From the Principal

Andrew Watt – Principal

The new normal

The gradual relaxation of the COVID-safe measures over the term has brought us to a point where we are cautiously mixing across Year Groups and many students have chosen not to wear masks on campus. The availability of sport and co-curricular activities has increased significantly, and we can now sing, pray, and enjoy Shabbat together. However, hand sanitising, cough etiquette and ventilation measures continue, and we are keeping a close eye on the daily case numbers. Some students and staff have chosen to maintain the mask wearing and physical distancing indoors. As a community, we are aware of the need to remain home if symptomatic and to test, to protect those around us.

Our commitment to future-focused learning (P-12) 

How can we prepare our students for a life of learning and to thrive the future workplace? How do we best create authentic, relevant learning experiences which encourage our students to build their knowledge and skills? How do we develop their capacity for important life skills, such as collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and communication? These are questions that are constantly on the minds of educators and leaders.

Ari Merten sharing his sage advice with High School students

In a nutshell, our School seeks to provide our students with agency in their learning and opportunities to connect with their passions. We adopt an innovative approach to our teaching and learning, to provide our students with opportunities to develop an inquiry mindset, and to engage with real-world contexts, through which problem-solving and adaptability are fostered. We encourage our students to be reflective in their learning, seeking, and acting on feedback, with a commitment to personal growth, as lifelong learners.

Our Academic Honours Assembly, featuring some of our high achievers in the 2021 HSC, was held this week. This annual event, broadcasted online to parents, serves to recognise, and honour those Year 12 students who achieved outstanding HSC results, through the award of a special medal. Each year, our students get to hear from a high achieving graduate, who describes their journey and provides sage advice. Ari Merten did not disappoint! You can read a transcript of his speech here. This assembly seeks to motivate and inspire our students to value the diligence, perseverance and organisation required to perform consistently at the top level. The Academic Honours Assembly also recognised the efforts and achievements of our High School students, across Semester 2, 2021. The Principal Awards for (combined) Academic Effort and Achievement are awarded, across each Year Group. This is followed by the presentation of the coveted Principal’s Gold Awards, which recognise those students who scored perfect (A) grades in every subject, across both effort and achievement.

Year 12 Wellbeing and Careers 

Year 12 students enjoyed a Wellbeing and Careers session on Tuesday morning with a panel of 2021 alumni (Georgia Kahane, Romi Lapidge and Ari Merten). The Q&A focused on all aspects of managing the excitement, stresses and responsibilities of Year 12 and the students asked a number of pertinent questions. The panelists shared their insights on how to manage stress, organise their schedules, manage a range of other commitments such as student leadership, extra-curricular activities and part time jobs. Thanks to Claire Pech and Christian Bell for organising this valuable event.

An evening to connect – in person!

Last years New Parents Welcome event, held fortuitously between lockdowns

Every year we welcome new parents to the School as well as existing parents who may have a child starting at Emanuel. I am delighted that on Monday 21 March  we will be finally be hosting our first face-to-face event – our New Parents Welcome Evening. This is a very exciting milestone and I look forward to meeting the new and ‘not-so-new’ members of our wonderful parent body. 

Making a difference in our community – Tikkun Tonga

In late January, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai undersea volcano violently erupted, disrupting the lives of many Tongan families. The resultant tsunami caused widespread devastation, with communication lines between parts of Tonga and the rest of the world cut off. This has made it nearly impossible for families to remain connected and for proper assistance to be provided. The disaster also directly impacted an Emanuel family, as their relatives’ village was destroyed during the tsunami, resulting in a lack shelter, food, and water. Emanuel families can make a difference, by contributing to an essential item collection, planned for Week 6.

The High School SRC is asking that Year 7 and 8 bring in tinned vegetables and fruit, Year 9 and 10, toiletries and Year 11 and 12, cutlery and kitchen utensils, this coming Monday to the MPH upon arrival to school.

Primary students are invited to bring two of the following items to school next week: flour, sugar, rice, tinned fish, tinned vegetables, cooking oil, washing powder, dishwashing liquid, tea towels, shampoo, soap, sanitary pads, baby wipes, toothbrushes and toothpaste. Primary parents, please read Ma Koreh in this edition of Ma Nishma for further information. 

We are grateful for the way our community practises Tikkun Olam, providing support and care for those in need.

Making a difference in our community – Kids Giving Back

A group of our students and their families were involved in programs run by Kids Giving Back that provided opportunities to assist vulnerable people in the community. Their dedication to helping others during tough times truly illustrates the generous nature of our younger generations, and their desire to be part of changing their community, and the world, for good. During the recent COVID wave and the December /January school holiday period, our students contributed to over preparing and distributing over 5000 meals, care packs and new backpacks of school supplies for those in need.

Our students participated in their leisure time and the program facilitators were unanimous in their praise for the enthusiasm and engagement of all our young participants. Mazal tov to Sammy and Josh Ipp, Nadav Pollak, Liam, Alessia and Nava Frankham, Remi Moses, Levi Wasserman, Hugo Scaife, Louis Berg, Sam McKenzie, Miles Borovik, Yoni and Ariel Efrat, Nathan Joshua, Tabitha Masnick, Aaron Eisenberg, Toby Allen, and Orlando van der Starre.

Making a difference – Ukraine

The past weeks have seen the situation the Ukrainian people dramatically escalating. We pray for a swift peaceful solution and our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been and will be affected by this senseless war and the destruction that it leaves in its wake. 

There are many ways to show support for the Ukranian people and a number of charitable organisations are raising much needed funds to help with the daily needs of the Ukrainian communities.

