From the Acting Principal

Margaret Lowe – Deputy Principal

Student leadership

Last week I wrote about the student leadership processes across K-12. This week we held the Induction Ceremony for our High School Student Representative Council members and our Madrichim for 20222-2023. I thanked the students who were elected to their positions for the work they had already done as leaders in the School which has led to other students choosing them for a leadership role. I talked about the serious commitment one makes when taking on leadership – the time needed, the variety of jobs one might have to do (some very mundane like packing up after an event) and the standards one has to uphold. Students were encouraged to consider two things on their leadership journey which answer the question, “How can I be the best leader?”.

1. Do you use your strengths and harness your interests as you participate in various teams. Together we accomplish so much more than when operating in silos. “The sum of our parts is greater than our whole.”
2. Put your best foot forward. Regardless of whether you feel tired, frustrated, or any other perfectly human emotion, turn up with your best self. Be open, listen, co-operate, care.

Parents of our new Madrichim enjoyed a morning tea with the students and key staff after the ceremony. Much naches!

Mazal tov to our new Student Representative Council:

Year 7

• Sofia Berkovic
• Lily Foltyn
• Benjamin Freed
• Summer Glass
• Zara Gorelik
• Rebecca Salamon

Year 8

• Johnny Menczel
• Hannah Rembach
• Elke Selinger

Year 9

• Ariel Solomon
• Daliah Smargarinsky

Year 10

• Kian Hamburger
• Lani Israel
• Elise Kitchener
• Alice Milner
• Amelia Trope

Coby New (Head Madrich), Ruby Brody (Head Madricha), Scott Reuveny, Eden Levitt, Ruby Grynberg and Adam Rothschild

Ma’ayan Granot and Jamie Schneider, Meir House Madrichim

Jake Newfield and Ruby Miller, Szenes House Madrichim

Tess Endrey and Daniel Langman, Rabin House Madrichim

Jake Sharp and Arielle Melamed, Rashi House Madrichim

The Emanuel School Big Band and the Senior Choir entertained parents, staff and students at the Madrichim Induction. Click on the image below to hear the Choir’s rendition of Radioactive. It was one of many highlights of the morning.

Trial HSC examinations

Students in Year 12 are halfway through their Trial HSC examinations. It has been smooth sailing, considering we are talking about siting examinations! Our students work hard and deserve the results they achieve. I look forward to seeing some relieved faces after their last examinations next week and hopefully MANY excited faces when they receive their results.

Project Baruch

Last term students were encouraged to share their wishes, dreams and blessings for the new building. Tany Milner and Marla Bozic (Foundation Board President) had the honour of scattering these blessings into the foundation of the building prior to the concrete pour.

The students’ thoughts and prayers were carefully crafted, showing a deep connection to and excitement for the space that will be a part of the School’s landscape for generations to come. We collected over 400 blessings in total. Please take a moment to read a selection of these below. 

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Special guest

David Knoll AM (Union of Progressive Judaism) with Anna Kislanski and our new Head Madrichim

This week I met Anna Kislanski, the CEO of The Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism. Ms Kislanski is visiting Australia to see what Jewish schools and organisations look like here. A number of staff members were involved in discussions with Ms Kislanski around engagement with Israel in the classroom and beyond. Ms Kislanski was impressed with our School and our new Head Madrichim.

Community Connections – we want you!

We are developing a registry of Emanuel School parents and community members willing to share their career and industry experience and insight, to assist students/alumni who are interested in specific career paths. Your input would be invaluable to our young adults as they venture into the next stage of their lives. You can register here and our Careers Advisor, Claire Pech, will be in touch.

Tikkun olam

So many of our students are involved in projects to raise funds and awareness for a number of charities both in Australia and abroad. Our students embody the characteristics of a mensch – they are upstanders and compassionate advocates for those who don’t have a voice. This week I focus specifically on two students (and their supporters) who have made a very tangible impact.

“It is important to raise money and awareness for charities … because these things (mostly) have solutions that are within reach. We are incredibly lucky to be living in Australia, but many others around the world experience hardships of all sorts, and we are all human – every life is equal – thus, we should do all that is in our power to help those who aren’t able to help themselves”. ~ Sarah Manoy, Year 9

Against Malaria bike ride

Sarah Manoy, Year 9, and her peers watched a documentary about children in Africa and the prevalence of the entirely preventable disease of malaria. Sarah was deeply affected by the statistics, which inspired her to raise money for the charity, Against Malaria, by organising a sponsored bike ride around Centennial Park. Sarah and her Emanuel friends (Kaila Nabarro, Niek Nathan, Max Salamon, Jordan Pal, Sam Salamon, Arielle Sharp, Julia Manoy and Maya Balkin) rode multiple laps of Centennial Park, raising over $1,590 for the charity. This money will be used to purchase 439 anti-malaria nets – enough to protect an entire village! To support Sarah and her team to fund the aim of 450 nets, you can donate here.

World’s Greatest Shave

Daniel Langman, Ethan Zines (both Year 11) and Joseph Peacock shaved their heads on Wednesday to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation. This was no easy feat, taking almost 40 minutes to go from a full head of hair to bald as an eagle! Team Emanuel has raised $1483 via sponsorship and $323 from students’ gold coin donations on the day. They’re only $200 away from raising enough money to aid future breakthroughs by funding a major blood cancer research project for one week. To support Team Emanuel click here.

