunity to have one wish, and have it granted. It is King David’s son, Shelomo.

So, given this once in a lifetime opportunity, what does he choose?

לב שומע-Lev shome’a!

Lev means heart.

Shome’a comes from the root word shema, as in Shema Yisra’el. This week’s parashah, Eikev, is replete with the word shema, and the consequences of our whether or not we are shome’a.

What does shema mean?

Some say it means “listen”, but it is more than that, as one may listen but not hear anything.

Often shema, therefore, is translated as “hear”. But one may hear but not understand – as when someone says: “Do you hear what I am saying”? Meaning, “I know you can hear me, but do you understand me?”

In asking for a לב שומע/lev shome’a, Shelomo is asking for more than the capacity to listen and hear, he desires an understanding heart.

Was he wise in what he wished for?

In last week’s מה נשמע/Ma Nishma, I spoke of a tragic event at the Kotel during commemoration of Tish’ah BeAv. An egalitarian prayer service was violently disrupted by those who deemed it a violation of Jewish law and a desecration of the name of God.

A recent Harvard University study speaks of “multi-vocal individuals”. Multi-vocal individuals are those who can identify with the sentiments and mindsets of diverse individuals. The voices they hear go beyond their own. This is to be differentiated from what is called “self-serving bias”- those who can hear only their own voice.

And, by hearing we mean understand. Everyday, Jews around the world sing together the prayer /שמע קולינו shema koleinu – Hear our voices, understand the needs of each of us in our diversity, in our uniqueness.

We are asking God to be multi-vocal. How can we ourselves, then, say this prayer three times daily, and, in the name of God, dishonour our fellow Jews out of a self-serving bias, denying a multi-vocal God and any voice that is not our own.

ירושלים/Yerushalayim means city of wholeness/city of peace. It is not insignificant that the one who gained a heart of understanding is called שלמה/Shlomo, which means wholeness and peace. For, until we can have a heart of understanding, in hearing the voices of others as we do our own, we cannot make for a city of peace that goes beyond the self-serving bias of one to the divine community of a multi-vocal whole.

Primary News

Roslynn Pardy – Primary Teacher and Year 3-6 Co-ordinator

7 tips to creating an amazing home learning space

Learning from home can be a challenge at the best of times. Creating an effective learning space can help turn a lesson from “Meh!” to “Yay!”. Here are seven tips to help create the perfect space to learn in.

Choose a space they’re comfortable learning in. We all learn differently. The environments we like to learn in can be different too. Some people prefer absolute quiet with no distractions. Others prefer some background noise and the company of others while they learn. Choose a location that feels right. Siblings might enjoy working nearby, but they may also be a distraction to each other.
Eliminate distractions. The learning space should be as free from distraction as possible. Social Media and other communication apps can be a major distraction from learning. Forging an agreement on when things like TV, videogames and social media can be accessed can help reduce distractions during learning periods. Things like TV and music should be minimised during learning times.
Make it comfortable, but not too comfortable. Choose a sturdy, comfortable chair for your learner. Ensure that the chair is high enough for them to reach their books, devices and other learning needs. Their desk should be flat, tidy and large enough for their equipment. Avoid places like lounges and beds as they can lead to sleepy learners. Also, using beds as a learning space can cause sleeping problems later.
Ensure the learning space has good lighting. Clear, natural light is the best for learning. Coloured or low light can lead to eye strain and difficulty concentrating.
Keep supplies stocked and organised. Ensure the space has everything they will need. Keep it stocked with whatever they may require. Encourage your learner to keep the space tidy and organised.
The learning space is for learning. Try to keep this space just for learning activities like lessons, study and homework. This can be tricky if they’re learning in a common area like a dining table. If this is the case, tidy away at the end of each school day. Encourage your learner to have a few small decorations, like a picture, some artwork or plant, that are only in the space during learning times. A box or tray could be used to pack away learning materials after a day of learning.
Discuss, negotiate and listen. Your learners have a task ahead of them, regardless of their grade. Listen clearly to their needs and wants in regards to the learning space. They will be looking to you for some of the day to day things they would normally get from teachers, friends and classmates. Try setting some daily, or weekly goals. Negotiate a daily schedule that suits everyone. Discuss rewards for completing goals. Find ways to include breaks and physical activities into every day, away from their learning space.