The World Union for Progressive Judaism has launched the Ukraine Crisis Fund to provide assistance to the Jewish community in Ukraine as has JewishKharkiv.org, run by Rabbi Moshe and Miriam Moskowitz who live in Kharkov, Ukraine. There are many other non-denomination organisations raising funds too, including, but certainly not limited to Voices for Children, Ukraine Crisis Appeal, Save the Children, UN Women and Choose Love.

Mazal tov

• Zac Urbach recently set a new regional record in the 200m with a personal best of 22.45s and placed 3rd in the 100m and 200m at the Junior State Championships, now qualifying for nationals.
• Eden Levit showed great speed, placing 6th in the state in the 100m and 7th in the 200m.
• Alex Kirievsky competed in the hammer throw, shot put, and javelin throws at the State Championships. With an outstanding throw of 33.34m, Alex won the event and placed 4th and 8th in shot put and javelin respectively. 

Quote of the week

“…they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” – Isaiah 2:3–4

Primary News

Natanya Milner – Head of Primary School

Leadership Training

Last week’s Year 6 Leadership Training was a three-day event filled with learning, team building activities and fun. It was such a joy to see the children learn the theory of leadership and then apply it as they attempted to complete challenges in groups. They were also able to work in their leadership teams and plan events that fit under their portfolios. The ruach sessions were wonderful and the children were so enthusiastic and engaged. I look forward to seeing what these children are able to achieve in the Primary School this year!

A huge thank you to the team who organised this event including the Year 6 teachers; Dale Kessler, Eamon Lukins, Barnaby Wilbury as well as Adam Carpenter, Josh New, Mia Shapiro, Carrie Thomas and all the staff who mentor Year 6 leadership teams.

ASISSA swimming

Good luck to our ASISSA swimmers for next week’s carnival. I know you have been busily training and I look forward to seeing a day filled with great swimming and sportspersonship! 

Reading

I just wanted to offer encouragement for families to focus upon their children reading for pleasure. Some of our children are avid readers and regularly borrow multiple books from the library. This is wonderful. Some of our children are not choosing to read in their spare time and I wanted to highlight the value of developing these behaviours.

Children who read for pleasure consistently:

• Learn to read more quickly over time
• Perform better on language and literacy measures and have stronger vocabularies
• Have greater general knowledge
• Have greater empathy and understanding of the perspectives of others
• Stimulate optimal patterns of brain development
• Build skills in concentration, memory and creative thinking
• Develop improved skills in comprehension, critical thinking and analysis
• Can reduce stress and promote sleep readiness.

Some of you may be wondering how to encourage these patterns, especially if your children aren’t used to a reading routine. My advice is to start with a ‘hook’. The best hooks include a completely gripping book, an interesting article or lovely time together when it’s reading time. Perhaps it’s a snuggle on the couch while you all read books and drink hot chocolates or perhaps it’s sharing the reading with your child (you would be surprised how many upper Primary students love to be read to by adults). An audio book on long drives can also be a lovely way for children to become engaged with stories. It can be helpful to mix up the offerings including novels as well as briefer newspaper articles, short stories and non-fiction texts.

For reading suggestions and tips, please feel free to ask your class teacher or Samantha Rogut our Head of Library and Information Services. Enjoy!

From the Head of Jewish Life (acting)

Daphna Levin-Kahn – Head of Jewish Studies High School

Integrity and Trust – Dugma Ishit – setting an example – (Pekudei, Shemot (Exodus), Chapter 38 פקודי)

“Power corrupts; Absolute power corrupts absolutely” ~19^th Century British Politician, Lord Acton.

This is often so disheartening, especially when the corruption or lack of integrity is demonstrated by a person in high political office or, in our Western culture, even by celebrities. We hold them in extra high regard and have far greater expectations of them, as we want our leaders to be people we can emulate and trust.

In Judaism, and a special focus at Emanuel School, is the concept of דוגמה אישית/Dugma Ishit. This concept of being a “personal example”, or a role model, is something we aim for in all our students, but especially the leaders, in all areas of school life and outside; whether they are Madrichim or captains of their sport team, SRC leaders or the strongest players in a lunchtime basketball game.

In this final Parasha of Sefer Shemot, the Mishkan, the mobile desert temple or Tabernacle, is ready at last to be assembled for the first time, dedicated to God and ready for the Divine Presence to rest in the Ohel Mo’ed, the Tent of Meeting.

The Torah teaches us a Jewish perspective on leadership in the first verse of our Parasha, Pekudei (Shemot/Exodus 38:21)

“אֵ֣לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֤י הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ מִשְׁכַּ֣ן הָעֵדֻ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר פֻּקַּ֖ד עַל־פִּ֣י מֹשֶׁ֑ה…”
“These are the records of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Pact, which were drawn up at Moshe’s bidding…”

Following this statement is a meticulous inventory of the precise quantities of every material, artefact and precious stone and metal that was donated by the B’nei Yisrael for the building of the mobile temple. The Midrash suggests that some of the people amongst the nation did not trust Moshe with all these riches, after all, why would he not take some for himself? Who would miss a diamond or two or a golden goblet? Why not abuse his position of power? “These are the records of the tabernacle” introduces a public accounting – Moshe publicises here that every single item donated by the people went directly to the Mishkan project.

