From the Principal

Andrew Watt – Principal

Keeping our School community safe

This week, masks (indoors) for Years 3-12 and RAHT testing (twice a week) across K-12 were re-introduced, as additional measures to slow down the number of COVID-19 cases within the School. There is no doubting that this was not a popular decision, especially for those who have recently recovered and were looking forward to a period of immunity. There are, however, a number of staff and students with existing medical conditions that would put them at high risk, should they contract COVID-19, despite being vaccinated. Those families who have maintained their social distancing throughout the pandemic have expressed their gratitude. The steadily increasing numbers of staff at home with COVID-19 or caring for a family member, was also a factor, as we seek to keep the school open for the remainder of Term 1. As we approach school holidays and the weather cools down, it is important to take steps to minimise the impact of COVID-19. Vaccines are a safe and effective way to protect your child, and the community. We will observe case numbers closely over the non-term break and communicate our COVID-safe measures prior to the commencement of Term 2. We hope that these additional measures will result in reduced cases, so that families can enjoy an isolation-free break.

The Fresh Prince comes undone

Hollywood is abuzz, social media is at its zenith and everyone has an opinion on events that rocked the celebrity world this week. It’s the talk of the town, discussed in carpools on the way home and in the corridors between classes.  

How do we speak to our children about the clip that is circulating media everywhere, help them unpack their feelings and give them the tools to think critically about the situation?

I came across a Facebook post by Klikd and an article from parentingideas.com.au which pose a number of interesting questions to help start the conversation with your child, your partner or friends. Of course, please feel free to ignore these all together and get on with life, free of celebrity mayhem.

1. Think of a time when you were enraged and felt so passionately about someone’s thoughts or actions. How did you react? In hindsight, could you have done anything differently?
2. Does love actually “make you do crazy things”? Does being in love justify a person’s actions?
3. Gender stereotypes are often highlighted by people’s behaviour. Do women need to be saved by a ‘knight in shining armour’? It is socially acceptable for a man to be bald. Why is it any different for women? Should it be?
4. What kind of humour is funny? What isn’t and why?
5. What are appropriate responses to a volatile, personal or morally questionable situation?
6. What makes for a ‘good’ apology? Should you apologise for your actions if you believe in them? How would you determine this?

Everyone has a story to tell, shaped by their past experiences, moral compass and world view. We teach our students to be upstanders, not bystanders, we say no to bullying and gender stereotyping. We also teach, believe and live the fact that our interactions and relationships must be underpinned by respect, empathy and compassion – that violence – emotional, physical, spiritual or otherwise – has no place in our school, our community and arguably, our world.

There are many articles and posts about the recent Hollywood ‘episode’. I found this article, written by Dannielle Miller OAM – author, teen educator and Director of Education at Women’s Community Shelters – to be particularly insightful.

Virtual Parent Afternoon Tea (VPAT) – HSC update

Our VPAT program was resurrected this week, to address concerns related to our Year 12 cohort’s preparation for their Higher School Certificate Examinations. Adam Majsay and Margaret Lowe fielded a range of questions about the interruptions to both the teaching and assessment programs. The key theme throughout the Webinar was: “We’ve got this” – that internal and external structures are in place to support our Year 12 students, as tasks are reallocated, and teachers return from COVID-19. Information was provided on how to access illness and misadventure and the Education Access Scheme (EAS). Parents were reassured that the Universities are aware of the impact of COVID-19, as reflected by the proliferation of Early Entry Schemes and alternative pathway to access Tertiary Education. Thank you to our Deputy Principals and their academic and wellbeing leadership teams, for their professional and caring support of our students.

Traffic safety and traffic flow

Our neighbours have reported a significant improvement in the traffic flow and parking around our School. This is especially pleasing as we embark upon our construction project. We are, however, still receiving regular reports of a small number of drivers who are parking in no-stopping spaces, double parking, and obstructing driveways. We have received photos (with licence plate numbers) where this has occurred in Market Street.  At this stage, I am reluctant to follow up each driver, but would rather ask for you to be kind to our residents and follow the reasonable traffic rules.

The lead up to Pesach

This week saw the inaugural Freedom Week in the High School, connecting the ideas of Pesach, Freedom, and Responsibility with modern slavery, especially slavery in Australia. The Week enhanced the School’s connection to The Freedom Hub, raising awareness and funds for their important work, and including hands-on as well as online activities. Experiential Pesach learning by our wonderful Informal Jewish Life team began this week with thought-provoking activities for Year 10 during class time. These will continue next week with in-class activities for most year levels, a back-to-basics Pesach Seder with an Emanuel twist for Year 7, an all-day Masa Bamidbar (Journey in the Desert) Homelessness Excursion for Year 9, a Speaker Series session for Year 11 from Sally Irwin, the Founder/CEO of The Freedom Hub and an ethics-based Chocolate Seder experience for Year 12.

Our Primary Jewish Life Department has been busy preparing for multiple Pesach events; planning, rehearsing, singing, shopping, and cooking. On Thursday, Year 5 students created a seder experience with their classmates. The seder included the opportunity to discuss Pesach themes, the meaning of rituals, ask and answer questions, sing and taste Pesach food. For the final week of term, we are looking forward to students in Year 1 and Year 6 experiencing a Pesach seder and to having Year 2 and Year 3 parents joining the students for a demonstration seder filled with drama, music, and dance.  