The next few weeks will prove challenging to all family members as we adjust to the new normal this lockdown has brought. Having a space for yourself and your learners will help to keep you and your families feeling organised, successful and happy.

Ma Koreh

Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary

Being a Mensch

This term, Year 4 students in Jewish Studies focus on exploring Jewish traditions, texts and teaching around מדות (virtues) being a mensch – a person of integrity, morality and dignity, who acts with a sense of what is right and responsible.

Students have selected מדות (virtues) they think are important for someone to be a mensch, and have identified the virtues and qualities they feel are personal strengths.

As the term progresses, students will be learning more about particular מדות (virtues), engaging with Jewish texts and teachings, making connections to their own lives and being challenged to put these מדות (virtues) into action in their own lives.

Primary Extra-Curricular (including EActive) Term 3

Emma Hill – Primary Teacher and Co-ordinator of Extra-Curricular Programs

Due to the recent extension of NSW lockdown, we have made the inevitable decision to cancel all EActive activities for the remainder of the term. An email will be sent home soon to all parents who have enrolled their children, and a refund will be organised for these activities in the next week. Most Extra-Curricular classes have been cancelled for the remainder of the term. Providers have been asked to provide a refund, or credit for future classes if parents prefer, for extra-curricular classes cancelled this term.

Please see the changes below to Term 3 Extra-Curricular activities:

Dramatic Action – Primary Improvisation and Theatre Sports (Monday afternoons) – CANCELLED
Dramatic Action – Theatre Ensemble Group (Wednesday afternoons) – CANCELLED
Chess Club (Wednesday afternoons) – On Zoom
JeSTAR (Tuesday and Thursday afternoons) – Zoom option available for $10.00 per child – please see Parent Portal for further details
Masters Debating (Thursday afternoons) – CANCELLED

Extra-Curricular information, including enrolment & booking details, are regularly updated on the Primary Extra-Curricular schedule page on the Parent Portal.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us using the contact details below.

Extra-Curricular contacts

Please contact providers directly if possible. All other inquiries can be sent to Emma Hill

Music contacts

Diana Springford (Head of Music P-12)
Joanne De Araujo (PA to Head of Music)
For information about Infants String Program and Private Tuition

Sport contacts

Kristy Genc (Director of Sport K-12)
Stuart Taylor (Primary Sport Coordinator)
Emma Hill (Primary Extra-Curricular & EActive Co-ordinator)

Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmel

What a lovely week we have had. We are immersed in Olympic fever! There has been lots of excitement, discussion and sharing from the children and educators, after a wonderful start to the Olympics over the weekend.

“I don’t only go for Australia; I go for Australia and Israel”- Alice (5)

Embracing the Olympics

Does anyone know what started on the weekend?

Mili: Olympics.
Zach: I’m watching it, the swimming.
Arlo: I was also watching it this morning.
Abby: I watch them! Morning, night-time, all the times. My mum was waiting so long for the swimming to come on. And today my mum is going to watch the Olympic swimming.

Who knows where the Olympics are happening?

Zach: Australia.
Abby: America.
Bronte: Australia.
Mili: Africa.
Adam: Israel.
Finn: China? French? South America? Hong Kong?

We passed the Olympic logo around the circle which had the name of the country hosting the Olympics…

Arlo: Tokyo. I read it!

What do you know about the Olympics?

Etta: You try to win; some kind of special occasion and you try to win the gold medal. There are lots of sports and lots of people from different countries.
Rafi: They swim and then they go and get their clothes on and then the people ask them things.
Daisy: They might go to swim. They have to put on some clothes and they do great swimming and they hold their breath and go under water. They do big jumps and back flips.
Jesse: They backflip backwards.
Uriel: They swim, and Australia won.
Ziggy: They jump, and they swim, and they go under the water.
Ethan: There is swimming and riding on the bike and running. (Ethan shared in the morning that he had been watching the Triathlon.)
Daisy: Olympics you have to practise and there are different countries to do the Olympics.
Ethan: There are motor bikes at the back in case they break the rules. If they do, they will be put in the penalty box.

Following up on gender stereotypes, we talked about how in the Ancient Greek Olympics, only the men were allowed to participate in the different sports. The women were not even allowed to watch. The children made their thinking visible:

Josh: That’s rude because only the boys were allowed to do stuff.
Finn: Unfair.