“This is what we should expect from our leaders; a full accounting of every penny, every political interest and every personal consideration that compromises the public good. But the Midrash also makes clear what our elected officials should expect from us. The people are not criticised or punished for questioning Moshe’s honesty. Instead, they receive an immediate and public response from their leader.” (Rabbi Jill Jacobs, Text Messages, A Torah Commentary for Teens)

Sefer Shemot, the Book of Exodus, begins with the Bn’ei Yisrael in their darkest moment in the Torah – suffering great oppression and discrimination at the hands of the Egyptions. Yet it ends in a moment of collective triumph and light – as we have learned together over the past few weeks, the whole nation has been part of the lengthy process of building this beautiful, glorious and holy place, guided by leaders who demonstrate integrity and trustworthiness, to create a space where God’s presence can be with the people.  

May our world leaders seek to emulate this leadership style and may we all work together to build a glorious world of peace, to create a holy space for God and Humanity to shine.

Shabbat Shalom

Ma Koreh

Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary

Today we mark the beginning of the Hebrew month of Adar אדר, which means Purim פורים is but a couple weeks away. The name of the month אדר Adar, like many of the months in the Hebrew calendar, derives from the ancient Akkadian and Babylonian calendars. Adar אדר is connected to the Hebrew word Adir אדיר – meaning strength.  

The Mazel מזל or star sign for Adar אדר is the fish (Pisces). As creatures of the sea, fish remain largely hidden and concealed from sight. Jewish tradition relates this concept to the Purim פורים story, with its themes of God hidden, Esther hiding her Jewish identity, events being overturned and people not being as they initially seem. Fish are also seen as a symbol of fertility, blessing, good fortune and fruitfulness.

The Talmud states מי שנכנס אדר מרבים בשמחה “Mishenichnas Adar Marbin BeSimchah” – “When Adar enters, our joy increases” (Ta’anit 29a). In one respect we celebrate this joy on Purim with silliness and merrymaking. From a different perspective, level the joy that is being referred to here is the joy of having a happy and purposeful future to look forward to.

So, as we journey through the month of אדר Adar, what can we do in our lives and the lives of others to bring about good fortune, strength, joy and peace? 

Next week we will be getting ready for Purim in a number of ways:

SRC representatives Mia Goodridge and Mahli Olian with a selection of items for our Tikkun Tonga collection

מתנות לאביונים (Matanot Le’Evyonim) 
The מצוה (Mitzvah) of Giving to the Less Fortunate

This year we are supporting a charity to assist people in Tonga impacted by the recent volcanic eruption:

• We are collecting the following items: flour, sugar, rice, tinned fish, tinned vegetables, cooking oil, washing powder, dishwashing liquid, tea towels, shampoo, soap, sanitary pads, baby wipes, toothbrushes and toothpaste
• A Gofundme page has been organised by one of our parents. If you wish to contribute please click here. 
• Each student is invited to bring at least two items to their classroom next week

ראש לרגל Rosh Le’Regel
Crazy Hat Day and Gold Coin

On Friday 11 March 2022, Primary students are invited to come to school wearing their regular Friday uniform in combination with a crazy, creative, fun hat on their ראש. This will be a gold coin day. These be collected and given to our Purim tzedakah project, Tikkun Tonga.

From the Director of Students 7-12

Adam Ezekiel – Director of Students 7-12

7 ways to prepare your kids to lead happy, successful lives

This article is by WAYS Youth & Family, a community based, non-government organisation whose aim is to meaningfully assist young people and their families achieve a range of positive outcomes. It has 7 simple strategies to implement at home to foster wellbeing.

Create a happy and stress-free household

This is where a little self-love and mental care come into play. If you are showing that you are happy and that you can leave all the worries behind, then your child will do the same. Riding the waves of your teenagers moods, rather than reacting, can help to keep the home happy.

Create responsibilities

This teaches them about hard work and accomplishment. Children need to know that life isn’t handed to them on a silver platter or that the world doesn’t revolve around them.

Reading daily is important

Sometimes the simplest life skill is important for a happy and successful life, and that is where reading comes in. As children get older it might be more effective to discuss the news with them rather than read to/with them.

Set goals and expectations 

This teaches your child good habits for the future. When done correctly, it forces them out of their comfort zone and helps them grow more.

Praise them correctly 

When they earn a high score on a math test or win a soccer game, praise them for their hard work and effort instead of telling them they are smart or talented. Praising children for effort encourages a growth mindset.

Create family time 

Family time is not only about spending the time to create a positive relationship in your family, but it also is about encouraging social skills and learning habits. This can be more difficult if your teenager has turned their bedroom into their cave home. Having meals together, doing particular weekly activities together and other routines can ensure they come out of their rooms at least once a day!

Teach them to be all-around healthy 

Having the right amount of sleep, eating healthy, being active, limiting time on technology, being outdoors, socialising with friends, etc. Ensuring a healthy diet can become harder as young people have access to money and shops but insisting on healthy family meals is at last a reminder to your teenager. As a parent, you need to model these positive behaviours. 

Year 6 Leadership Camp Report

Leadership Camp was a great learning experience for our whole Year and we had a lot of fun. Each day helped us learn about a different aspect of leadership. Some of the strengths we learnt were about working with people you don’t usually work with, learning to collaborate with peers and listening to all of your team’s ideas. Overall Leadership Camp was a huge success and our Year is looking forward to a year of great leadership.

We had sessions run by Burn Bright and Pinnacle Events. We worked in groups that we did not choose and made new friends and learnt how to work with different people. The aim was to understand teamwork which has helped us become better leaders and it taught us that when you are a leader you are not the boss, rather the one who helps the team to collaborate.

Thank you to all our teachers and organisers. Leadership training was a great experience and we are excited to use what we learned throughout the year!