Grandparents and Friends – please join us

A reminder to remind all grandparents of our upcoming Grandparents and Friends Day on Friday 16 September. As we had to cancel this special Rosh Hashanah-themed event for the past two years due to COVID, this will be the first time some Primary children and their grandparents will experience what is always a special morning for all. 

Mazal tov

Romy McCorquodale in action

A massive mazal tov to Romy McCorquodale, Year 10, who has been selected for the full NSW U16 Soccer State Squad representing NSW in the National Championships in September 2022. She has also been invited to train with Sydney FC Women’s Team next year. 

Abigail Romain, Year 2, won the Sun-Herald colouring-in competition  Her prize was the book Boss Ladies of Science which explores science innovations and discoveries from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Quote of the week

“One part of Judaism (is) called tikkum olam. It says that the world has been broken into pieces. All this chaos, all this discord. And our job – everyone’s job – is to try to put the pieces back together. To make things whole again … Maybe we’re the pieces. Maybe what we’re supposed to do is come together. That’s how we stop the breaking.” ~ Rachel Cohn, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist

A man of words

Eliyahu Hajun – Jewish Studies Teacher

A man of words

The book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) begins with the words: “These are the words that Moshe addressed to all Israel on the other side of Jordan”. A whole book was required to include all of Moshe’s lengthy speech!

There is quite a contrast between this verse and how Moshe had portrayed himself in the past, when God wanted to make him the leader of the Jewish People. Back then Moshe said: “I am not a man of words. I am slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Exodus 4:10).

And so, how is it that now he’s turned into such a big talker?

The Midrash answers this contradiction with the following parable:

Once upon a time there was a man who was selling scarlet coloured wool. As the king strode past, he glanced at the man. Upon hearing his voice, the king called to the man and said: “What are you selling?” The man responded back: “Nothing”. The king said: “I heard your voice, you said scarlet wool, and now you say nothing!” The man says to the king: “My lord, it is true; to me it is scarlet wool, but to you it is nothing”.

As with the parable of the man, the same is with Moshe. Before his Lord, God, who created the mouth and speech, Moshe says: “I am not a man of words”. However, to the Israelites he is.

A Message of Peace

Later in Parashat Devarim, on their way to Israel and after being told not to attack Edom and Moab, God commands Moshe to occupy Israel from Sihon. Surprisingly, Moshe does not carry out the instruction. Instead of starting a war, he started peace negotiations. The authors of the Midrash were puzzled by Moshe’s behaviour, wondering why he disobeyed God’s command.

Rashi’s interpretation is that God’s command preceded the sending of the angels of peace. These angels were sent on the initiative of Moshe, despite that command. Not only was God not resentful of this, but on the contrary, God agreed with him.

Why did Moshe choose peace over war? Rashi explains according to the Midrash, that the meaning of the verse: “Then I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to King Sihon of Heshbon with an offer of peace” (Deuteronomy 2:26) is that from both God’s leadership and the giving of the Torah we learned to strive for peace before war. God’s leadership becomes clear during their exodus from Egypt. Even though God knew that Pharaoh would not listen, he sent Moshe to him to try to negotiate.

Here too, Moshe operates in the same way. The divine commandment, not only was unequivocal in its obligation, but it also left no room for doubt that this would indeed happen in practice. Because of this, Moshe turns and offers Sihon the most generous peace deal he could. He knew for sure that God would harden his heart. Precisely because of this, he was not afraid to offer a peace proposal that explicitly contradicted the divine command. Only when he received a negative answer from Sihon, which was accompanied by the gathering of the army and a declaration of war, he went out to fight him.

There is a great moral lesson here for many areas of life. We all have many struggles throughout our life. Some of them are terrible and unjust. There is no doubt that every person who can fight for justice is required to do so with all his might. However, before going into battle, just and necessary as it may be, he would do well to start with peace talks, even if they may have no influence.

Primary News

Felicity Donohue – Co-ordinator of Gifted & Talented (K-6)

Accelerating gifted students
Push the accelerator or release the brakes?

In many of my recent conversations with families of gifted students in Primary School, the notion of acceleration has been raised in regards to a child’s giftedness.

It is important to note that although a student may be gifted, there are a range of strategies that can be implemented in order to develop talent in these students. There is a common misconception that if a student is identified as gifted, they must be pushed in order to reach their full potential. While this may be true for some students, it can prove to be detrimental to others. 

Research shows gifted students must learn at a pace and level appropriate to their intellectual abilities and academic needs, in order to fully engage in their learning. It is possible that acceleration may be one provision for a gifted student, but as each child is unique and individual in their own way, careful consideration needs to be made in the best interests of the child.

If we use the analogy of driving a car and the notion of acceleration, when we push the accelerator pedal, the car goes faster. This is not the case for gifted students. Academic acceleration does not involve pushing a child to go faster. Rather, academic acceleration is the use of a strategy that releases the constraints of year-level curriculum, allowing a student to learn according to their own speed of learning. 

