From the Principal

Andrew Watt – Principal

A Child Safe School – Empowering our students

Our Executive team is currently in the process of reviewing our child protection policies and processes against best practice principles and standards. We do this regularly, to ensure that we do not become complacent or let child safety fall off our agenda. On our School website, when we describe what is important to us, we commit to being a Child Safe School.

This means that, through our culture, communications, policies and practices, we seek to systematically:

1. create conditions to reduce the likelihood of our children being harmed
2. create conditions that increase the likelihood of identifying and reporting harm
3. respond appropriately to disclosures, allegations and suspicions of harm.

The Royal Commission recommended a set of Child Safe Standards for schools to comply with. Two of these Standards relate to how we promote student voice and agency, in terms of reporting on child protection matters. Our messages from public forums, within our wellbeing programs and our counselling services, aim to ensure that your children:

• speak up about their safety and the safety of their friends
• are aware they can access support if required
• understand that they are listened to and respected
• feel safe to raise concerns about themselves or their friends
• have easy access to internal and external support services.

Our hope is that our students know who to talk to if they feel unsafe, or if someone asks them to do something they don’t want to do. Importantly, we want our students to be confident that they will be believed if they speak up, and that action will be taken and that they will not get in trouble for sharing their experience. This will look different in Kornmehl. Primary and High School. These outcomes can be best achieved when our staff maintain a culture of listening to our students and seeking their opinion about things that affect them. We are also consistent in letting our students know that if they raise a concern, our staff will sometimes need to disclose serious matters to the Principal or his delegate, for mandatory reporting.

Parents have a key role to play in encouraging their children to voice any child safety concerns and to communicate these concerns to the School promptly. Amongst other things, Child Safe Schools are characterised by high levels of trust, effective communication and a strong partnership with parents.

The joys of Purim 

I recently asked a group of students what their favourite festival is. Sure enough, Purim was distinctly high up on the list and I know why! It’s a time of so much joy and the buzz of excitement as the whole school celebrates together can be felt as you walk through the Waxman Gates.

I enjoyed watching the students from Pre-school to Year 12 parading their magnificent costumes, singing Purim songs, hearing the Story of Esther and sharing mishloach manot (and delicious hamantashen). Thank you to those students who brought in tins of food for OzHarvest. You will find many wonderful photos in this edition of Ma Nishma. Enjoy the joy!

Our Informal Jewish Life team getting into the spirit of Purim

Leading the way: Ma’ayan Symposium

Adina Roth presents on the topic of The challenge of teaching prayer to GenZ teenagers at the Ma’ayan Symposium

Our Head of Jewish Life, Adina Roth, partnered with the Jewish Education Department, Sydney University, to host and deliver a teacher professional development program for our Hebrew, Jewish Studies and Jewish Life staff. Over 60 educators and leaders within our Jewish Schools attended. Building a team of knowledgeable teachers, with excellent programs, policies and initiatives remains a priority for each of our Jewish Schools. It was fantastic that we could come together from our different schools and learn together, share ideas, resources and experiences.

Thank you to Adina and also the workshop presenters: Professor Suzanne Rutland, Dr Yona Gilead, Sandy Hollis, Ronnen Grauman, Ben Ezzes, Michael Sassoon and Natali Tchelet. It took a significant amount of organisation to bring this Symposium to life and I am grateful to Stacey Rosenfeld for her exceptional organisation.

Career Space

Mazal tov

Congratulations to Dylan Pal who was selected as goalkeeper for the ASISSA Football Team. Dylan and his teammates will now play in the CIS Football Championships on Thursday 30 March 2023.

A huge congratulations to Victoria Miller, Class of 2022, for being shortlisted for the Young Writers Showcase for her HSC English Extension 2 Major Work. Like the Encore and Onstage exhibitions of the best work from Music and Drama respectively, the Young Writers Showcase is a display of the best English Extension 2 Major Works from across the State. Students who have their work chosen are published in an anthology of works and become published authors for the first time.