By Phoenix Gien and Rafi Kuper 
Head Madricha and Head Madrich

Let’s sign

Rebecca Gaida – Jewish Studies Teacher Primary

Israeli sign language/שפת הסימנים הישראלית

Shalom!  שלום

I have been learning Israeli sign language for one year and wanted to get more people able to speak it so that I have people to talk to right here in Australia! It is a great way to learn new words because when you associate an action with a new word, you are more likely to remember it. It is also a way to become more aware and inclusive of all people.

Imagine how awesome it would be to go to Israel and be able to communicate with people there that speak sign Israeli language!

Did you know that the first ever member of the Israeli parliament (the Knesset) to speak Israeli sign language was sworn in last year? Her name is Shirley Pinto. There are more than 10,000 people that speak Israeli sign language and if people from our School started to learn it, imagine how that number could grow!

Here we have three students Jessica and Dalia Lopis and Aaron Eisenberg showing you how to sign the alefbet. If you can find out the letters that are in your name, can you figure out how to sign it?

Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl

As we head into Week 6 of the term, we have noticed how settled and happy all the children are, how they so quickly have developed a sense of belonging to the Pre-school and how familiar they are with their group’s routines. Friendships are starting to develop, and the children are becoming more familiar with the names of their friends, as well as trusting and knowing their teachers. 

The flow of each day is easier and during this first term the teachers work hard to develop relationships and respect for each other and the environment (grace and courtesy). We spend time on learning how to manage our feelings and resolve conflict (life skills), through role plays, Zones of Regulation and “How does your engine run” programs. We also introduce mindfulness strategies to the children, to support their mental health and wellbeing. Our days are full and busy, so much learning occurs in each day. I am grateful for the expertise and knowledge that the educators bring to the Pre-school and the beautiful vibe and energy they enthuse into the children to create such solid foundations for the littlest members of our school community.

The wet weather over the past two weeks has provided many challenges for us all, but most of all not being able to run and play outside for long periods of time. We have had to grab short moments to run outside and play. Exploring the playground when wet has provided many completely different experiences to play.

The playground looks, smells and feels quite different when wet. Our senses get heightened and it’s a wonderful time to explore, investigate, create and try new things.

The children have been using very creative ways to collect water. They discovered puddles in the playground that had not been there before, rainwater that had been accumulated in containers in the sandpit and mud patch, they collected drops that were rhythmically falling from the trees and shade cloth. They also noticed the various types of leaves that had fallen off the trees on the ground and engaged in beautiful pattern making. Magic happens in our playground when wet – opportunities filled with fun, curiosity, wonder, co-operation, experimentation, confidence, creativity, enthusiasm, problem solving and imagination.

The highlight for some children is being able to play in mud!

As a child, I remember playing with mud, making mud pies, squelching in it and experiencing the pure joy of what it had to offer. Some of my fondest childhood memories saw me covered in mud from head to toe.

Dirt and water – two very simple and basic ingredients have and continue to be the source of so much activity, creativity, joy, and sensory fun for children and even adults too. Mud play allows children to connect and interact with the natural world around them. It helps children develop tactile skills with sensory play.

As the children have been engaging in this freely available natural material, we have noticed how it has been an invitation for creativity, imagination, independent learning, teamwork and collaboration. Mud play holds immense value as a vehicle for learning and development. The sensory, manipulative aspect of the play enables children to follow their innate drive to explore and be curious, self-directed learners. Through hands on experiences, they learn about the world around them – textures, properties, consistencies. It’s very much an explorative process of discovery, understanding the effect they can have on materials.

Engaging in messy play is a fantastic way to encourage language development through the senses. Children begin to link words to textures, understanding the meaning of squelchy, squishy and slimy. At Kornmehl we value the opportunity to engage in messy, mud play.

Happy Birthday 

We wish a very happy birthday to James Cartwright (4). We hope you had a lovely birthday.

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Music Competition 2022

Music Teacher 5-12

Music Competition 2022

Are you a performer? Are you a composer or a songwriter? Well the good news is that we have the perfect opportunity for you.

The 2022 Music Competition is a competition that is designed to celebrate individual achievement in music. The competition is run across the whole school and students from K-12 are encouraged to participate. 

For performers, you can perform anything that you feel will show your abilities. You can perform on any instrument, including singing. For composers, you can submit a composition/song of any style. It can even be a ‘work-in-progress’ as long as it is complete by Week 9.

In Week 7, a submission portal will open and you can submit a recording of yourself for the competition. A selection of the best entries will be chosen for the Showcase Concert on Monday 4 April (Week 10). At that concert, there will be feedback given and winners announced by two adjudicators who are working professionals in the music industry. In each category (K-2, 3-6, 7-10 & 11-12), prizes will be awarded for performance and composition. There will be a lovely trophy, gift voucher and glory to be won!

For High School students: every entry, performance in the showcase concert and winner will earn points that will go towards the big House Music competition. 

Please keep a lookout for communication about submissions for the competition at the end of Week 6. 

Have a look at some of the pictures from last year’s showcase concert. It was a fantastic event!

If you have any questions, please feel free to come and find me, or email me. We look forward to hearing you!

2021 Zella Benko

2021 Stevie Zurnamer

2021 Ella Bortz

2021 Daniel Zipser

2021 Aaron Pal

2021 7-10 Performers

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Prayers for Peace

Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ukraine

We pray for a swift and peaceful solution to this overwhelming crisis in Ukraine. We acknowledge the many members of our extended School community who are from the Ukraine, some of whom still have family and friends living there and we hope they all stay safe during these troubled and dangerous times. We pray for the safety of our Jewish brethren in Ukraine, along with all people in the affected areas and that the people affected have the strength and resources to make it through this trying time.