Therefore, acceleration strategies can be implemented within the classroom context. Students have the opportunity to accelerate through the curriculum in ability grouping settings. For example, a group of students in a Year 5 extension maths class do not access the same curriculum outcomes as a core class. Teachers will ensure they are covering the appropriate content, but if the need arises to achieve learning outcomes at a higher level, approaches may be adjusted accordingly. Students are exposed to appropriate curriculum according to their needs, when developmentally appropriate. 

Yes, acceleration works. What needs to be clear is that acceleration opportunities don’t just stem from jumping up by an additional year level. If a student is within a particularly strong cohort of peers, accelerating the individual is not providing any more benefit than working in ability groupings with their peers in their same year level. 

I encourage families to also consider student engagement in learning too. Following on from Katie Brody’s article from last week, students need to be equipped with appropriate learning strategies that allow them to be active participants in the learning process. Francoys Gagne’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent identifies a range of catalysts that transform a student’s gifts into talents. Acceleration is only one possible piece of a very individualised and complex puzzle. Time and motivation are two influential components of talent development and for each child so we must ask ourselves if we are pushing the accelerator or releasing the breaks. Is this child being provided with a range of catalysts? Are they ready to step into engaging in their learning? Are we targeting their areas for  development (study skills, social and emotional regulation are a few examples here)? Is this the appropriate age and stage for my child? 

The aim of this article is not to diminish the value of acceleration. Rather, care must be taken when considering the case for acceleration for each child in their unique context.

Ma Koreh

Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary

Last Friday Year 6 visited the Sydney Jewish Museum to complement Project Heritage and their Jewish Studies learning focus on pre-war Jewish Life in Europe and Nazi Germany in the 1930s. After a couple of years of not being able to go to the Museum, it was a privilege to be back and be joined by 20 Year 6 parents. Our visit involved an informative guided tour, moving survivor testimonies and workshops by museum educators. The students were complimented by the guides and educators on their knowledge, attentiveness, thoughtful questions and focus during the visit. Thank you to students, staff, parents and to the amazing Sydney Jewish Museum guides and educators for an informative and meaningful visit.

Two students, Ethan Winter and Kayla Strous, have some of their reflections from the visit:

Aviva Fox is a Holocaust survivor born in what is now Catanica in Bosnia and Herzegovina. When the Nazis took over her town they started persecuting and rounding up Jews. Aviva, with her father and mother, ran into the nearby woods to escape and hide. They were taken in by the local partisans who looked after them but they had a deal with the German invaders. If they didn’t attack the town, the Nazis would not kill them. The Nazis discovered Aviva and her parents in hiding and shot her father. Aviva and her mother escaped and her mother put Aviva in the care of a wealthy Muslim family who protected Aviva and pretended that she was Muslim. Tragically, her mother was taken away to Auschwitz where she was murdered. Aviva was adopted and taken to South Africa, which at the time was under the Apartheid regime. Aviva, her adopted brother Egon and his wife Miriam Sonnenschein, eventually moved to Australia. Aviva is now retired and regularly speaks to students when they visit the Sydney Jewish Museum, sharing her incredible life story and message of courage, tolerance and respect. By Ethan Winter

After listening to Aviva tell her engaging life story we were split up into four groups for a tour of the Museum. My grandma (Leora Ross) was my tour guide. First, she took us to this incredible painting of George Street and we learnt about the Jewish convicts and first settlers who came to Australia. Next Leora took us upstairs to learn about the Shoah. We saw a map of Europe which showed the pre-war Jewish population and the total number of Jews who died from each country during the Holocaust. She told us the inspiring story of how the kind people of Denmark managed to get its Jews onto boats and sent them to safety in Sweden. It was such an interesting excursion which helped me learn and understand so much more about the Shoah.
By Kayla Strous

Futsal news

Aytek Genc – coach

State Futsal Championships

Following on from the great success of the Emanuel Primary futsal teams at the State Championships, the High School teams followed suit, in what was a huge week at the NSW Schools State Futsal Championships, hosted by Football NSW at South Windsor last week. 

Over the course of the week, the Emanuel 14 Years boys, 14 Years girls, 16 Years boys, 18 Years girls and 18 Years boys all competed in the State finals following their progression from the Regional Championships earlier in the year. The 16 Years girls team had also qualified, but had to unfortunately withdraw from the competition due to Maccabiah Games commitments, with many of the team members representing Australia. 

As always, the competition was incredibly strong with the best school futsal teams from State, Catholic and Independent schools in New South Wales. 

Congratulations to all players in these squads on their incredible performance on the day: 

14 Years girls: State quarter-finals (top 8 in NSW)
14 Years boys: competed in State Championships (top 20 in NSW)
16 Years boys: State quarter-finals (top 8 in NSW)
16 Years girls: qualified for State Championships (top 20 in NSW)
18 Years boys: competed in State Championships (top 20 in NSW)
18 Years girls: State semi-finals (top 4 in NSW)

A special mention to the 16 Years boys team, who not only made it through to the quarter-finals, but did so with a heavily depleted squad due to Maccabiah Games and injuries. Well done to Shai Farhy, Reece Carr, Boaz Hadad, Ben Maserow and David Winter. 