Victoria wrote a metafictive screenplay for a fictional sitcom. Her script is an entertaining and ground-breaking exploration of the nature of scriptwriting that is both hilarious and thought-provoking. She utilised a number of non-conventional stylistic choices such as striking out words and highlighting words to show the developing nature of the script. Her piece, entitled The Pultzman Show: 250^th Episode Special is designed to be read rather than filmed and watched.

We wish Victoria the best of luck with making it into the book.

Quote of the day

“The people that can know the full darkness of history and yet rejoice is a people whose spirit no power on earth can ever break.” ~ Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks ^z”l

From the Head of Jewish Life

Adina Roth – Head of Jewish Life

The Complexities of International Women’s Day

Many years ago, as a student, I attended a meeting at university comprised of all the different women’s organisations. I was attending as the Gender Officer of the South African Union of Jewish Students, the equivalent of AJWS in Australia. I remember that there were also representatives from the Socialist Students Union and the African National Congress Women’s League.

As the gender officer of a Jewish students’ organisation, my platform was to be concerned with the horrendous violence and abuse levelled at women in South Africa on a daily, hourly basis. But in addition, I had religious concerns: I was concerned about the inclusion of Jewish women in communal and religious life in South Africa. I was happy to be there among a group of diverse women but soon my reverie was shattered!  A women stood up and spoke (actually, she shouted), from the Socialist Students’ Union. I still remember what she was wearing: a t-shirt with a Karl Marx print, her hair tied in two small braids and topped with a Che Guevara hat. She said to all present, ‘Be wary of thinking that the working-class woman has anything in common with the middle-class woman. You have nothing in common with them!’ She continued, ‘working-class women would do better to work with working-class men for societal change.’ Suddenly, as the only white, Jewish woman in the room, I felt a little self-conscious and as if some of the causes I wanted to speak about might not be received well among this audience. I wanted to talk about women not being able to read from the Torah in my community and how, when we had tried to read from the Torah, men had literally entered the space where the Torah reading was happening and wrenched the Torah away from us – a form of violence. But in that space, I felt as if my concerns were middle-class. I wasn’t fighting to put bread on the table or to ask why valuable resources were not available to my community.

Nevertheless, I stood up and told the story about the Torah and acknowledged that even though I was from the white, middle-class and deeply privileged part of society, I felt there was common cause among women as we all encountered patriarchy in different ways. 

I was reminded of this story when reading the United Nations Agenda for International Women’s Day this week. Every year the United Nations sets an agenda for International Women’s Day on the 9th of March and this year it is DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality. The agenda, as explained in ABC news, is about addressing the gender bias in the tech industry. While gender bias in the tech industry is deeply relevant and indeed, there is still a pay-gap between men and women across all industries, one might wonder about the pertinence of this theme for poor women. I could imagine my friend from the Socialist Students’ Union asking whether International Women’s Day addresses concerns about the world’s poorest women. In an article in the Indian Express from 2016, International Women’s Day is critiqued  as follows: For poor women, it is just another day to earn bread. Does International Women’s Day almost serve to widen the gap between the have’s and have-nots in our society?

To add to this discussion, I was struck by words used to commemorate International Women’s Day. Across many publications, people speak about how we are going to ‘celebrate’ International Women’s Day in a triumphalist tone, as though we have ‘arrived’ at the end of women’s struggle. One might think that because there is still so much to do around gender equality, it might be more apt to talk about marking or commemorating International Women’s Day and using the day not for pink cupcakes and patting ourselves on the backs, but rather as a day to raise awareness of the plight of women across the world.

Is International Women’s Day just for the rich? And is it a day where we praise ourselves without looking at how much work is still required? How do we mark this day in a way that is meaningful?

There is a very beautiful idea in this week’s Parshah that helped me reconcile these questions. In Ki Tisa this week we read the dramatic and explosive moment when just days after the people of Israel encounter God, experience revelation and receive the Torah at Mount Sinai, they build a golden calf and worship it. When Moses comes down the mountain and finds the people revelling, quite literally, in the worship of a sacred cow, he smashes the Ten Commandments into a thousand little pieces. It seems as if everything is undone.