A history lesson this week instead of trivia

Did you know that our old stone building “The Saunders Administration Building” was originally known as Aston Lodge? It was designed by well-known Sydney architect Edmund Blackett, in the mid-1860’s and was built in 1865 by John Leo Watkins, a local merchant, It was the home of Randwick Mayor Walter Bradley for some time before 1892, when it was then leased to Loretto Convent for a girls’ school until they moved to the north at the end of the 1890’s. The site was then acquired by Little Sisters of the Poor in 1901. The Chapel, now known as The Aron Kleinlehrer Performing Arts Centre (PAC) was built in 1921 and in 1936 the large Novitiate (built to house novices during their religious training) designed in a Spanish architectural style was erected. We all know this building as the Brender Moss Building.

Emanuel School was established in 1983 with 53 students in classrooms at Temple Emanuel, Woollahra and on the grounds of Our Lady of the Sea at Watsons Bay. The School, with significant financial support from Aron Kleinlehrer together with communal generosity, then purchased the Randwick site in 1984 from the Little Sisters of the Poor, and the School opened its doors here in 1985 with 230 students from Years K – 8.

Next year we will celebrate our 40^th anniversary. We have certainly come a long way since 1983!

Grandparents – we will always want you!

Again, a huge thank you to parents who have been in touch this week to provide grandparent updates for our database. I eagerly await even more email updates after the publication of Ma Nishma each week.

Mazal tov

To the winners and to all participants at last Sunday’s Maccabi Jewish Swimming Championships.

Maccabi Swimming Club President and Emanuel parent Elan Miller sent through this report:

Hot off the heels of the school carnivals, a number of Emanuel families participated in the 72nd Maccabi Jewish Swimming Championships last Sunday. It was a fantastic afternoon of racing, where we saw records broken and many of our kids win medals. Emanuel kids of all ages took on the challenge and even a few Mums and Dads participated to earn “Bragging Rights” for the year ahead.There was an awesome atmosphere, as swimmers from all over Sydney attended, and even though there was some serious racing, it was all about participating and having fun. Maccabi can’t wait to have all Emanuel families back for next year’s event.  

The overall atmosphere was amazing for all participants and their families. Mazal tov to everyone involved in this event. 

Jordan Arnott (Year 7) – Maccabi Swimming Championships 2022

Emanuel student winners @ Maccabi Swimming Championships 2022

Hamentashen Bake-off

A message from Anna-Lisa Palmer, an Emanuel parent and close friend of Tandi Rapke, who sadly passed away recently: “Our Big Kitchen is planning a big Purim Hamentashen bake- off and we’d love to use this as an opportunity to get the Emanuel Community together to help those less fortunate, in honour of Tandi’s circle of love and light.”

The goal is to bake 10,000 Hamentaschen to deliver to shelters, old age homes and hospitals around Sydney. 

Grab a few friends and join us! Register here

If you are unable to join one of these “Emanuel dates”, you will see there are plenty of other sessions that may suit you.

International Women’s Day 2022

As part of the celebrations for this auspicious day, there will be a very special presentation at the Sydney Jewish Museum this Sunday 6 March 2022, for International Women’s Day: “Survivor Talk: Break the Bias – Women of the Holocaust, where, as Head of Education at the Museum, Emanuel alumna Dr Rebecca Kummerfeld says, “you will meet some of the powerful, inspiring women I get to work with”. Get your tickets here. 

Friendship Bakery Care Packages and Hamentashen

Friendship Bakery is a Friendship Circle initiative, having evolved from a small operation baking and packing in a shared factory in Mascot, with the help of Emanuel parent Jesse Meguideche, owner of Jesse’s Bakery in Rose Bay. They now have their own retail shop and bakery at Mark Moran Vaucluse. You can visit the Bakery at 2 Laguna Street Vaucluse from Monday to Wednesday from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm for their yummy salad bar, quiches, pastries and coffee and on Fridays from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm for their Shabbat Shop. Orders for Care Packages and for Purim can be made online. 

Friendship Circle (FC)

Volunteers are still needed for upcoming weekend and holiday camps organised by FC for children and young adults with disabilities. The Young Adult Melbourne Getaway is from the 1 April 2022 – 3 April 2022. Some of our readers with older children who might be interested to volunteer for this weekend, should get in touch with: emmasharp@sydneyfc.org.au to register. FC is also planning a fun and exciting Day Camp from 11 April 2022 – 14 April 2022 for their younger members, with orientation scheduled for Sunday 10 April 2022. Registrations will be open soon, so watch this space.

If you have any questions, about Friendship Circle and/or if you or someone you know would like to join their programs visit their website.

Jewish International Film Festival (JIFF)

Alumnus Sean Torban, founder of Talking Holocaust has organised a Movie Night as part of the JIFF and he invites members of our School community to join him at The Ritz Cinema in Randwick on Sunday 13 March 2022.

Have a look at the many other wonderful films to be shown at this festival, including Emanuel grandparent Vic Alhadeff’s Torn By War.

We look forward to sharing our news and yours, so if you have photos or news you would like to share with us, please email it to: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au.

Shabbat shalom, stay safe and have a great weekend!

K-12 Sport

Football news

It has been an exciting week of football, with the first round of the NSWCIS Football Cup played on Tuesday, in wet and difficult conditions. The Emanuel 1sts Girls Team showed great strength and commitment in what was a close match against a competitive Inaburra team.

Sienna Poswell got the team off to a good start with a goal in the 20th minute, however shortly after Inaburra responded. At 1-1, Emanuel played a strong second half, dominated by the back four, Mischa Spielman, Hannah Kim, Eden Levit and Sienna Poswell, and Victoria Miller covering great ground in the middle. Congratulations to all players and a special mention to Lucia Meyer who did an excellent job in goals and Year 7 newcomer, Riley Carr. 