16 Years Boys Team

Congratulations to the 18 Years girls team who has set a new Emanuel High School record and equalling the Primary record also set last week, making the semi-finals, despite some very jet-lagged players. Well done to Riley Carr, Ella Engler, Eden Levitt, Romy McCorquodale, Alice Milner, Lucia Meyer and Sienna Poswell. A special mention to Riley Carr of Year 7 who played in all three divisions this year, 14 Years, 16 Years and 18 Years, and has shown great potential as a young player, and also to Romy McCorquodale whose performance in goals was outstanding. 

18 Years Girls Team

ASISSA Weekly Futsal Competition

On Monday the new weekly ASISSA Futsal Competition for Years 5-6 boys commenced with great success. The competition will be hosted this term by Emanuel, with teams from Mount Sinai and Moriah College competing each Monday afternoon. It was great to see the enthusiasm from all players and spectators this week, and we wish the Emanuel boys the best of luck for the season. 

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Primary weekly sport competitions – Term 4

Kristy Genc – Director of Sports K-12

In Term 4, Emanuel will be entering teams into a variety of weekly sports competitions for Primary students. The full schedule of all sport options will be released in Week 6 on the Parent Portal, however we are now calling for expressions of interest for new weekly sport competitions to ensure that the correct number of teams and age groups can be accommodated. 

In Term 4 we are looking to enter Primary teams into the following competitions: 

Futsal (indoor soccer): Years 3-6 – playing in the Sunday Rose Bay competition
Basketball: Years 5-6 – playing in the Sunday Easts Basketball League
Netball: Years 3-6 students – playing in the Thursday afternoon Summer Heffron competition
Oztag: Years 5-6 – playing in the Heffron Summer Competition (Boys Wednesday afternoon and Girls Thursday afternoons)

The teams entered will depend on the level of interest within particular age groups.

If your child is interested in playing in one of the competition sports listed above, please complete the expression of interest form here. 

Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl

The children have all arrived back at Pre-school very happy, settled, and eager to learn and play with their friends.

The classrooms are already buzzing with activities, provocations, wonderings, and lots of learning together with their friends and educators.

Bush School

Bush School visits have started again this term and we are delighted to be able to take the children into nature to experience all its offerings, joy and tranquillity.

This term, all three groups will be participating in walks down to Centennial Park for Bush School. Last week, the Seashells experienced their first walk out of the gate. We are excited for them to discover the wonders of nature and how special it is to have this uninterrupted time to engage with nature at Bush School.

Bush School is proving to be such a wonderful part of our curriculum, and it’s interesting to note, that with each visit comes a very different experience. Each session in the bush is special and memorable and the children are able to recall experiences from each week.

Niki Buchan, author of Children in Wild Nature says: “For many, Bush School provides opportunities for new experiences and new skills. It may be climbing a tree or building a ‘nature house’ and decorating it with leaves. It might be creating a family of mice out of Banksia or going pretend fishing using sticks and leaves. Being in nature promotes imaginative play.

“Children who have first-hand experiences of nature also appreciate what it means to live sustainably. Such experience is vital when considering the contribution that nature-based learning can offer to sustainable lifestyles and the delivery of education for sustainability.

“The bush can offer a sensual smorgasbord with lots of tactile experiences, a sense of timelessness, freedom and a sense of belonging to the place. The children become confident, capable, and relaxed in natural environments.

Bush School is about letting the children be, having time to explore and time to feel the sense of freedom. It allows for more open-ended communication and a less routine-based program. Outdoor nature play is authentic, real and hands-on learning. It develops an increase in children’s independence, confidence and creativity and physical and emotional resilience”. 

Shabbat family visits

This term, we are delighted to be able to welcome families into the Pre-school, when their child is sitting at the Shabbat table.

Each Friday in Term 3, a small group of parents will join us to share in our beautiful weekly Shabbat celebrations. For many parents, this is the first time they are coming into the Pre-school this year, due to COVID restrictions. We have missed daily interactions with families, and thus our Shabbat visits are extra special and meaningful for parents, educators and children.

Shabbat is a warm, spiritual time, filled with tradition and rituals that are familiar and bring a sense of security and belonging to us all. The children are involved, sing along with enthusiasm and delight in Rabbi Ninio’s weekly stories, as well as asking Rabbi Kamins or Rabbi Ninio some very thought-provoking questions:

Xander: Why do we say Amen after we say a Bracha?
Rabbi Ninio: It means that if you are not the person saying the prayer, that you are agreeing with what was being said by saying “Amen”.
Luca: Why does Shabbat have lots of people in it?
Rabbi Kamins: Shabbat is more joyful when we share and include everyone. A person should not be alone for Shabbat.

Buddy reading

Buddy Reading has begun again this term with the Year 2 classes. This year we seem to have so many siblings and past Kornmehl children in the Year 2 cohort. It is special to see siblings, or cousins sitting side by side and proudly reading together. We value this time together enormously and recognise the many benefits that shared reading has for both parties. This is a meaningful way to not only have stories read, but also to build connections that will bridge the gap between Pre-school and Primary School.

Happy Birthday

We wish a very happy birthday to Dean Kersh (5), Hugo Marishel (5), Sienna Lawton (5) and Rose Rodny (4). We also wish a very happy birthday to our special educator Heather Marshall. We hope you all had a beautiful day.

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Farewell

Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

Farewell

Yigal Nisell, the JNF Education Shalliach came to Sydney for a three-year contract but stayed for seven! He is a familiar face to many of our students and staff who have met him and heard him speak at assemblies, as well as at smaller gatherings here at School where he spoke about the work done by JNF locally and in Israel. Some of us have been privileged to join one of the JNF Educators Tours to Israel which Yigal instigated five years ago. 