Quote of the week

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” ~ Viktor E. Frankl

From the Head of Jewish Life (Acting)

Daphna Levin-Kahn – Acting Head of Jewish Life and Head of Jewish Studies (7-12)

Preparing for Pesach: Freedom Week – שבוע חירות
Freedom and Responsibility – Cheirut V’Achrayut חירות ואחראיות 

In the Orthodox tradition, one of the first of the morning blessings realises the importance “שלא עשני עבד” – blessed is God or blessed are we, that we were not born a slave. That we are not controlled by others so that we can live our lives as we choose in the service of God and humanity. The Progressive and Masorti traditions put a different spin on this blessing, choosing “שעשני בן/בת חורין” – it is a blessed and sacred thing that we are born free, looking towards the positive action of how we live our freedom. To be “free from” and “free to do”.

Every day we are faced with countless choices that are the actualisation of that freedom.

In the lead up to the Pesach story, one dramatic scene demonstrates such a choice – and a decision to use חירות (cheirut) – our freedom – to live באחראיות (b’achrayut) – with responsibility, even if the consequences may be harsh.

In the book of Shemot, Exodus, Moshe is being brought up in the Pharaoh’s palace, a free and privileged young man, with everything he could wish for. At the same time, unbeknownst to him, the Jewish people are suffering under the heavy burden of oppressive slave labour.

One incident changes his life forever…(Shemot / Exodus 2:11-12)

וַיְהִי  בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וַיִּגְדַּל מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּצֵא אֶל־אֶחָיו וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם וַיַּרְא אִישׁ מִצְרִי מַכֶּה אִישׁ־עִבְרִי מֵאֶחָיו׃

Sometime after that, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his brethren and witnessed their labors. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.

וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ וַיַּךְ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִי וֽיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחוֹל׃

He turned this way and that and, seeing no “ISH”, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

We can understand this in two ways:
1. If a person is about to commit a crime, they check both ways to make sure there are no witnesses.
2. Here, however the Torah uses the word אִישׁ “Ish” for “man”. In the Jewish tradition, the word “Ish” means a man of importance, a man of stature, an upstander, such as we read only recently in the story of Esther, when we hear of Mordechai ISH Yehudi – which we can understand to mean Mordechai the Jewish upstander. Here we have Moshe – he sees an injustice, a slave master beating a slave past the point of necessary force, an oppressive bully, and he looks around for the Ish, the Upstander who will put a stop to this obvious injustice. But he doesn’t see one, אֵין אִישׁ  “Ein Ish”, and so he goes from the privilege of his own חירות, his own freedom, to step into the action of אחראיות, taking responsibility for his actions that come with his freedom and stopping the injustice before him.

Judaism has always been a religion of action, not just of faith and ritual. This Freedom Week, this Pesach, what action will you take to utilise the gift of your freedom to help guarantee the Freedom of others and live up to the Achrayut that comes with your Cheirut?

A step in the right direction could be to explore and support The Freedom Hub, which is our chosen Tzedakah for Freedom Week.   

Shabbat Shalom

Ma Koreh

Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary

Year K Pathways

On Thursday we welcomed Year K parents to join our Kindy students for their first Pathways ceremony. This was an opportunity to welcome the Year K students and their families to the Emanuel School community and to celebrate the Jewish learning journey of the students. The theme for this Pathways ceremony was the importance of names, and the meaning and stories behind our names. Rabbi Ninio shared a lovely story about Adam naming animals in the Garden of Eden and I spoke about what the students can do to create a שם סוב – a good name, for themselves.

In preparation for the ceremony, Year K students traced their hand, which was then given to their parents to write a special blessing or message for their child. The hamsa inspired artwork was framed and presented to the children during our ceremony. Year K students received a special blessing from their parents, the ברכת בנים – blessing over children.

Year K students received a special gift of delicious Aleph-Bet shortbread biscuits to symbolise the sweet taste of Jewish learning which they have started to experience at Emanuel School.  

תודה רבה to Morah Martine and Morah Shirley for teaching the Year K students and preparing them and the hamsa frames for the ceremony. Thank you, Ms Ephron and her team of Food Technology students, for making the Aleph Bet biscuits.

A big thank you to Ofer Levy who so generously shared his time to take beautiful photos to record this event for the School and our families. 

Primary News

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

First of all, I’d like to take the time to thank everyone at Emanuel School for the warm welcome I’ve received since commencing this year. My experiences so far have been so positive and supportive. I’m looking forward to getting to know more of our students and families throughout the year.

One question that has been raised during the beginning of the year, as we start to establish our groupings, is how a high ability or gifted student will be supported in their regular classroom environment. Many parents may feel worried that if their child is attending an extension class then they won’t receive the same kind of extension in their regular class.

When we look at how to best support high potential or gifted learners, students typically  require targeted learning opportunities based on their areas of strength as well as catering for their needs when underperformance is encountered (VanTassel-Baska & Baska, 2021).