We watched some swimming races and talked about some of the athletes. We learnt that there are 16 First Nations athletes! We looked at each individually.

Following on from this, the children were invited to represent the swimming pool and swimmers using mixed media – black markers, pastels, paper pieces and watercolours. The children were so engaged and focused during this activity, noticing details such as the numbers, the lanes, the starting blocks, the timers, spectators, and different positions of the swimmers in the pool.

The children are also keeping a tally of medals for Australia and will be adding to this chart daily.

Understanding gender stereotypes and diversity

Young children make sense of the world through imagination and play, by observing, imitating, asking questions, and relating to other children and adults (Vygotsky & Cole 2014). However, gender stereotypes can perpetuate inequality and pressure children to comply with standards of masculinity and femininity, which is potentially harmful. Early Childhood Educators are in a position to shape children’s understanding of gender, teach them to celebrate diversity and to challenge their views to help their growth and development.

One of the stereotypes that arose within the Dolphin group was “Only boys can do hammering”. We decided to further extend our discussion and explore gender stereotypes through conversation.

The follow-up conversation (that started last week) went a little bit like this:

Remember when we talked about woodwork and whether boys and girls can do woodwork?

Zach: Boys and girls can do woodwork.
Evan: Everyone in the whole world can do.

Can boys and girls do the same things?

Arlo: Shall I tell you the only thing that girls can do? Only girls can do milk from their breasts.
Abby: Boys can only do bricks and build houses.
Arlo: That’s not really true. It’s exactly the same as the wood. Girls can also do woodwork.
Josh: And Mums can only born babies. Dads give the eggs to the Mums.

We looked at some images of women in construction to provoke the children’s thinking…

Abby: Girls are building.
Mili: They may be building a house.
Finn: I think she’s building train tracks.

What do you think about girls working in building and factories?

Bronte: Good because girls are different like boys and boys are different like girls.
Zach: Maybe she’s building a machine.
Leah: It looks like she’s building a pathway.
Josh: Building a fence, fixing someone’s fence.

Do you see many girls building?

Josh: Whenever I go around the block I see builders, only boys.
Adam: I see girls.
Finn: Me too, building.
Evan: I see builders when I drive.

Do you think I could be a builder? (Educator to children)

Finn: When you go out of your job, you can be a builder. If you retire but you weren’t old, you would get out and be a builder and practise and learn to be a builder.

Such insightful words and observations from our youngest members of the Emanuel community. It’s never too early to start learning these life lessons – so powerful!

Mazal tov

We wish a huge, big Mazal tov to Craig, Claire and James Haifer on the birth of baby Tom last week. We hope he brings you much joy and happiness always.

Happy Birthday

We wish a very happy birthday to Hugo Marishel (4) and Mili Lusthaus (5). We hope you both had a beautiful day.

Nothing is Impossible

Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

We hope you and your families are well in lockdown. Support from and for our Emanuel community over these past weeks has been exceptional and we thank everyone accordingly – our staff, parents, grandparents and students are caring and sharing on so many levels, whilst socially distancing and in most cases, staying at home. We are indeed a very special community and we appreciate how important it is for us to have and give support to each other, some of whom are totally isolated, living alone away from loved ones. We are indeed very lucky. Online activities have been and will continue to be our saving grace.

Zoom in

If you can, join us for Zoom Emanuel Kabbalat Shabbat at 4.00 pm each Friday you will see the smiling faces of so many members of our School, with students from Kornmehl through to High School as they sing and dance at home in the lead-up to Shabbat, led by our dedicated Jewish Life staff and student leaders. We encourage grandparents to also join us.