In the first three years, the tour was held in January during the Israel’s winter. Unfortunately, there was no tour last year thanks to COVID but this year’s was held in the Israeli summer and participants have just returned, along with four Emanuel staff – Barnaby Wilbury (Year 6 teacher), Felicity Donohue (Co-ordinator of Gifted and Talented, K-6), Hayley Chester (Year 1 teacher) and Jennifer Senator (Kornmehl and Jewish Studies Administration Assistant).

Past Emanuel parent, Emma Fredman, now a teacher at Kensington Public School said of her experience: “Summer was, in my opinion, a much better time to be Israel – I have just one word ‘watermelon’ – I ate it for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the tour”.

You may not know that Yigal’s wife, Noa, is a qualified pastry chef and until recently, was creating her yummy treats at Friendship Bakery every week since the bakery opened a year ago. They return to Israel with their three children shortly. Around 200 people attended a farewell for Yigal and Noa last Sunday evening, including some of the many people who have worked alongside Yigal, volunteers at JNF and communal dignitaries as well as many past participants of the JNF Educators Tours, including Emanuel staff Daphna Levin-Kahn, Hagit Bar On and I.

Mimi Reinhardt

Mimi Reinhardt and Oskar Shindler

Mimi proved that administrative assistants can be powerful forces for good or evil, depending on their own personal qualities. She wasn’t much of a typist, but she knew shorthand and spoke flawless German. So, Mimi Reinhard, an Austrian Jew, who was being held in a Nazi labour camp near Krakow, Poland, during World War II, was given an office job. In that capacity, she would play a small but important role in one of the great heroic stories to emerge from the Holocaust, one in which the Nazis were outwitted and the lives of more than 1,100 Jews, including hers.

The unlikely hero was Oskar Schindler, the Nazi intelligence officer and war profiteer who ran an enamelware factory near Krakow. A womaniser and heavy drinker who was often bribing the German authorities to have his way, he initially exploited the Jews as a source of cheap labour. But as he witnessed the horrors of the murderous Nazi regime, he risked his life and his fortune to become their protector.

His acts of subterfuge included creating a list of workers whom he deemed “essential” for the Nazi war effort. In reality, these were Jews whom he wanted to spare from all but certain annihilation. The list of “workers” included children, women, a girl dying of cancer, rabbis, friends of his and anyone else whose name he could remember.

His list started with about 400 names. While visiting the Plaszow labour camp, where Mrs Reinhard worked, he would ask her to type up the list, which kept growing as he and others added more names. Past Emanuel grandparent, the late Martin Biggs Z”L whose surname was originally Biegeleisen was a survivor of the Plaszow Concentration Camp, and one of the young Jewish boys whose name was on that list, which became known as Schindler’s List.

Apparently it was a very informal list, and every day someone handed Mimi more names, and the list had to be typed again and again. We know that she even put her own name on the list and three of her friends. It was Mrs Reinhard, who never learned to type beyond using two fingers, who produced the final clean manifest of names that would be presented to Nazi officials. Instead of being shipped to the gas chambers, the people listed were all sent to a Schindler munitions factory in the area of Czechoslovakia, then known as the Sudetenland, where their lives were spared.

These preliminary lists later inspire a novel by Thomas Kenealy and the film with historical distortion Schindler’s List by Steven Spielberg.

Australian Jewish Fertility Network (AJFN) major event 
Wednesday 9 August 2022

AJFN has helped many families in our community over the years and will continue to do so again in years to come. Their team includes members of our School community including current parents Rebecca Abraham, Support Program Manager and Committee members Sarah Robuck, Leigh Goldberg and Amy Friedlander as well as alumni Kate Samowitz and Leanne Kawalski.

There is still time to book for their annual major fundraising event next week, the proceeds of which will enable AJFN to spend the rest of the year helping the people in our community struggling with infertility.

A message from the AJFN: We are so thankful to all our wonderful event sponsors, who are part of our village, and believe as we do, that no Jewish Australian should be alone on their fertility journey.💙

Through the generous support of our event sponsors, we are able to produce a high calibre event that brings the community together, opens the conversation around fertility and highlights the vital work that AJFN does. Most importantly, our event sponsors ensure that every dollar you donate goes directly towards supporting the 44 families that urgently need our help to try to create their little miracle. Join us at Roundhouse OR online on Wednesday 10 August 2022, 6.30 pm for a moving, and inspirational event.  Be part of our village and together we can create miracles.✨.

Support the businesses who support our community:

Evolution Capital IVFAustralia  Genea  PACIFIC Bondi Beach  The Bottom Line JT Allen Real Estate Norton Rose Fulbright Sherpa Works Adora Fertility  Ashe Morgan Belinda International  Toy Corp Jeremy Wiesner  Aéde  Allied Care Solutions FreightSafe  Horizon – Residential & Commercial Builders  @Shweetiebox  Swimart (Rose Bay) Virtual Graffiti Australia

Book now

Westfield Local Heroes 2022
Voting closes Monday 22 August 2022

This program has seen a number of Emanuel community members win the title of Westfield Local Hero over the years including alumna Rikki Stern (Class of 2016), founder of Cancer Chicks Australia and past parent Lisa Saunders (Arnie’s Recon), a social enterprise offering free pick up and recycling of e-waste as well as Chana Kavka, founder of Friendship Circle, an organisation I often write about on my page. This year one of the nominees is past parent Josh Oshlack. Many of your children will have met Josh here at School when he came to speak with our students and explain how he uses music to improve the quality of life of children and others with special needs. As the founder of The Rhythm Village, he runs workshops and music therapy sessions for about 100 children at schools and other venues in the Bondi area every week. Participants improve their wellbeing by singing, dancing and performing together.