In the case of how we cater for these targeted learning opportunities, all students should be exposed to a range of enriching learning activities, whether they have been identified as gifted or not.

Emanuel School is in an advantageous position as we have the resources available to provide targeted enrichment opportunities for students who may not be formally identified as gifted. We offer a range of enrichment activities for all students, rather than explicitly labelling a student as gifted and only providing enrichment opportunities to them (Renzulli, 2005). We aim to provide equity in access.

Within the classroom, our teachers differentiate their teaching to meet the learning needs of gifted students. Simply put, teachers will adjust the level of challenge and provide learning opportunities for students across a wide spectrum of ability. Our team develop a robust curriculum and ensure it is targeted to student needs as well as engaging students appropriate to their style of learning.

This is where the importance of teachers knowing their students comes into focus (Tomlinson, 2007). By setting high expectations and challenge to all students at an appropriate level, high ability and gifted students in this setting have the opportunity to develop their talents (Gagne, 2009).

References

• Gagne, F. (2009). Leading change in gifted education : the festschrift of Dr. Joyce Vantassel-Baska. Prufrock Press.
• Renzulli, J. (2005). Applying Gifted Education Pedagogy to Total Talent Development for All Students. Theory Into Practice, 44(2), 80-89.
• Tomlinson, C. A. (2017). How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.
• VanTassel-Baska, J., & Baska, A. (2021). Curriculum Planning & Instructional Design for Gifted Learners (3rd ed.). Routledge. (2019)

Primary Jewish Life Leaders

Jewish Life this term has been wonderful and we have had so many fun and exciting experiences!

This term was our first opportunity to lead prayers, including our daily morning prayers, Birkat HaMazon, Torah Service on Thursday and Shabbat every Friday. Shabbat has been an enjoyable experience for Years 3-6. We love singing and praying together with our community and especially love hearing Shabbat stories with Rabbi Ninio. Every Monday lunchtime we meet with Mr Carpenter, Josh and Mia to discuss and plan Jewish Life in Primary School and our next projects.

Whenever we have celebrations within the School we always have lots of fun whilst dancing and singing our hearts out through Ruach dancing. We started off the month of Adar with Rosh Le Regel (Crazy Hat Day). It was so fun to see everyone’s crazy hats and smiles; it really was a hit. The next week was our big Purim celebration. The parade and ruach were fabulous. After recess we performed our Purim Parody Song and then we watched an amazing Purim play by the Jewish Studies and Hebrew teachers. To finish off a fun day, we headed down to the park to help run tug of war, knitting, drawing, and other fun sports activities. 

Overall it’s been an amazing term for us Jewish life leaders and we are so excited to share more of our experiences with you soon.

By the Year 6 Jewish Life Leaders:
Mia Chesler, Joel Ginges, Mirabella Marshall, Jasper Shraibman and Ashley Unger  

Primary Extra-curricular

Emma Hill – Primary Teacher and Coordinator of Extra-Curricular Programs

Extra-Curricular, Term 2 2022
Including music, sport and recreational activities

We are pleased to announce that Extra-Curricular activities for Term 2 2022 are open for booking via the Parent Portal. Many activities have set enrolment numbers so please ensure you book your child in early to avoid disappointment. There are also a range of teacher-led lunchtime clubs which are free for students. Students may join these clubs by approaching the listed teacher.

The Extra-Curricular schedule on the Parent Portal is regularly updated throughout the term, so please refer to this if you have any questions about the scheduling of activities. There are email links on each activity to help direct you to the relevant person if you do have any additional questions.

We have 2 new Extra-Curricular activities on offer for Term 2:
Sewing Club for Years 5-6
Code Camp for Years 2-6 

 The Extra-Curricular Schedule is available now via the Parent Portal

Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl

Pesach explorations

This week we began our learning around the festival of Passover and all the wonderful traditions, stories, characters, songs, food, and creative experiences. We tell the story of Pesach using animation, song, music, props, and costumes and invite the children to take on roles in the story. Re-enacting the story in this way helps to bring it to life and allows the children time to process the details and make sense of it. We tell the story of baby Moses and how he grew up in Egypt, being cared for by King Pharaoh’s daughter. The children love dramatising the story, particularly the parts when Moses goes to ask King Pharaoh to let the Jewish people go.

The children have started learning a variety of wonderful songs, using the ‘hundred languages’: When Moses was, One morning when Pharaoh awoke in his bed, Bang bang bang, Dayeinu, Listen King Pharaoh, How did Moses cross the Red Sea, and Ma Nishtana, to name but a few.

The Dolphins and Starfish invited the children to represent baby Moses in his basket using the medium of clay to express their thinking and ideas. This technique consisted of first rolling a small ball out of clay and moulding it into the shape of a basket by pinching and smoothing it with the tips of the fingers. The children had to be careful to use small bits of clay to shape into a head, body, and arms. They learnt how to connect the pieces using slurry and their fingers to squeeze the two parts together. Some of the skills involved in this process included: eye-hand coordination, visual perceptual skills, fine motor skills, recalling the story of Pesach and understanding and following instructions. Their representations are just unique and delightful.