Josh New (Class of 2019) and Informal Jewish Life Leader and Coby New, Year 10, leading us in Shabbat songs on Zoom

Tokyo Olympics – Nothing is Impossible

With the start of the Tokyo Olympics last weekend, many of us are glued to the television as we watch athletes from 205 countries, plus the IOC refugee team, compete in the myriad of sporting events. I am sure the Paralympic Games, which start on Tuesday 24 August 2021, will also keep us in front of the TV, especially as we will still be in lockdown then. You may now be hearing the very catchy theme song for the Paralympics but what you may not know, is the origin of this theme song and its connection with our School community. During lockdown of 2020, whilst so many all worked out how to move forward in the new circumstances, Sydney-based musician Ilan Kidron, an Emanuel past parent, zoomed in with the team at JCA The Choice Foundation to see what creative ideas they could come up with together. The focus of JCA The Choice Foundation, an endowment fund that supports people with disabilities in our community, is to educate, collaborate and innovate on projects that focus on inclusion. The outcome of their connection last year was Nothing is Impossible – a song written collaboratively for members, participants and volunteers of The Choice Foundation, which include a number of our Emanuel families. It was an expression of love and fun during difficult times. In a recent interview with J-Wire, the founder of the foundation, Taryn Boyarsky and Manager, Danielle Wakerman (an Emanuel alumna), said of the project: “The hope was to create a song that would unite people in support of people with a disability in the community, once we started this process, the song just poured – cascaded – out!”

Ilan turned the song into a joyous, upbeat anthem, and included the voice of Reigan Derry, virtuoso fiddler Ben Adler (a past Emanuel student) arranged and plays strings, and there are four young Jewish singers in the choir. The Jewish community was then asked to send in footage of them dancing to the song. 160 families, including members of our School community, sent in videos of themselves, and this was turned into a collaborative video, signalling a beautiful coming together of our community.

Channel 7 heard this song and chose it to be the promotional song for the Tokyo Paralympic Games. You can hear it across all Channel 7 media until Wednesday 24 August 2021.

Gotta love a pickle or two

Seventy six families from across our School community – parents, grandparents, alumni and staff – joined us for our online Gesher pickling/preserving workshop last Sunday evening with alumnus Mitch Burnie, Manager of Adamama Urban Farm, who taught us the secrets about pickles and preserves. We were inundated with photos from our workshop participants’ creations, plus really positive feedback about how much everyone enjoyed this session. Mitch said: “I’m always happy to work with the community and teach about fermentation. It’s so easy and can really connect us to the past and traditions. It was wonderful to see so many members of my old school online for this session and I hope you are all eager to continue the pickling and preserving skills I taught you. When lockdown is over, I’d love you to come visit us at the farm”.

Here are some comments from a few of our picklers:

Daniela Freed, parent, Board member and Gesher Committee Chair: “Having never been a pickling household before there was much excitement and curiosity for the workshop in my household on Sunday evening. My eldest daughter and I had so much fun learning something new and creative in the kitchen. It was so wonderful that we were able to bring so many people together from our Emanuel family, participating and enjoying themselves. It certainly was a welcome activity during lockdown. A huge thank you to Mitch Burnie from Adamama for running the workshop and we can’t wait to try our pickled vegetables”.

Ann Newman, grandparent: “It is so special to be part of the amazing Emanuel community. Thank you Emanuel and Mitch from Adamama for providing this session last Sunday. Who would have thought we’d be learning how to pickle and preserve online during lockdown, but we are so grateful for this opportunity”.

Alan Crown, grandparent: “It was lots of fun, very informative and so easy. Now all I need is to find more glass jars so I can continue with these newly acquired skills”.

If you missed our event, it’s not too late to book into another online pickling session with Mitch which you can organise directly with Adamama.

Unlocking The Past

Past parent, Shira Sebban, will review the book she wrote about stories from her mother’s diary on Zoom on Monday 9 August 2021 at 7:30 pm. Book here for this free event online.

Friendship Circle (FC) Walk 2021 – Sunday 29 August 2021

FC will be hosting their 12th annual (and second virtual) Friendship Walk on Sunday 29 August 2021. This is their main fundraiser of the year, supporting their programs and activities for children, teens and young adults with and without disabilities, as well as community initiatives. Members of our School community have supported this wonderful organisation and their events over the years, and it is hoped that we can do so again this year by signing up to join them on the walk. Given the current situation with lockdown, all participants are encouraged to create their own route and walk with FC wherever you are. This year, they will be having an Amazing Race with lots of different fun tasks to complete on the way, such as photo and video challenges, brain teasers, trivia questions and scavenger hunts.

Friendship Bakery

Don’t forget, if you would like to support Friendship Bakery at Mark Moran Vaucluse, a social enterprise initiative of The Friendship Circle engaging young adults with disabilities in the local community through skills development and workplace experiences, please use their contactless ordering and pick-up.