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The Boys 1sts match followed later in the day, up against St Aloysius’ College. Emanuel out-played the opposition, with a convincing 3-0 win, with goals from Shai Farhy, Ethan Hirst and Ethan Berman. Well done to all the boys for a great team effort and which was held together nicely with solid defence from Coby New and Reece Carr at the back, and led by co-captains Mahley Rosen-Tal and Ethan Berman who were courageous up front. 

Aytek Genc 
Head of Football and Futsal 

Kristy Genc – Director of Sports K-12

Athletic achievements

Emanuel students have been making a mark in sport with amazing performances in outside of school competitions. On the athletics track, Zac Urbach, Eden Levit, Shai Farhy, Alexander Kirevksy and Aden Goodridge have competed in zone, regional and state championships over recent weekends. 

Zac Urbach recently set a new regional record in the 200m with a personal best of 22.45s and placed 3rd in the 100m and 200m at the Junior State Championships, now qualifying for nationals and Eden Levit showed great speed, placing 6th in the state in the 100m and 7th in the 200m. Alex Kirievsky competed in the hammer throw, shot put, and javelin throws at the State Championships. Throwing an outstanding throw of 33.34m, Alex won the Hammer throw and placed 4th and 8th in shot put and javelin respectively. 

Kristy Genc
Director of Sport K-12

Careers

Claire Pech – Careers Advisor

Australian National University (ANU)

Last week the Australian National University (ANU in Canberra) visited us for the Year 12 first university talk. Being the #1 university in Australia and #31 in the world we can see why this is an exciting opportunity. The reason I invited ANU so early in the year was because their admissions opens up this week, but more importantly, closes in May. Even students who have not considered moving to Canberra before should apply.

These dates above were updated over the weekend and are now open and ready for business. By the time you see this, you will be able to apply and the the process is free. As I tell all of my students, for those who are interested and tempted to move out and can realistically financially make it work, I always give a gentle push in this direction. I say this because the life-learning, as opposed to the academic-learning, that takes place when you have to cook, clean, and care for yourself can be a great step towards independence and self-sufficiency.

Some students have expressed an interest in the Tuckwell scholarship, probably the most coveted scholarship in Australia. For more details about this scholarship that has been created to give back to Australia, read on here.

Sydney University 

• Pathways to studying at Sydney University –  register here for the online webinar coming up on the 23 March 2022.
•  Dubbo Medical Program | Wed 2 March 2022 4:30 pm – 5.00 pm
  Find out about our Doctor of Medicine delivered entirely at our Dubbo Campus. Learn why a regional and rural medical career could be for you.
• Experience the Law | Wed 9 March 2022 4.00 pm – 4:30 pm
  Experience a day in the life of a law student and immerse yourself in an interactive case study.
• University of Sydney Veterinary Science Degree | Wednesday 23 March 2022 4.00 pm – 4:30 pm
  Have you ever wondered what the day-to-day life of a veterinarian is like and how you would become one? Join this session and learn about what veterinary medicine is about, what an average day of work might be like for a veterinarian and how you can pursue studies towards becoming a vet yourself.
• Life of a Psychologist | Wed 6 April 2022 4.00 pm- 4:30pm
  Join this session to discover what studying psychology involves, what an average day for the different types of psychologists is and how you can pursue studies towards becoming one yourself. This is very important for anyone interested in Psychology, even if you are not interested in studying at Sydney University.

Parent webinars

Elevate Education study skills

Webinar, Wednesday 9 March 2022 at 7.00 pm (AEDT) 
Time Management and Beating Procrastination​​

Here’s what will be covered in this session:

• How to avoid fights over homework and study.
• Strategies to ensure your child is balanced, stress free AND productive.
• The most common causes of procrastination and how to avoid them.
• What types of work the top students prioritise to get top marks. 

Hear from parent experts at home

Who is Mr Majsay?

Adam Majsay, Deputy Principal (Teaching & Learning) K-12

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

SPOTLIGHT ON … ADAM MAJSAY

What is your role at Emanuel School?
I am Deputy Principal (Teaching & Learning) K-12. In this role, I work with Mr Watt, Mr Abelson, Mrs Brody and our teachers in shaping the strategy and direction for what teaching and learning looks like at Emanuel. It is an important responsibility and a job that I really love. I get to work with teachers to talk about what we value in teaching, and to influence the experience of students in their learning

How long have you been at Emanuel School?
This is my sixteenth year at Emanuel. I started here in 2007, as Assistant Head of Music, teaching Primary and High School music, conducting concert bands and choirs. Since then, I’ve had five years as Head of Music, almost six years as Director of Studies 7-12, and then the last three and a half years as Deputy Principal (Teaching & Learning) K-12.

What do you enjoy about working here?
I adore Emanuel School. This is a place that I have felt welcome at since the moment I first visited for my job interview in 2006. It is a school where individuality is valued, where people can be free to be themselves, and where everyone has an opportunity to become the best possible version of themselves. Staff, students and community members really feel like family. I love that I walk into my classes, or the choir I lead, or meetings with other teachers and I can be certain that I will have FUN!

What have you learnt about yourself at Emanuel?
I’ve really valued that Emanuel is a place in which I have been encouraged to grow and develop as a teacher and as a leader. Every year brings new challenges and new opportunities each year I’ve had a goal to develop in one or more areas of my teaching and leading. 