Later, after the people have been punished and God has calmed down, Moses carves a new set of tablets and God writes the Ten Commandments again. The people are given a reprieve, a second chance, another chance at wholeness.  And yet, our tradition does not efface the story of the broken pieces. Once they are carved Moses is told to place ‘them’ in the Ark of the Covenant. Picking up on the plural of the word ‘them’, the Talmud in Tractate Bava Batra qualifies what was to be placed in the Ark: ‘The new tablets AND the broken tablets were to be placed in the Ark.’  In our holiest place, the Ark of the Covenant, the shards of the broken pieces were preserved alongside the spanking new set.

I think there is a profound spiritual and ethical practice involved in carrying the whole, new tablets alongside the broken pieces. Specifically for International Women’s Day, this image of the whole alongside the broken seems to speak to how we can engage with this day. We should address the inequality in the tech industry alongside the issues of deeper, systemic poverty for women in the global south. We can celebrate how far we’ve come in this struggle and reflect on the areas where so much work is still required around gender. Danielle Dobson puts it well in Smart Company, people can celebrate both what’s ‘strong’ and also what is still ‘wrong.’ In this way, International Women’s Day is a celebration and also a day for reflection and activism.

If we think about the whole tablets alongside the broken tablets as a metaphor, we are pulled into a dual way of being, to engage the brokenness of the world, alongside its goodness. Gerard Manley Hopkins praises the world in his poem ‘Pied Beauty’, when he writes ‘Glory be to God for dappled things.’ Dappled implies the beauty that constellates when light and shadow dance together – it is an invitation to ‘two-ness.’ If we can think of International Women’s Day as a dappled day, we can proverbially ‘do it all’. We can rail against diverse gender inequalities! We can celebrate triumphs while also railing and taking action against current injustice – and we can do all this, while still enjoying a pink cupcake!

Shabbat Shalom

Ma Koreh

Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary

Staff and students transformed the School’s every-day atmosphere into one of colour and festivity for Purim. 

Our celebrations began with Purim parades and it was wonderful to have parents join us for the ruach, dancing and celebrations. In addition to the amazing costumes of students and staff, highlights of the morning parade included Year 6 dancing to Derekh HaMelekh and Ms Hynek doing ‘The Worm’ breakdancing move. Students were able to participate in the many mitzvot and minhaggim of Purim; including hearing the Purim story, masking mishloach manot for classmates, giving tzedakah and having a festive meal of hamantaschen. 

We heard the megillah being read and watched a Dr Seuss-inspired Purim Spiel performed by the Primary Jewish Life Leaders. Students were treated to a series of beautiful, interactive Purim-themed stories by the engaging storyteller Donna Jacob Sife.  

Thank you to the Primary Jewish Life Leaders, Jewish Life staff and the Primary staff and students for contributing to a fun day of celebrations.

Primary News

Natanya Milner – Head of Primary School

I’ve come to my office to write my article just after being at an assembly and watching all the children and teachers. I feel so elated that I thought I would share a little snapshot of what took place. Firstly, there were prayers which were led by the students with the support of Mr Carpenter. The children did a wonderful job leading their peers and setting a fabulous example as role models of responsibility and knowledge. Next, the teachers handed out praise certificates to children for any outstanding accomplishments from the past week. Literally, everything was celebrated from using amazing writing techniques through to being a kind friend. The children stood so proudly to receive their certificates and I must say, I was struck by the outstanding uniforms on display – including kippot, the correct socks and shoes. Finally, there were announcements letting the students know what activities were on offer to them over the coming lunchtimes. There was everything from homework club and debating through to innovation and dancing. The morning assembly finished and the children were happily led by their teachers off to their classrooms to begin the day of learning. I returned to my office feeling so blessed for the beautiful community that we have and excited for the day ahead.

School culture has a significant influence on the overall tone of the school. Of course, our beautiful school culture doesn’t guarantee that every child will experience ‘smooth sailing’ all the time but what I do see, is a positive framework for the children to operate within and be guided through their journey. 