Shabbat Shalom. Stay safe, stay home and have a great lockdown weekend. We look forward to sharing more news with you again next week.

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

Delicious

Hilary De Joux – Co-ordinator of French

What a delicious way to learn!

There is nothing quite like a crêpe to get you through remote learning. Last week, Years 8-11 French students created two delicious French dishes at home. C’est délicieux! The students had fun and our families were the lucky winners on taste tests. Bravo to you all!

Year 8 students discovered some of the history around crêpes and how they came about and learned some new food vocabulary. Crêpes originate from a northwest region of modern France called Brittany. Back then, crêpes were more often used as an everyday bread. Legend has it that a housewife in Brittany accidentally spilled some thin porridge on a hot flat stove and through this mistake came the discovery of how good a thin crispy pancake tasted. Whether this legend is true or not, we do know that crêpe recipes have been recorded as early as the 14th century!

Year 8 Students learned how to describe their favourite flavours and fillings. We then studied the French recipe and participated in an online Zoom session to make these delicious treats for ourselves. We also discovered the secrets to filling and rolling this traditional French dish in two classic sweet and savoury ways. Fantastic effort by these students with stunning presentations!

For Years 10 and 1 students, their gourmet discovery was all about the traditional potato dish Gratin Dauphinois. Said to have originated as early as 1788, this delicious and deceptively simple dish was a winner with our families and well done to you all for attempting this cooking challenge, a brilliant effort well worth all your hard work and patience.

With so many classic dishes the only question left is… what shall we cook next?

Bon appétit!

Music Matters

Diana Springford – Head of Music

Calling all ensemble and choir members

Please check out Stile and Reshet!

We are sad to be missing our weekly rehearsals and hearing our ensembles’ and choirs’ lovely (and sometimes not so lovely) sounds in person. However, we want to ensure that we use this lockdown for some fun and odd activities that are musically very useful and interesting, but that we don’t usually have time for. Each week on Wednesdays, we update your Reshet and Stile pages with new activities for students to try, in their own time, whenever they like, and in whatever order they like. Some activities are short and useful things you may not know (e.g. Ms Springford’s “yuck” note exercise to fix a dodgy tone on a clarinet), some require longer practise (e.g. Ms Grieve’s introduction to slap tonguing on the saxophone).

On Reshet, for High School, we have the following courses:

Concert Band instrumentalists
Singers
String Players
Rock Band musicians
Jazz Band musicians
Guitar Ensemble members
Stage Band & Big Band members

On Stile, for Primary School, we have the following courses:

Singers
String Players
Concert Band Musicians
Stage Band members

Coming soon…. Ha’Shorashim for Years K-12 virtual choir

As all students should be aware, the whole school has now been introduced to Ha’Shorashim, our Capital Appeal Anthem for 2021, which was composed by Alice Chance in collaboration with some Senior High school students and Morah Harvey and premiered at the Music Camp concert last term. (Back when we could sing together!) It is a beautiful song (and an A-grade ear worm) and a bold attempt to capture what is special about our School.

The learning package, which allows all students to get to know the song and to sing it, has been shared with the whole school. We would love everyone to learn about the song and to try to sing it.

In the next few days, we will be inviting our K-12 choir members to contribute to a special, virtual choir performance of this beautiful piece, so choir members please keep an eye out on the singers pages of Stile and Reshet for instructions as to how to get involved in the next week.

Auditions

Sydney Youth Orchestra (SYO): Auditions for the SYO 2022 program are open. Applications close on Wednesday 1 September 2021. The SYO is the leading orchestral training and education programs provider in New South Wales. This is a comprehensive system that ensures musicians progress through the orchestras, developing individual and ensemble skills under the careful guidance of SYO’s artistic staff. For more information, please visit their website.

The Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) holds a reputation for being one of the world’s most prestigious and innovative training organisations for young musicians. Applications for Australian Youth Orchestra’s 2022 programs opened on Tuesday 20 July 2021. Their specialised training pathway has been specifically created to nurture the musical development of the most gifted young instrumentalists across metropolitan and regional Australia: from exceptional school-aged musicians, to emerging young practitioners, to those on the verge of a professional career. AYO presents tailored training and performance programs each year for aspiring musicians, composers, arts administrators, and music journalists aged 12 to 30 to help them achieve their goals. For more information, see their e-Flyer.