We created Egypt, the desert, and the pyramids in the classrooms by using sand, triangle shaped blocks and camels. The children love this type of imaginative play. 

They have participated in cooking experiences, from making matzah pizzas, to charoset, to dipping parsley in saltwater and learning about the tears of the Jewish slaves in Egypt. The children have loved these interactive experiences and enjoyed all the tasting too!

Through all these sensory and visual experiences, the festival of Passover comes alive for the children and has meaning for them.

Comments

Luca: My mum was hiding a Matzah, so me and my cousins could find it, and Ella found it and got a surprise.
Claudia: When it was Pesach, I went to my Nanny’s house at night and she had to hide a present, and we had to find mine and my sister found hers. 
Matteo: People are celebrating Pesach.
Tahlia: It’s my first time celebrating Pesach.
Ziggy: Pesach….it’s the next festival.
Noah S: Poppa is having Pesach with me. It’s where we light candles and eat yummy food.

Where is Egypt?

Ziggy: The desert is where the Jewish people were for 40 million hundred years. It’s really hot.
Charlie: It’s in the desert.
Ella: I haven’t been to the desert but maybe I’ll go when I’m bigger.
Jack: Egypt is where the Jewish people used to work and work and work.
Noah S: It’s fun because you get to see skeletons. It’s dark in Egypt. I saw a picture of Egypt.

All the children will be participating in a Pesach Seder in the Pre-school on Tuesday 5 April 2022. 

Open Night

The Pre-school looked fabulous on Tuesday for our Open Night. We had many families through the Pre-school, and they commented on how beautiful the rooms looked, and how child friendly, warm, and homely the feel was as they moved through the rooms.

Many thanks to Mrs Gail Mackenzie for all her hard work in co-ordinating this event. It is always a pleasure working together.

Thank you to the Maintenance and Security team for their help and expertise.

Thank you to the amazing Kornmehl team for always going above and beyond and for the incredible job they do each day. I am always so blown away by the depth and breadth of the work and the learning that occurs in each room.

Happy Birthday

We wish a very happy birthday to August Wheeler (3). We hope you had a beautiful birthday celebration.

Doggy Day Out

Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

Family connections

School and our extended Emanuel community are often referred to as one big family, but sometimes there are real family connections that only become apparent during informal conversations. In a recent conversation with Emanuel parent Jessica Kawalsky (nee Swaab) whose sister Nikki Levi is also a current parent, Jessica mentioned their first cousin Mandy Aaron had just written a children’s book which might be of interest to our community. Unaware of this family connection until then, I told Jessica I knew Mandy, who is a past Emanuel staff member, first working here in the late 1990’s in the Music Department before becoming PA to then School Principal Dr Bruce Carter for a short time, and then School Registrar. She left the School in 2003 to pursue a new career away from education. Mandy’s delightful children’s book Mermaids on the Rock might appeal to our younger readers and she has another book in progress.

On a different note but still family-related, we have many current families where one parent (and in a few cases, even both) was a student here and now their own children are Emanuel students. I came across a delightful photograph of the three Silver sisters Monika, Anita and Cherie who are all past students. Monika and Anita’s children are all students here whilst Cherie lives in London where she is a curator, gallery manager and arts industry specialist, now working as a Project Manager for Mayfair Art Weekend. Our School uniform has certainly undergone many changes over the years. I wonder who else might have old school photos they’d be happy to share?

Mandy Aaron

Anita, Monika and Cherie Silver

Yom Hashoah Commemoration 2022

Keeping Alive the Stories of Survival will be the theme of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies’ Yom Hashoah commemoration this year, which will take place at Moriah College on Wednesday 27 April 2022. 

Holocaust survivor and Emanuel great grandmother, Olga Horak OAM, will deliver the keynote address and the ceremony will be live-streamed. Register here 

Call out for 2022 Careers Event

We are still seeking alumni who left school 10 years ago or less to come back to speak to our current Year 11 and Year 12 students for our Careers event on campus on 18 May 2022 from 8.30 am – 11.00 am.

This is an informal and small-group setting where groups of 5-10 students will rotate to chat to Alumni from all professions – healthcare, design, the creative industries, businesses, human services, the STEM areas, Law, government or anything else.

We are also seeking alum still studying for a student group. The pathway is what interests us, regardless of whether if it was smooth or bumpy! Parents, please pass this request on to your older children who were students here and ask them to complete this form if they are keen to join us and/or for them to pass details on to their old classmates.

Doggy Day Out
Sunday 3 April 2022

Dogs play an important role in enriching the lives of so many members of our community. Rotary Club of Rose Bay is teaming up with Street Paws to bring a dog festival to the Eastern Suburbs community of dog lovers this coming Sunday 3 April 2022 from 10.00 am – 3.00 pm at Lyne Park, New South Head Road, Rose Bay. It will be a fun day for residents and their furry friends featuring a range of activities, stalls, information sessions non dog behaviour and health as well as dog competitions. 

Friendship Bakery

Read everything you need to know about the social enterprise Friendship Bakery in this article published in this week’s Australian Jewish News. The bakery is certainly worth a visit whether you go Monday to Wednesday from 8.00 am – 2.00 pm for their kosher yummy salad bar, quiches, pastries and coffee or on Fridays from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm for their Shabbat Shop. You can also order online.   