As a nominee this year, you may see, just as I did, Josh’s photo up on display as you walk through the Centre.

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities. The finalist with the most community votes will become the Westfield Bondi Junction Local Hero for 2022, receiving a $20,000 grant for the organisation they represent. If Josh is successful, The Rhythm Village will fund workshops for children with special needs at Rose Bay Secondary College, The Friendship Circle, Vaucluse Primary School and Wairoa School.

Vote for Josh in the ‘Bondi Junction’ section

Remember September

Way too many members of our extended community die from Pancreatic Cancer, as do many other Australians. Alumnus Ben Wilheim started a charity in 2014, Remember September to honour his late father Danny who sadly succumbed to this dreaded cancer and Ben hopes through this charity, they will raise funds to not only educate the public about this disease but to also find a cure. 

Ma Nishma is read by parents and also by many of our grandparents. If you know of grandparents who are not receiving Ma Nishma but would like to, please send me their email address and we will add them to our database. We also have a bi-annual Grandparents and Friends newsletter which was emailed last week to all grandparents on our database. I hope you too will enjoy reading this newsletter and our latest Alumni newsletter. 

We certainly have some wonderful graduates, many of whom still have great connections with our School community. 

Sydney Nolan Exhibition SJM
Thursday 21 July 2022 – Sunday 23 October 2022
Shaken to His Core: The Untold Story of Nolan’s Auschwitz

If you plan to visit this exhibition on either Sunday 7 August 2022 or 21 August 2022 for the morning session, please come and say hello to me as I will be helping host at the exhibition on these two mornings. You might see other familiar Emanuel faces if you are there on another day. Book tickets.    

SJM – Shaken to his Core – brochure

LimmudOz – Yom Limmud 2022 
Sunday 11 September 2022

Early bird tickets extended – buy before midnight on Wednesday 10 August  2022 to get 10 hours of challenging, inspiring Jewish ideas at a bargain. $65.00 adult | $39.00 concession/under 30s | volunteer and save even more. Book now!

The program for this live event on Sunday 11 September 2022 will be out soon. You can look forward to laughing and learning with some of the most dynamic educators and inspiring thought leaders from around the Jewish world, who are flying into Australia to join us in person for the first time since 2019.

Friendship Circle Walk 
Sunday 28 August 2022

This will be the first in-person walk since the beginning of COVID. Many of our Emanuel families get involved with this event every year, where funds are raised to help create camps, getaways, social opportunities and vocational opportunities that bring people with and without disabilities together.  A fantastic program is planned for this event, with food and drinks for sale, and free entertainment for the kids. The whole family will love our petting zoo, drumming circle, inflatable obstacle course, bubble performance, magic show, amazing DJ and more! Here is more information.

FC Walk 2022

Friendship Circle (FC) camps

If you have older children aged between 18 and 25 who would like to volunteer for FC’s Junior or Teen Getaways in August and September please encourage them to register. FC which is always seeking volunteers for their local weekend day programs too, so your teenage school children may also be interested in volunteering. They will be heading to the beautiful Southern Highlands for their Teen Getaway from 9 September 2022 -11 September 2022 and are looking for a few more male volunteers to join them. This is a fantastic opportunity for those aged 18-25 who have graduated high school to be involved in the community, meet a wonderful group of young people, and support children and teenagers with disabilities: Register here.

Please contact FC Getaway Coordinator Jaimi with any questions.

Friendship Circle upcoming Getaways

Alumna Sophie Lew at FC camp

Friendship Bakery

Friendship Bakery put on a spectacular evening last week as a “thank you” to Emanuel parent Ilana Akres, Noa Nisell and Michelle Fletcher Galper. Sender and Chana Kavka expressed their thanks and appreciation for their hard work and contributions on this journey during the first year of the Bakery, and the bakers shared their thanks and stories. Michael Karseboom said: “Thank you Ilana for being patient, thank you Noa for being fun, and thank you to Michelle for being hard-working.”

Ilana Akres, Noa Nissel and Michelle Fletcher Galper

Everyone involved with the Bakery, including the many regular customers, wish Noa all the best for her trip back to Israel and are so grateful for her expertise and her delicious recipes that will help the bakery continue to delight their customers.

On Fridays between 8.00 am and 2.00 pm you will find a range of speciality baked goods available: click here. The Bakery is also open with a limited offering Monday to Wednesday, 9.00 am – 1.00 pm. Watch this space for an introduction to their new team members.