What is your favourite memory?
There are so many memorable moments over the years. For a long time, I was involved in staging the High School musical productions with Ms Bauer. Each of the musicals we have put on over the years – Oliver, Once on This Island, 13 the Musical, Back to the 80s, Little Shop of Horrors, Fiddler on the Roof, Legally Blonde and Into the Woods – have been incredibly rewarding as a Music Director. However, I have to say how special it was to stage Fiddler on the Roof as the first musical in our own Millie Phillips Theatre, especially given how significant this story of Jewish tradition is for our community. Bringing that story to audiences each night will always be something I hold close to my heart.

Mr Majsay’s dogs: Winnie and Peggy, both female kelpie/cattle dog crosses

What do you do to unwind/ what do you enjoy doing outside school hours?
I love music and I love fitness and, where I can, I love combining the two. My daily routine after work is to visit the gym on my way home. My Year 11 Music class will know that I’ve got my Spotify ‘Gym Vibes’ playlist that I use to keep me motivated while doing my workouts! My love of music and especially singing is something that motivates me to keep busy in my spare time. I am the Music Director and conductor of a large community choir, Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, so I run rehearsals for this wonderful group every Thursday night and on some weekends, and we put on big concerts three or four times a year. I love the choir’s values of diversity and inclusion and respect for the individual – they reflect the values of Emanuel School in so many ways too. I think that’s why I feel so equally at home in both an SGLC rehearsal and at Emanuel School.

 
What song do you know all the lyrics to?
That’s way too hard to answer – as a singer and music teacher, I think the list might almost be endless! But… my go to karaoke song-starter is a classic Australian song that might be more familiar to teachers and parents than Emanuel students: Daryl Braithwaite’s Horses!

What do you wish you could tell your 12-year-old self?
“Adam, you’re going to be OK.” 

At the end of Year 6, my family moved from one side of Sydney to the other, so I started Year 7 at a new school, living in a new area. It was a big boys’ school, with a big sports program focused on playing rugby union. At that time, I hadn’t discovered exercise and fitness, so sport was something that I really wasn’t into yet! I loved reading, and learning, and singing – so I didn’t fit in particularly well, and unfortunately got bullied quite a lot, for quite a lot of years, for those reasons and others. 

Looking back, I’m astounded by the resilience and coping strategies that I was able to draw on to get through those years, and come out the other side as a confident, happy and well-balanced person. I know that it was a tough time, and at the start of Year 7, as a 12-year-old, it was pretty daunting trying to fit in, but also not compromising on being myself. 

So, I would tell myself to stand firm in who you are, that you are who you are meant to, that who you are is perfect, and that, above all, you’re going to be OK! It’s the message I would also give to any Emanuel student struggling with their sense of self and their place in the world.

If you could pass on any wisdom to your students, what would you share?
There has been a phrase that I have held close for many years, and it’s the aspiration I hold for myself and for all the teachers and students that I have the privilege of working with.

“Be the best you can be”. It’s super simple, but, for me, it highlights how we can all aim for continuous improvement and that we should aspire to be successful in all that we do. It acknowledges that success doesn’t look one single way. We should aim for success, in whatever beautiful version of success that is right for us – as an academic, as a creative artist, as a sportsperson, as a sibling, as a parent.

Have a look at what Mr Majsay, our Deputy Principal (Teaching & Learning), gets up to in his spare time –  last weekend he conducted the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir at their 30^th anniversary celebrations at the Seymour Centre, with guest soloist, Queenie van de Zandt. 

Szenes

Welcome to 2022 and our first edition of Kol Szenes.

At the start of the year we warmly welcomed Szenes House back via Zoom  and especially our incoming Year 7 students, who had a wonderful time at Camp Somerset. Unfortunately a few students were unable to attend this year but there is always next year.

Thank you to our Peer Support Leaders and Year 7 Tutor, Mr  Bell for their amazing support of Year 7 during camp.

Year 7 Szenes students Jemma Michel and Max Elias shared their experiences on Camp.

What were your two favourite  activities and why? 

My two favourite activities at Year 7 school camp were canoeing and Base 7. Canoeing was one of my favourite activities because it was challenging but a really fun experience at the same time. I loved working together with my partner to canoe our way to and from shore. My other favourite activity was Base 7, it was exciting, it was difficult and I really enjoyed every second of it, especially the part when my team won.

What were the most challenging activities and why? 

For me the most challenging activities were the high ropes and the egg drop water rockets activities. High ropes were fun but had a big challenge that I did not know was coming with it. You were clipped onto a harness and had to get through a series of challenges high off the ground. It was fun but scary.

What are two funny stories from camp involving your Tutor Group? 

There were so many funny things that happened on this camp, for example when we were on a hike and the Peer Support Leaders started saying funny riddles and terrible jokes, we were all laughing and having so much fun listening to them. Something else really funny that happened was when we were participating in archery and Mr Watt came to join. He was much better than all of us. We found it so funny that some of us couldn’t even hit the board but Mr Watt was getting so close to a bull’s eye every time.

What did you learn most about yourselves and/or your peers on this camp? 

I learnt so many new things about myself and others. I learnt about myself that I love outdoor campfires and singing songs while the Peer Support Leaders showed off their amazing guitar skills. It was so much fun to learn about others and learn new things about myself. I also learnt about the world around me and started to embrace it even more.

What did you learn about and from the Peer Support on camp? What did your time with your Peer Support Leaders mean to you? 

The Peer Support Leaders definitely made a good difference to the camp, it was so cool to learn about the Peer Support Leaders and to develop a good relationship with them. They are such fun, kind and amazing people who made all of us smile and made sure we were happy and smiling the whole time. Thank you Peer Support Leaders for making the Year 7 Camp experience so much better!

By Jemma Michel

What were your favourite activities and why? 