Friendship Circle (FC)

Emanuel alumni Gabriel (Gabe) Wolf, Shoshana (Shoshi) Blackman and Jade Reuveny were amongst the volunteers at last weekend’s Teen Getaway to Berrima. FC is gearing up for more upcoming events, with their Young Adult Melbourne Getaway this weekend. FC plus 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. Register here.   

If you have any questions about Friendship Circle and/or if you or someone you know would like to join their programs as a participant or a volunteer, please email: hello@sydneyfc.org.au.

Gabriel Wolf and friend at FC Get Away

FC April Day Camp Flyer

Calling our Grandparents and Great grandparents

Our database continues to grow, and we thank our readers for getting in touch to provide grandparent updates. There are still quite a number of families for whom we have no grandparent contact details. If you think they would like to read about our wonderful school, even if they live overseas, please send through their email contact.

Parents, if you have previously provided email details for grandparents, can you please double check they are getting Ma Nishma, as we are still getting a lot of bounce-backs. Perhaps their inbox is full, or maybe we do not have the latest email contact for them? 

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

Shabbat shalom, stay safe and have a great weekend.

Gifted and Talented

Craig Moss – Co-ordinator of Gifted & Talented 7-12

Competitions round up 

It was another busy week of activities run by the Gifted and Talented Department during Week 8. 

Mock Mediation 

Well done to Willow Gelin, Jesse Barel, Jessica Linker, Elise Kitchener, Eitan Hamilton and Jayden Segal for an excellent performance in the first round of the Mock Mediation competition. Mock Mediation is an initiative of The Law Society of New South Wales that uses a structured problem-solving process designed to encourage the parties to identify the issue in dispute, consider options and work towards an agreement that will meet the needs of all parties. For this round, Willow and Jesse took the roles of mediators, while Jessica and Elise formed Party A and Eitan and Jayden formed Party B. The adjudicator was very impressed with how each student stayed in character and kept close to the scenario and confidential facts provided. He also praised our mediators, Willow and Jesse, for their role in bringing both parties to a joint agreement.

Congratulations! We now look forward to the next round in Term 2. 

HICES Debating Competition

Middle Division

The topic for our Middle Division debaters in Year 7 was That acts of terrorism should not be given media coverage. Our Emanuel 1 team won their debate due to a forfeit and our Emanuel 2 team’s debate ended in a draw.

Senior Division

Our Senior Division teams (Years 9 and 10) debated the topic That the private lives of public figures should be open to media scrutiny. The Year 9 team took the negative side and was narrowly defeated by St Luke’s. Sara Morris participated in her first ever HICES debate and Jayden Segal stepped up to be third speaker for the first time. Honorary mention goes to Jayden Segal for his debating effort. Well done to our Year 10 team, Alice Milner, Kian Hamburger and Eitan Hamilton, who won their debate against St Spyridon’s. Honorary mention goes to Eitan Hamilton and Alice Milner for their debating efforts.

Congratulations to all teams for their efforts in preparing and representing Emanuel School.

Music Matters

Diana Springford – Head of Music

Extra-Curricular Music Program

You may be thinking about extra-curricular activities for Term 2. Memberships from Term 1 will rollover automatically.

Please email Ms Springford if you are not currently a member of an ensemble and are interested in signing up. 

This is the rehearsal schedule describing ensembles in more detail on a second tab. Those interested in playing their instrument or singing as part of a group should get involved, especially if you want to be eligible for Music Camp in June. 

Music Competition

Congratulations to the finalists for the Emanuel Music Performance and Composition Competition. We are looking forward to the concert for family and friends. The quality and variety of entries was fantastic – what a very musical and creative bunch of students we have at Emanuel School. 

Emanuel Big Band performance at assembly

Mazal tov to the Emanuel Big Band who performed Do Whatcha Wanna by Rebirth Brass Band at assembly on Tuesday morning. This was a super stylish and finessed performance which was great fun to listen to and a tribute to their hard work, with great solos by Max Salamon and Matthew Lowy under the expert direction of their conductor Mr Eamon Penner-Dilworth. 

Thanks to Mr Owen, Ms Grieve and Mr Farrugia who filled in for absent students at the last minute.

Term 2 dates 

Weekly ensemble rehearsals and Private Music Tuition will resume on the first day of Term 2, Wednesday 27 April 2022. 

The Instrumental Program (IP) for Years 3-6 will resume on these dates:

• Year 3 and Year 5 (Tuesdays): first IP day is Tuesday 3 May 2022.
• Year 4 and Year 6 (Wednesdays): first IP day is Wednesday 27 April 2022. 

Private Music Tuition and Infant Strings Program

Thank you to those who have advised us of changes to private tuition and Infant Strings Program enrolments for next term via the online forms on our  Music Portal Page. The deadline for new enrolments or intention to discontinue for Term 2, has now passed. All students currently receiving private tuition and students in the K-2 Infant Strings Program will be automatically re-enrolled along with students commencing lessons for the first time. Please contact music@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au if you have any questions. 