Camp Sababa

At the end of every year, a number of our Year 12 students volunteer to be buddies at this annual camp for children with special needs. Alumna Maya Pollak (Class of 2001) has volunteered for many years as Chair of Camp Sababa and in a conversation with her this week, she asked me to pass these details on to our School Community: Camp Sababa is an annual four day, three night camp in December for kids with special needs. We buddy our campers with Year 12 graduates (including from Emanuel) and provide recreation for kids, respite for families and advocacy for the special needs community. We receive our funding from the Sony Foundation, JCA (administered via JewishCare), the Wolper Foundation and the Choice Foundation. 

This year we have capacity to bring on some fresh young campers (age 7 and up). Given most of our funding is via the Jewish community, we wanted to provide you and all the Jewish schools with the priority for enrolment. This is a wonderful experience for campers and we have families returning to camp each year and have built a very special community.

For any queries regarding the level of need and camp, please contact Hilary Jacobsen. We also have more information and steps to apply on our website.  

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

Shabbat shalom, stay safe, stay warm and have a great weekend.

Who is Alex Levy?

Each month, we find out more about a nominated staff member. 

SPOTLIGHT ON … ALEXANDRA (ALEX) LEVY

What is your role at Emanuel School?
I am an Early Childhood teacher at Kornmehl and the educational Leader at the Pre-school.

I teach the Dolphin group at the Pre-school. As the Educational Leader, I work closely with Terry Aizen, the Director. Some of my responsibilities include: collaborating with educators and providing curriculum direction and guidance, supporting educators to effectively implement the cycle of planning to enhance programs and practices, and leading the development and implementation of an effective educational program in the service.

What roles have you held before that you enjoyed/ led you to this point?
Since beginning my teaching career in 1988, I have taught in a in a Jewish day school in my native city of Buenos Aires, Argentina (where I come from), then at the House at Pooh Corner at the University of New South Wales and then came to Kornmehl Pre-school at Emanuel.

Other roles I held since I graduated include: being an ad-honorem professor’s assistant at the Teaching Institute in Buenos Aires, a madricha in a Jewish club and organising children’s birthday parties.

What inspired you to become a teacher?
Becoming a teacher has always been my dream. I still remember the endless hours playing ‘teachers’ when I was a little kid, lining up all my dolls and drawing on a small blackboard.

One of my biggest inspirations has been knowing that as a teacher, I can make a difference in the life of a child and that I can help make their childhood playful and wondrous and a little bit magical.

Is there a lesson/s that a student taught you in the past you feel you have carried forward/ currently apply in your teaching or everyday life?
I can honestly say that I have learnt many lessons with the children and from the children. And when I say children, I’m referring to three-, four- and five-year-olds! 

The biggest lesson that I carry forward and apply not only to my teaching, but also my personal life, has been to persevere when things don’t come easy. I have witnessed some children working so hard at gaining a skill, trying over and over for days and weeks, and not giving up even when things became really challenging. 

Do you have a favourite memory from teaching?
I have lots of favourite memories from teaching…but if I had to choose one, I would probably say the smile on the children’s faces when they proudly achieve that skill they had been working so hard to attain.

What are your impressions of Emanuel School?
I absolutely LOVE Emanuel School and I know I can be a bit biased when I talk about the School… I love the School as a parent, an educator and a community member. The warmth, inclusiveness, collegiality, and the driving goal to instil a love of learning and curiosity in children are some of the things I love the most at Emanuel.

Bushwalking with her partner

What do you do to unwind/ what do you enjoy doing outside school hours?
Some of the things I enjoy doing outside school hours are going for coastal walks with my partner, going to the gym, meeting a friend for coffee and getting together with friends and family on the weekend.

One of my biggest passions is playing beach volleyball at my local beach.

I love to travel to visit my family in Buenos Aires, Puerto Rico and Israel.

I also enjoy going camping in Mystery Bay over the long holidays.

What song do you know all the lyrics to?
Greatest love of all by Whitney Houston.

What do you wish you could tell your 12- year -old self?
To my 12- year-old self, I would say:  trust yourself, always ‘give things a go” and take more risks…

If you could pass on any wisdom to your students, what would you share?
It is never too late to try something new, believe in yourself. It may look too hard and overwhelming at first, but with effort and perseverance, almost everything is possible!

Alex with her family

Careers

Claire Pech – Careers Advisor

Community Connections

We are looking to widen our community connections to industry and the world of work to assist our senior students and alumni.

If you (parents and community members) would like to be involved (at a variety of levels from your choosing) please click here to register your interest.

Arts and Social Science 
Why study it?

UAC Digital – Let’s Chat: Social Science and Arts Social Science and Arts degrees cover many different areas of study and specialties. UAC want to help students navigate the different degrees and applications. This online event covers a panel from Sydney University, University Technology Sydney and Macquarie University discussing the many options for studying and getting career-ready to use these skills.

Topics covered include:

• Which HSC courses are recommended for these degrees?
• What degrees and majors are available
• Entry requirements
• How universities prepare students to be job-ready in a competitive job market
• Career opportunities
• What to do if you don’t meet your dream course’s entry requirements?

Time: 6.00 pm on Wednesday 10 August 2022
Location: Online details and registration here.