Private Music Tuition and Infant Strings Program

Schedules for Private Music Tuition and ISP have been emailed to parents, using the same link as previous terms, so you should all be able to access and bookmark your schedules on your device. Tutor Zoom ID codes are embedded at the top right of each Private Tuition Schedule.

Regarding new enrolments into the K-2 Infant Strings Program: we are regrettably unable to add new enrolments into ISP during this period of online learning. As soon as the situation changes, we will let you know.

Regarding new enrolments to Private Music Tuition: new applications to enrol into private instrumental or voice music lessons will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, giving priority to students who have the instrument at home and have pre-existing experience of learning with a tutor (e.g. in IP). However, we are open minded, so please ask.

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

Instrument sundries: for those who need to stock up on replacement reeds, cleaning gear, strings, rosin and other bits and pieces, below are the website details for our local suppliers, who can post items to you or are open for click and collect purchases:

Sydney Band Instruments: https://www.sydneybandinstruments.com.au/
Irwin Violins: https://irwinviolins.com.au/
Sax and Woodwind: https://www.saxandwoodwind.com.au/
Prestige Musical Instruments: http://www.pmi.com.au/
Sydney String Centre: https://www.violins.com.au/

For Emanuel instruments needing repair: please email Joanne De Araujo with detailed information about the fault.

For announcements and further information: please check our Music Portal Page

You can also find fun news and updates from us on Instagram.

Careers

Claire Pech – Careers Advisor

Anyone who studies Career Development Theory knows about the Chaos Theory of Careers (Bright and Prior 2012). I like the concept of it because it embeds happenstance, luck, timing and all of those otherworldly concepts.

We also have to marry these experiences with other self-driven concepts such as education, planning, goal setting and taking control.

There’s no better time to embrace this theory of careers than when the world throws us a hand grenade, like COVID, and many of us have to accept these changes.

It is crucial for all of us, students, teachers, parents, anyone in the world of work or entering in to it, to know that we need to operate in both sides of this diagram. For the moment, as uncertain as this time is, especially for Year 12’s, we can control some of these by looking at the short term ahead, planning some goals, being strategic in our investigations and also seeking help when needed. My diary is always open for parents and students to book a time slot to discuss any options here.

UAC Digital | Early Entry

Thursday 5 August 2021 at 6.00 pm

UAC will give an overview of the Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) and discuss:

How to apply
Whether you’re guaranteed early entry if you apply
Other universities’ direct early entry schemes
How many early entry schemes you can apply for

Find out more here

UAC Digital | Let’s Chat – Law

Wednesday 11 August 2021 at 6.00 pm

UAC will be joined by university experts to discuss:

Which HSC courses are recommended for a Law degree
Available degrees and majors
Entry requirements and selection criteria
Work experience opportunities
How many students get accepted into law each year
What to do if you don’t meet your dream course’s entry requirements

Find out more here

UAC Digital | Let’s Chat – Alternative pathways to university

Wednesday 18 August 2021 at 6.00 pm

UAC will discuss:

Pathways you can take if you don’t meet your dream course’s selection criteria
The benefits of taking a pathway course
Pathway course credits you can receive if you want to get into an undergraduate degree
Which universities offer pathway courses

Find out more here

Notre Dame | Sydney Open Day 2021

Navigate your future with an ethical education.

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WSU | Discover Western – Applying & Early Offers Webinar

Thursday 9 September 2021 at 5.00 pm

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Some great articles here through the Study Work Grow account that you have already set up, or if not please do.

Health careers spotlights

Shabbat via Zoom

Daniel Samowitz – Informal Jewish Life Educator, Year 7 Tutor & Service Learning Coordinator

The Emanuel community has been virtually gathering to welcome Shabbat together on Friday afternoons before the sun goes down. In times like these, having a space for our community to come together is so important. Usually on a Friday morning at Emanuel you can feel Shabbat in the air. I liken it to a feeling of being in Machane Yahuda in Jerusalem on a Friday lunchtime. Students and staff alike rejoice in the Shabbat that feels so close. You can walk around the School and feel the ruach (spirit), you can see and hear singing, dancing, praying and students sharing their experiences and knowledge of Shabbat.