The schedules for Term 2, 2022 will be created at the end of term and emailed during April term break.

Coming soon – Music Camp 2022

Please refer to the separate article in this week’s Ma Nishma.

Music Camp 2022

Diana Springford – Head of Music

Coming Soon 
Emanuel School Music Camp with Mount Sinai College!

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

Music Camp is a four day camp from Monday 20 June 2022 -Thursday 23 June 2022. The first three days are held at Lake Macquarie Outdoor Recreation Centre in Balcolyn and the final day is held at School. Students return to Emanuel on the evening of Wednesday 22 June 2022, to be collected by parents in the early evening. Camp continues on Thursday 23 June 2022 with an all-day rehearsal, a BBQ dinner for students and our Music Camp Showcase Concert in the MPH on the Thursday evening.

Enjoy these photos from last year’s music camp:

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Music Camp Showcase – 2021

All members of participating ensembles in Years 4-11 are expected to attend Music Camp at a cost of approximately $570.00. Payment can be made in full or in two instalments, the first of which would be payable on or by Friday 29 April 2022. Attendance for Year 12 students is encouraged but optional. Year 12 students who are interested in attending should speak to Ms Springford. More details will continue to be rolled out via Ma Nishma and an information note will be sent to parents of eligible students in the coming days, including procedure for registering to attend.

For the purposes of Music Camp, every music camper must be a member of a core ensemble: Junior or Senior Choir; Gershwin, Bernstein or Copland Concert Band; Rubinstein, Korngold or Mendelssohn Strings. For smaller ensembles such as Rock Bands, if the whole extension ensemble is at Music Camp, we will do our best to allocate rehearsal time for them to work on repertoire for their extension ensemble as well as the large camp ensembles.

I’m delighted to announce the exciting news that we will be joined for the full duration of this year’s Music Camp by a group of Primary School musicians and supervising staff from Mount Sinai College.

Careers

Claire Pech – Careers Advisor

This week Dan Brockwell from EarlyWork came in to speak to our Year 12 students. He has a lot in common with the Year 12 group, in that seven years ago he was sitting in their seats. Since then he has graduated from UNSW with a Bachelors in Computer Science and Commerce. He has also worked for a lot of start-ups, in the set-up capacity and in an advisory capacity. He did exchanges at University of Virginia and spent some time at Stanford in the US and did some internships at IBM, Deloitte, Uber to name a few. He was recently working at Atlassian full time and just resigned to go “all-in” on his own start up EarlyWork.

Daniel Brockwell (Class of 2015) –  founder of EarlyWork

EarlyWork is on a mission to create the careers of tomorrow that are impactful to society. To say he has done a lot is an understatement, but his advice was extremely relevant and humble with his usual approachable style. Our students asked him questions about his experiences and choices, and we were lucky to get him to do some beatboxing on the side! I encourage anyone to check out his company to learn more about EarlyWork, and for our students going out into the world of work, it is a great resource for future jobs and internships

Professional Cadetships Australia

Last week we hosted Alister Wilkinson from Professional Cadetships Australia which provides the opportunity to work and study at the same time. Students can finish up from University with a few years experience and a host of contacts to embark on their careers.

Click here for more information. 

Year 12 Early Offer Parent Evening 

Monday 9 May 2022
7.00 pm – 8.00 pm

I will be running an Early Offers Zoom chat on Monday 9 May 2022 from 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm. I have timed this event to fit in with some more information being released predominantly from UTS which is very popular with our students. I will outline some of the schemes that are popular with our students, and you can ask any questions. A Zoom link will be sent out in due course.

University of Sydney 
Year 12 Information Evening

Thursday 28 April 2022
4.00 pm – 7.00 pm

In-person, on campus at The University of Sydney, Camperdown Campus.

This is a great opportunity to get on campus and explore Sydney University way before the season of Open Days kick in.

Find out more here.

AIM
Open Evening 2022

Wednesday 18 May 2022
5.30 pm – 8.00 pm

AIM Sydney: Open Evening 2022 is your opportunity to find out what the Australian Institute of Music can offer you and your passion and dedication to music.

Find out more here.

ACU | ACU Guarantee application process and student panel (NSW/ACT/QLD)

Tuesday 14 June 2022
6.00 pm – 6.30 pm

For anyone interested in ACU and their very industry focussed degree’s please attend this Zoom on early entry and guaranteed applications.

Find out more here.   

K-12 Sport

Kristy Genc – Director of Sports K-12

Netball news

Congratulations to the Emanuel 15 Years & Opens Representative Netball teams who competed at the CDSSA Netball Championships last week. It was great to see school teams back on the court and such an impressive level of interest in netball. Well done to Layla Aronstan, Jessica Hart, Hayley Kanevsky, Talia King, Franki Kurlansky, Jessi Levin, Alena Lewy, Leah Stiassny, Samara Strougar, Lara Yakubson, Ruth Durbach, Gabriella Freed, Lani Israel, Meika Laishevsky, Kenya Martin, Alyssa Simmons and Ashley Urbach. 

A special mention to Alena Lewy who has been selected in the 15 Years CDSSA Representative Team. 