It seems there may have been some misunderstanding of our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) approach. In fact, I believe that there has been some comment of it as being negative and punitive. This surprises me as I would suggest that the opposite is true and I assure you that this is not the case at all. The major change with the introduction of PBL is that we have a set of clearly articulated expectations and behaviours that we are sharing with the children. It focuses on offering as much positive feedback to the students as possible, to reinforce our messages. PBL then shares a commitment, if behaviours require adjusting, that teachers use a range of strategies to support this. These include prompting, reteaching, providing choices and conferencing. The PBL approach has really helped to set a calm tone for the start of the year and the fact that all teachers are reinforcing the same messages means that children know how to succeed across all subjects. In general, the children are settled and there is more pride shown in our environment. We believe this consistency and explicitness is helping many of our children to understand the expectations and rise to the occasion. Where there may be the need for further support and intervention, we liaise with families and develop a plan that is specific to each child. These programs are informed by the work of experts like Ross Greene as well as various trauma-informed approaches. We don’t believe in a ‘one size fits all’ approach, but we are creating a model that suits our students and our context. I am thrilled with the early results.

Year 6 Leadership Training

Last week we conducted our  three day Year 6 leadership training. We had sessions on values and leadership legacies, being transition people and leadership skills. We ran around Olympic Park doing an Amazing Race and we analysed leadership messages in films. We wrapped up with an epic ruach session. I would like to thank our wonderful Year 6 students and teachers for their contributions and engagement over these training days.

Eamon Lukins did an incredible job organising the program and he was ably supported by Leanne Cresswell, Jessica Neutze, Carrie Thomas, Adam Carpenter and the Informal Jewish Life team.

Purim

Tuesday was a busy day filled with Purim activities and celebration. We had some very impressive costumes from students, teachers and even some parents. Thank you for your efforts!

I’d like to thank the Hebrew and Jewish Studies Department, led by Hagit Bar-On and Adam Carpenter for a fabulous day of learning and fun!

Campus Hours

Supervision begins on campus (in the Waxman playground) from 7.30 am. Unless your child is going straight to an early activity such as choir, band or sport, please do not drop them before this time. If you have one child beginning an early activity on campus, it is not possible to drop siblings and have them supervised prior to 7.30 am. We really appreciate your support with this.

 Vacation Care

The dates for April vacation care will be:

Week 1:

• Friday 14 April 2023

Week 2:

• Monday 17 April 2023
• Tuesday 18 April 2023
• Wednesday 19 April 2023
• Thursday 20 April 2023
• Friday 21 April 2023

The vacation care program is currently being planned. An enrolment form and further information will be emailed to families in the next week or two. 

Primary NAPLAN and Parent Teacher Night

Katie Brody – Director of Students K-6

Parent Teacher Night 
Wednesday 22 March 2023 and Monday 27 March 2023 
Zoom meetings

The first opportunity for parents to meet with teachers this year is coming up on Wednesday 22 March 2023 or Monday 27 March 2023. The invitation to request meetings was emailed at the start of the week and closes at 3.30 pm today. Schedules will be sent next week and can be amended up until 3.30pm on Friday 17 March 2023.

Parent Teacher Night is a wonderful early opportunity to consider academic goals together with your child’s teachers, as well as any social or emotional aspects to begin the year. Teachers will have some preliminary feedback and observations to offer and are keen to establish beneficial working relationships with all parents. 

In Semester 1 we are conducting both nights via Zoom. K-2 parents will be able to book class teachers, Hebrew and Jewish Studies teachers as well as specialists. 3-6 parents will be able to book to see class teachers, Hebrew teachers and Jewish Studies teachers. 3-6 families will be able to book to see specialists in Semester 2. Meetings with specialist teachers are 5 minutes and class teachers are 10 minutes. Semester 2 meetings will be held in person.