I loved Base 7 with the team working together and trying to find the clues whilst not getting spotted, it had a challenge but was still very fun.

I loved high ropes as well. It was hard at some bits and was pushing us to be patient. If the person in front is slower than you are, you have to wait for the rope, but I think it was nice and fun.

What were the most challenging activities and why? 

Archery was a bit hard, but not like physically sweating, it was hard to get good accuracy and learn how the wind affected the arrow.

Kayaking was physically hard because our arms were constantly moving with the oar but in the end it was rewarding knowing that you did that.

What are two funny stories from camp involving your Tutor Group? 

It was hilarious when we all tried to build a raft because people got like one or two people on without breaking but it was so funny watching people repeatedly fall off the raft. Another funny part of camp was when we all played Mafia and tried to hide if we had any special roles but not many people could keep it in and burst out laughing.

What did you learn most about yourselves and/or your peers on this camp? 

I learnt about people’s habits and their personality. Being with the same 15 people for five days really can encourage socialisation and make it easy for us to get to know each other.

What did you learn about and from the Peer Support Leaders on camp? What did your time with your Peer Support Leaders mean to you? 

I thought the Peer Support Leaders were a great help, with lots of games to play and they kept us occupied. They were also emotionally supportive during the giant wind/hail, they knew what to do and how to do it.

By Max Elias

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Szenes House Assembly
House Spirit Day 

On Wednesday 2 March, we had our long-awaited Szenes House Assembly, the first in 2022 and our first House Assembly since Term 2 of 2021. After nine months, it was so exciting to see everyone back together in one room with everyone wearing our vibrant House colours of yellow and purple. We all participated in an engaging, intense round of trivia, with our three winning groups coming away with chocolate prizes! We also announced the House sponsorship, a Szenes House Koala! We will be naming and sponsoring a koala for 2022, which will be a cherished part of our House. Lastly, we announced the date for House Music in 2022, with everyone super excited to be a part of the concert mid Term 2. We are looking forward to our next year of House events with extreme enthusiasm!

Szenes House Tutor Group trivia competition

Year 12 Remy, Sasha, Layal, Matt and Eden[15]

House siblings Olivia (11) and Max (7) Elias

By Matthew Lowy and Remy Waller
Szenes House Madrichim 

Enjoy your weekend.

Shabbat Shalom.

Community Notices

Child wellbeing and COVID: National survey

Australia’s National Children’s Commissioner wants to hear from children and their families about how living through the past two years of COVID-19 has affected their mental health and wellbeing.

Surveys are completely confidential, should only take about 10 minutes to complete and responses close on Sunday 20 March 2022.

To complete the survey please click here.

Parent Safety Group

Thank you to our volunteers for last week (Monday 21 February 2022 – Friday 25 February 2022)

Paul Berkovic, David Lavecky, Ben Berger, Craig Forman, Kim Camberg, Gary Aaron, Alan Epstein, Lisa Goodman, Paul Filipczyk, Brandon Gien, Adam Tsipiris, Ben Reid, Joshua Markovitch, Anthony Milner, Jonathan Mervis, Alexandra Hillman, Andrew Nabarro, Danny Fleischer, Daniel Greengarten, Martin Becker, Debbie Sullivan and Tanya Goldberg

P&F

Justine Hoffman – P&F President

Hi everyone,

This week, we bring two exciting initiatives (one old, one new) that we hope will give you that much-craved opportunity to meet and gather with other Emanuel parents.

SAVE THE DATE: Friday Chills is back

Last week we had the wonderful news that we can return on campus with our children.

So without further ado, we are very pleased to announce that the sugary hit on a Friday afternoon is back…for two special dates below.

For those of you unfamiliar with ‘Friday Chills’ meet at the basketball courts after school on Friday, buy your child (and yourself) a $1 icy pole, then hang out with other parents while the kids play.

Please note all parents coming on campus will need to show proof of vaccination at the gate. Don’t forget to bring plenty of coins.

Who and when:

• Years K-2 families only – 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm, Friday 11 March 2022 (siblings allowed)
• Years K-6 families – 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm, Friday 8 April 2022 (last day of term 1)

Emanuel P&F and OBK Purim Bake-Off

Our Big Kitchen is planning a big Purim Hamentaschen bake- off and we’d love to use this as an opportunity to get the Emanuel Community together to help those less fortunate. The goal is to bake 10,000 Hamentaschen to deliver to shelters, old age homes and hospitals around Sydney.

Grab a few Emanuel friends and join us. It’s free to attend. You just need to register.

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Volunteer call out

Our big P&F goal this year is to friend-raise like crazy. But it will only happen with the help of volunteers to power our events. Please take 90 seconds to register your interest in volunteering. It’ will be fun. We promise!

Events to diarise

Purim Disco: cancelled (due to COVID restrictions on campus)

Emanuel and OBK Bake Off: 4, 9, 11 March 2022 (see links above)

Friday Chills K-2 families ONLY: Friday 11 March 2022

Friday Chills K-6 families: Friday 8 April 20222

Emanuel Family Autumn Camping: 18 March 2022 – 20 March 2022  (sold out)

Mother’s Day (Breakfast and Stalls): Friday 6 May 2022

Father’s Day (Breakfast and Stalls): Friday 26 August 2022

Emanuel Family Spring Camping: 4 November 2022 – 6 November 2022

Shabbat shalom!

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 Julie Higgins

Guacamole Mango Salad

Ingredients

1 small mango, cubed
1 can red kidney beans
1 avocado
1 small chilli
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 bunch of coriander, chopped

Directions

Place everything in a bowl except the red kidney beans and coriander and mix thoroughly.
Fold through beans and top with coriander.

Serves two