In Term 2, netball is offered to students in Years 1-12. In Years 1-2 a skills based program is offered to students each Monday afternoon. Students in Years 3-6 have the opportunity to take part in a development program which includes a combination of skills trainings and games. For the High School students, Emanuel teams are entered into the St Catherine’s Netball Competition. Training sessions for Years 7-12 students are held on Monday mornings and games are Wednesday afternoons. 

If your child is interested in taking part in the Term 2 Emanuel Netball Program, please contact Netball Coach Erin Archer. Registrations and further information can be accessed through the Sport Page of the Parent Portal. 

Football and Futsal news

Well done to the Emanuel 1sts Football Team who had a dominant 5-1 win over Lakes Grammar in Round 2 of the NSWCIS Football Cup. Gabriel Sperber scored a hat trick in what was a very positive display by all the boys in the team. 

Well done to the Year 7-8 Girls Futsal teams who have taken part in the Sydney Schools Cup Futsal Competition this term. Emanuel had two teams training and competing each week and great improvements have been made over the term under the guidance of coaches Ethan De Melo, Jason Romero and Jordan Kery.

I look forward to seeing this progress continue as we move into the futsal representative season next term. 

Emanuel 1sts Football Rd 2 2022

Emanuel Year 7-8 Girls SSC Futsal

Representative Swimming news 

On Monday, Aviv Farhy, Javer Cohen, Tali Same & Aden Goodridge spent the day competing at the AICES Swimming Championships at Homebush. This competition always proves to be one that is of a very high swimming standard as a pathway for over 80 schools.

Well done to the Emanuel team, who swam some personal best times and were outstanding representatives of the School. 

Touch Football Representative selections

Congratulations to Oliver Novy, Zack Gerber, David Winter and Talia Kleviansky who have been selected in the CDSSA Representative Touch Football Teams following trials this week.

Primary Swimming Carnivals

Stuart Taylor – PDHPE Teacher

ASISSA and CIS Primary Swimming Carnivals

What a big few weeks it has been for our Primary swimmers. Since the school carnival, a dedicated group of students have been attending 6.50 am training sessions on Wednesday mornings in preparation for the representative carnivals.

A special mention must be made of the students who were training but fell ill prior to the carnival and could not compete……next year!

This effort paid dividends with outstanding performances by our 28 students at ASISSA, including Sierra Miller and Alessia Frankham, Year 2.

There were tears and smiles, but the Emanuel team spirit was proudly displayed as parents and team mates loudly cheered on the action in the pool.

Finishing with our best result in a number of years, including Ryan Miller being awarded Junior Boys Champion, 11 students were selected to represent ASISSA at the CIS carnival:

Zella Benko/Alessia Frankham/Alfie Berger/Sierra Miller – Girls Junior Relay
Dylan Pal/Eitan Shmuel/Dan Garfinkel/Ryan Miller – Boys Junior Relay
Ravi Keller – Boys 8 Years 50m Freestyle
Sierra Miller – Girls 8 Years 50m Freestyle
Dan Garfinkel – Boys Junior 50m Backstroke
Alessia Frankham – Girls 8 Years 50m Freestyle
Jake Rosenfeld – Boys 11 Years 50m Breaststroke
Mia Goodridge – Girls 12 Years 50m Butterfly
Ryan Miller – Boys 10 Years 50m Freestyle/ Junior 50m Breaststroke, Backstroke and Butterfly

Up against stiff competition in the Olympic pool at Homebush, the Emanuel swimmers acquitted themselves incredibly well at CIS level. Personal bests were recorded and self-confidence and belief in their swimming abilities was reinforced as a result.

A special mention must be made of Sierra Miller, who in her first outing as an Emanuel and ASISSA representative, finished second in the final of the Girls 8 Years 50m freestyle. I was fortunate enough to be the timekeeper in her lane and witnessed the finish up close. She is now a CIS team member and will swim at the NSWPSSA championships on Monday 4 April 2022. We wish her all the very best.

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Emanuel TV

Adam Ezekiel – Director of Students

Special Report
The Conflict in Ukraine

Around the world, people are saddened and devastated by the events unfolding in Ukraine. Both adults and young people alike are feeling the stresses of war from afar as they experience fear, frustration and helplessness. The 24-hour news cycle has shown us upsetting images raising many questions, especially for our young people, about what is happening.

Parents and caregivers need to be guided by their child’s curiosity. There is strong evidence to suggest that having a supportive discussion about a stressful event in a developmentally appropriate way, can actually decrease distress. It’s best to “name it, to tame it.” This will also combat any misinformation to which they have most likely already been exposed to through social media, pictures or video clips.

Children need to know that they are being taken seriously. So it is recommended that you don’t avoid the difficult questions. Ensure you address their questions honestly and sensitively. With less life experience than adults, young people may need help navigating news about this crisis. Use this is as an opportunity to model and encourage compassionate views towards fellow humans, regardless of distance or circumstance.

This Special Report offers guidance on how best to discuss the conflict in Ukraine.

We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered and, as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please seek medical or professional help.