Sydney University

Webinars are being held during August. Each topic below is a weblink to register for the event:

• How Archaeology, Ancient History and Science Converge | Wednesday 10 August 2022 4.00 pm – 4.30 pm
• Life of a Biologist | Wednesday 17 August 2022 4.00 pm – 4.30 pm
• Pathways to Global Literacy | Wednesday 24 August 2022 4.00 pm – 4.30 pm
• Engineering – Industry Engagement | Wednesday 31 August  2022 4.00 pm – 4.30 pm
• Life of a Mathematician | Wednesday 31 August 2022 5.00 pm – 5.30 pm

Good Universities Guide

This guide has some great articles, in particular for Years 11 and 12 students, to help them make decisions regarding their studies and careers. Articles include:

• How to know if it’s the right course for you? 
• How can you cultivate your own personal brand? 
• Graduate Ratings Salaries 
• What are some good flexible jobs for Uni students? 

Defence-sponsored studying

The Australian Defence Forces sponsor students to study areas that are in demand. Have a look here for detailed information. Areas in demand currently are:

• Engineering
  • Aeronautical
  • Electrical
  • Mechanical
  • Civil
• Computing and Cyber Security

The disciplines that will be offered in 2023 will be confirmed on the DCUS website in August 2022.

Arts and Social Science 
Why study it?

UAC Digital – Let’s Chat: Social Science and Arts Social Science and Arts degrees cover many different areas of study and specialties. UAC want to help students navigate the different degrees and applications. This online event covers a panel from Sydney University, University Technology Sydney and Macquarie University discussing the many options for studying and getting career-ready to use these skills.

Topics covered include:

• Which HSC courses are recommended for these degrees?
• What degrees and majors are available
• Entry requirements
• How universities prepare students to be job-ready in a competitive job market
• Career opportunities
• What to do if you don’t meet your dream course’s entry requirements?

Time: 6.00 pm on Wednesday 10 August 2022
Location: Online details and registration here.

HSC Drama Showcase

Poem in my Pocket Day

Primary students – celebrate Emanuel’s Poem in my Pocket Day by selecting a poem you love, carrying it in your pocket and sharing it with everyone one you meet!

All day long, poems will be unfolded and shared. Be a part of it! Choose a special poem or write an original one.

Put it in your pocket on Wednesday 10 August 2022 and get ready to share it!

International-a-thon

K-6 International-athon is coming………

There was a buzz of excitement in the air on Tuesday when the Years K-2 students met their amazing Year 5 leaders and found out what country they will be representing at the International-athon on Friday 12 August 2022! They were given passports to help them on their ‘flight!’

Years 3, 4 and 6 students will be meeting their Year 5 leaders next week!

An email was sent to all parents last week with more information as well as the sponsorship form. It’s time for students to start collecting sponsors and thinking about their coloured accessory that they can wear on the day of the -athon.

Don’t forget the canteen specials available through Flexischools to celebrate this exciting day!

Thanking you in advance for helping to make this day a huge success!

By The International-athon Committee

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Calling all Dads!

Plant a tree

Lisa Starkey, HSIE and Design & Technology Teacher | Co-ordinator of High School Sustainability Programs

It was National Tree Day on Sunday 31 July 2022 and last Friday, 29 July 2022, was Schools Tree Day.

As Australia’s largest community tree-planting and nature care event, National Tree Day is an annual event and a call to action for all Australians to get their hands dirty and give back to their community. ​​

Student representatives from Kornmehl, Primary School and High School joined together to mark the day by acknowledging the importance of trees to our world and our wellbeing. Three beautiful citrus trees were planted to be enjoyed by future generations of the Emanuel School Community.

Vitaly Miron, Year 3, shared why trees are so important. Please take a moment to watch Vitaly – his message is so eloquent and passionate.

In the Talmud it says: I found a fruitful world because others had planted it. Just as my ancestors planted for me, I, too, am planting for my descendants.

Let’s sign

Rebecca Gaida – Hebrew Teacher Primary

Israeli sign language שפת הסימנים הישראלית

Shalom!  שלום

This week I was learning all about different types of transport in my Israeli sign language class here are some really useful ones!

Car = Mechonit מכונית
Bus = Autobus אוטובוס
Train = Rakevet רכבת
Helicopter = Masok מסוק
Plane = Matos מטוס
Boat = Sira סירה
Yacht = Yachta יאכטה

Thanks so much to Kira Rothschild, Amali Allul Orozco, Remi Moses, Becky Salamon, Lily Foltyn, Summer Glass, Elise Goldberg and Emily Seemann for featuring in this week’s videos!

Support Friendship Circle

SRC Term 3 Charity announcement

When: Thursday 11 August 2022 
What to wear: a purple accessory
Donation: $2.00 Gold Coin

PSG

Thank you to our volunteers for last week
(Monday 25 July 2022 – Friday 29 July 2022)

Paul Berkovic, Nicky Abitz, Peter Freed, Danielle Greenfield, Ian Doust, Jessica Sikar, Yossi Bitton, Alan Epstein, Avi Sharabi, Florette Ickowicz, Daniel Grynberg, Yury Glikin, Shirley Goldrei, Ian Kessell, Brandon Gien, Larry Narunsky, Adam Pozniak, Lisa Goodman, Dmitry Gorelik, Bob Kummerfeld, Leigh Goldberg, Brett Adler, David Camiller, Jackie Elias, Tom Goldman, Greg Judin and Leon Kantor.

Help keep our kids and community safe: sign up to PSG here.

What else is news?