NAPLAN – Year 3 and Year 5

NAPLAN gives teachers and parents a picture of several aspects of students’ learning. These include: their performance under test conditions, their basic use of punctuation, grammar, spelling, numeracy skills and their ability to write a persuasive text or an imaginative text (Narrative). This timed experience is an important snapshot of each student’s literacy skills, numeracy skills and writing ability at a point in time. These tasks provide teachers with helpful data relating to student progress and it helps to inform next steps for teaching and learning for the weeks ahead. This type of task isn’t reflective of the rich learning that occurs throughout the weeks. Classroom life is a mix of independent and collaborative learning, creativity, scaffolding and support, problem-solving and discovery methods. All these are essential in the process of developing a breadth of knowledge, deep understanding and a wide range of literacy, numeracy, language, creative, technological, physical and interdisciplinary skills. In addition to this, learning is about equipping students with the self-management skills and interpersonal skills that make them successful, well-rounded young people. 

Our class teachers have been supporting the students to prepare for the tasks they will face and to recognise the effort needed for NAPLAN amongst the myriad of other tasks, assignments, tests and assessments we do throughout the year. We have explored the NAPLAN demonstration site to recognise the various question types and we have continued with our explicit teaching of knowledge and skills in all key learning areas, encouraging students to engage and persevere. 

As NAPLAN approaches, the students may feel some trepidation about working under test conditions. Please know that we aim to create a sense of calm in the structures required and whilst we will certainly encourage students to do their best and utilise sound advice in relation to test taking, they should feel proud when they have completed each task.   

Here are four tips to help your child in the lead up to NAPLAN:

Prepare for the day
Good preparation is the key. Going to bed early the night before, having a healthy breakfast to start the day. Keep stress levels low and arrive at school a little earlier. Don’t forget to wish them good luck! If you wish to spend time with your child further exploring the NAPLAN demonstration site, see below.

Discuss their feelings and concerns
Tests commonly bring out feelings of anxiety, so let your child know that these feelings are normal. Listen to their concerns, show empathy and maintain a caring and positive attitude. More often than not talking about their fears can help to lessen these feelings.

Encourage them ‘to give it a go’ and ‘to try their best’
NAPLAN is not supposed to be a test of the students but rather a check to make sure that Australia is providing the best educational outcomes for children. Encourage your child to give it a go and try their best.

Keep NAPLAN in perspective
Remember that NAPLAN is just one assessment and that teachers and the school use this information in conjunction with numerous other data to determine a students’ academic level. It is important for your child to understand that their overall success is not determined by this one set of tests.

Additional information for parents about the National Assessment Program can be found on these websites:

1. Click here for the parent information brochure.
2. Click here for the public demonstration site mentioned above.
3. Click here to access further parent and carer information.

Click here for further information about the adaptive nature of NAPLAN online.

Purim fun in photographs

Thank you to Sharon Arnott for capturing this fabulous day with amazing photographs:

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Primary School Sport

Stuart Taylor – PDHPE Teacher

Year 4 Netball Program

Our Year 4 students have been learning how to play netball during sport time on Thursday afternoons/ 

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ASISSA Football Trials

After two school trials, Dan Kalinko, Asher Arnott, Oscar Glikin and Dylan Pal were selected to represent Emanuel school at the ASISSA representative trials at Hensley Synthetic Field on Thursday 2 March 2023. In sweltering conditions, the boys played in mixed teams with boys from other association schools in a round robin format, with selectors watching their every move. The standard was very high, and the boys played incredibly well with all four making the possible v probable stage. This is for players who are being considered for selection in the representative team.

Congratulations to Dylan Pal who was selected as goalkeeper for the ASISSA Football Team. Dylan and his teammates will now play in the CIS Football Championships on Thursday March 30 2023.

Primary School SRC Leaders

Benjamin Pellow – Year 6 SRC

Max Sher – Year 6 SRC

The Importance of the Mitzvah of Tzedakah

Tzedakah צְדָקָה is a significant part of our school culture and its importance cannot be overstated as a mitzvah in Judaism. As students, parents, and staff members, we have the power to make a significant impact on the lives of those in need, and we must strive to use this power to create positive change. By taking the time to understand the struggles and challenges faced by others, we become more compassionate and caring. This, in turn, helps to build stronger communities, as we learn to work together and support each other through difficult times. These ideas connect with the deeper meaning of the word tzedakah צְדָקָה and its connection to the word tzedek צֶדֶק – which can mean justice and righteousness.