Let’s sign

Rebecaa Gaida – Hebrew Teacher Primary

Israeli sign language שפת הסימנים הישראלית

Shalom!  שלום

This week we have Elyad Rapke and Veronica Aronov performing Echad Mi Yodea a classic Pesach song, please sing along!

We also have Lexi Butt showing you how to say Shalom which was made by our Year 6 IT Leaders!

Toda תודה

Position Vacant – Kornmehl

Position Vacant

The Kornmehl Centre Emanuel Pre-School is looking for a support person to assist with a special needs child. No qualifications are required but you will need to have an interest in working with children to support their learning and inclusion in the classroom. The role will require patience, a positive attitude and a willingness to learn from our wonderful team.

You will also need to have a valid Working With Children Check for paid work. You can find details on how to apply here.    

Days: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Time: 9.30 am – 1.30 pm
Start Date: Wednesday 27 April 2022 (Term 2)

If you are interested, please send an expression of interest to Terry Aizen, Director of The Kornmehl Centre Emanuel Pre-school.        

Holiday Trading Hours

Emanuel School Uniform Shop will close for the school holidays on Thursday 7 April 2022 at 5.00 pm.

Please use this link to make your appointment

Extra trading hours – Terms 1 and 2

Tuesday 5 April 2022: 8.00 am – 5.00 pm
Wednesday 6 April 2022: 1.00 pm – 5.00 pm
Thursday 7 April 2022: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm

Tuesday 26 April 2022: 8.00 am – 5.00 pm
Wednesday 27 April 2022: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm
Thursday 28 April  2022: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm

The uniform shop will return to normal hours on Monday 2 May 2022.

Throughout the school term our opening hours are:

Monday                                    8.00 am – 11.00 am
Tuesday                                   1.00 pm – 5.00 pm
Thursday                                 1.00 pm – 5.00 pm

You are welcome to purchase from the online uniform shop, passphrase ES1983.

All orders will be completed when the store reopens.

Contact details:

Phone:  9326 5445
Email:    emanuel@midford.com.au

PSG

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

Salina Jamani, Anthony Joshua, Ricky Friedlander, Tal Harpaz, Danielle Jaku Greenfield, Daniel Zines, Gary Aaron, Barry Sherman, Kieran Ginges, Ian Pryer, Denise Slot, Paul Filipczyk, John Salamon, Lara Levin, Rupal Ismin, Don Robertson, Antony Selby, Larry Simon, Nicolas Meer, Michelle Masnick, Nicky Stiassny, Meital Winter, Rebekah Hatzvi, Rami Weiss, Lisa Bognar, Tristan Freedman, Martin Becker, Deborah Zolot and David Eisman

P&F

Justine Hofman – Head of P&F

While the weather and COVID may have prevented some P&F events taking place this term, it certainly hasn’t stopped planning for next term.

In the past week, the Year level parents gathered on Zoom to think up ways to build community across individual Year levels. The Mother’s Day committee has also been laying down plans to liven things up with a fun (and dare I say, hilarious) morning for mums and their kids on Friday 6 May 2022 (get it in your diary now!). So, while things are somewhat restrained at the moment, we hope that this wave will soon pass and next term brings more opportunities to get together.

P&F Monthly Meetings

We will no longer hold monthly P&F meetings, rather they will be held on a termly basis. The next meeting will be held in Term 2. Date to be advised.

Mother’s Day Morning

When: Friday 6 May 2022
Time: 7.15 am – 8.30 am 

We will open bookings next week but in the meantime, save the date for this wonderful event to bring mums and kids together on campus.

Reminder
Order Friday Challah for Term 2

Choose from Jesse’s Bakery’s regular challah without seeds ($4.50 per week) and gluten-free challah ($10.00 per week) and collect each week from school. Order and pay via this form before Monday 25 April 2022.

Questions to our Challah coordinator, Sharron Miller, at crew@captainbandanna.com.au

Events to diarise

Friday 8 April 2022: Friday Chills K-6 families (pending COVID restrictions)
Friday 6 May 2022: Mother’s Day Morning, 7.15 am – 8.30 am
Sunday 21 May 2022: Bush Picnic
Friday 26 August 2022: Father’s Day (Breakfast and Stalls)
Friday 4 November 2022 – Sunday 6 November 2022: Emanuel Family Spring Camping 

Shabbat Shalom to all!

Community Notices

Recipe of the Week

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

From the kitchen of Nicky Abitz

Banana Crumble

Ingredients

For the Banana filling:
6 bananas, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

For the Crumble:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
125g margarine
1 egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 180^oC

For the Crumble Base and Topping:
Cream the sugar and margarine.
Add the egg and mix.
Add sifted flour and baking powder.
Combine to form a ball of dough.
Separate out 1/4 of the dough, wrap with Glad Wrap and store in the freezer for roughly 30 minutes.
Butter a 1 1/2 litre capacity ovenproof dish and spread out the remaining 3/4s of the dough to form the crumble base.

Banana Mixture:
Add the bananas, sugar and vanilla essence together and gently heat in a saucepan until soft and gooey.
Let the mixture cool down and then spoon the filling over the crumble base.
Grate the frozen crumble dough over the banana filling.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the crumble is golden.
Serve with ice cream, or custard.

Serves 6