We are continuing to bring this spirit of Shabbat together on Zoom at 4.00 pm – 4.30 pm every Friday as long as lockdown persists. We invite our whole community families, grandparents, staff, alumni and of course our High School and Primary School students to come and rejoice and bring Shabbat in together.

See you at 4.00 pm on Friday!

Shabbat shalom

Managing technology and distractions

Julian Abelson – Director of Studies 7-12

We would like to continue to support parents during this time through a free webinar series provided by Elevate Education.

Elevate Education is running their second webinar in the series for Term 3 on Wednesday 4 August 2021 at 7.00 pm.

To reserve your spot and register for free, please click on the webinar registration page.

Topic: Managing Technology and Distractions
Date: Wednesday 4 August 2021
Time: 7.00 pm
Cost: Free

The webinar will run live online from 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm where the presenter will share Elevate’s key research and skills and will conduct a live Q&A so you can ask them questions directly.

Music in My Suitcase

On Thursday 22 June 2021, the whole of Primary School got to experience a wonderful performance of Music in My Suitcase run by Mara! from Música Viva. This performance, while not the usual, was fun and educational nonetheless. There were four performers playing lots of different instruments including saxophones, clarinets, different types of European guitars (including the baglama, bouzouki) and a traditional European drum. They also all sang.

We learned songs in other languages such as how to say some of the colours in Welsh and how to count in Turkish, Kurdish and we even taught them how to count and sing in Hebrew. Learning about the songs, we also learned about the cultures from which the music came! We danced and tried our best to sing along and copy the actions they taught us for the songs too.

Even though the performance took place over Zoom, the energy was palpable and just as exciting as if it were in real life. Part of what made this concert very special was hearing lots of different music from different parts of the world, most of which we had never heard anything like before!

Having a concert in the middle of lockdown really helped to lift our spirits and has been a highlight of this lockdown period.

Thank you to everyone who helped to put this concert together. We had a great time!

By Hannah Fekete, Isabella Hirst and Lila Friedman
Year 6 Music Leaders

Community Notices

P&F

Ruby Berkovic and Jennifer Opit

Hello Everyone,

We hope you are all keeping safe and well.

Mindfulness for Tough Times

You can still register and sign up for the last five Mini-Mindfulness Sessions on Zoom (at no cost) brought to you by Emanuel School parent Jodie Gien, from Mindful Future Project.

The sessions started in Week 1 of this term and will run on Wednesday mornings in Term 3 from 8.30 am – 8.50 am (running from Week 1 to Week 8). If you have registered for a session, you will be able to access it for one week afterwards (if you cannot log on for the live Zoom). You can connect via laptop or mobile from anywhere and you can join anytime.

To register: express interest by emailing Ruby Berkovic and you will be sent the Zoom links in advance.

Session topics

Out of Autopilot to Savour Here and Now
From Reacting Blindly to Responding Wisely
Where the Monkey Dropped the Ball
Self-Compassion & Empathy in Difficult Times
Happiness and Gratitude in a Pandemic

We hope you enjoy this fantastic opportunity.

P&F meeting

P&F meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 7.00 pm on Zoom. Everyone is welcome so please join us as your support and input is valued. Email Ruby Berkovic if you would like to attend the next meeting which will be next week on Wednesday 4 August 2021.

Weekend Brain Teaser

What has cities, but no houses; forests, but no trees; and water, but no fish?

We hope you have a nice weekend,

Jen and Ruby

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 the Sandra Rosen

Chocolate Chiffon

Ingredients

8 eggs (separated)
1 cup drinking chocolate
1/2 cup cocoa (or 1 1/2 cups drinking chocolate)
1 cup castor sugar
1 cup very hot water
3/4 cup sunflower oil
1 cup self-raising flour (or super fine matzoh meal for Pesach)

Directions

Preheat oven to 170⁰C.
Mix cocoa/drinking chocolate with water to make a paste.
Separate eggs, beat yolks and 1/2 cup sugar till creamy, add chocolate mix.
Add flour and oil. Beat till firm.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with sugar till firm.
Add whites to creamed yolks/chocolate mixture.
Pour into a greased chiffon tin.
Bake for 1 hour at 170⁰C (normal oven not fan-forced).
Take out of oven and turn upside down to cool.

You can order the Emanuel School Community Cookbook, The Family Meal, by contacting Ruby Berkovic