Tzedakah also provides us with an opportunity to give back to society and make a meaningful contribution to the world around us. Whether it’s through volunteering, donating or fundraising, every little bit helps. Even small acts of kindness can have a significant impact on those in need.

Finally, tzedakah teaches us the importance of gratitude and appreciation for what we have in our own lives. By seeing the struggles and hardships faced by others, we gain a greater sense of perspective and learn to be more grateful for the blessings we have.

As members of the school community, we have a responsibility to engage in acts of charity and give back to those in need. This year, Primary students will be encouraged to contribute weekly צְדָקָה tzedakah on Fridays, to build the habit and routine for this important mitzvah. Our tzedakah collections in Term 1 and 2 will support the JNF and in Terms 3 and 4 the JCA. We ask that each student give tzedakah as often as possible. 

Let us all strive to make ְדָקָה tzedakah a priority in our lives and work towards building a more caring and compassionate school. By doing so, we can make a positive impact on the world around us and create a brighter future for everyone.

Please consider giving your child a gold coin to put in our tzedakah box throughout the year.

Sign Language

Rebecca Gaida – Hebrew Teacher Primary

Shalom!

This week was Purim, the happiest festival of the year. Year 5 learnt the song  שושנת יעקב Shoshanat Yaakov which comes from Shir HaShirim, the Song of Songs. It talks about the Rose of Jacob (the descendant) of Jacob being Mordechai and how the Jews will be saved, just as they were in the Purim story but in different generations over time.

Here is my Hebrew class performing the song!

Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl

Purim

Our Purim festivities culminated in a delightful celebration on Tuesday. The children arrived at Pre-school very excited and proud to show off their costumes. What a great variety of characters we had, from princesses, to kings, queens, butterflies, clowns, builders, pirates, astronauts, policemen, dinosaurs and so much more. The teachers all looked great as “the skater girls.”

We had a wonderful turn-out of parents and grandparents to support the children as they paraded around the garden. The children participated in the mitzvah of exchanging Mishloach Manot bags with a friend. We ate lots of yummy Hamantaschen, sang, danced, and had a beautiful morning.

Mr Phillip Einfeld, from Puppetoons, entertained the children with a delightful puppet show of exquisite Purim handmade character puppets. The story of Purim, came to life for the children, through this interactive show.

Purim comments:

Aria: I gave my bag to Samara and Samara gave her bag to me for Purim. We are going to shake our Purim shaker and say “Boo’ to Haman!
Amalia: Parties need treats. Is Haman going to be at the party?
Jordan: When it’s Purim we will come and eat treats, Oreos and Hamantaschen.

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Arava Twining Program

The Pre-school has been participating in a twinning program with Gan Faran Warbler in the Arava in the South of Israel since 2021. This is a very exciting partnership, that connects our Pre-school in Australia, with children just like them in Israel. This past week, we introduced the children to this program. We have already received two beautiful and generous packages from the Arava this term. The first package introduced all the children in the Gan to our children at Kornmehl, through a book of photos and information, together with a wonderful puppet and some puzzles. The second package was a collection of recycled materials for us to each make a rashanim for Purim. We have set up an Arava corner in the classroom, to deepen the connection and to have a visual for the children to associate with the Arava and in particular Israel as a country for the Jewish people. 

We are very excited to be able to extend our knowledge and association on a deeper level, by connecting with a Gan (pre-school) in the Arava region, as well as connecting the children to Israel in a meaningful and authentic way.

Open Day

The Pre-school will be holding an Open day next week Thursday 16 March 2023 for all prospective families who would like to visit our Pre-school to see what we offer, walk around our lovely classrooms, meet the Director and chat about our programs and philosophy. The morning will run from 9.30 am – 11.00 am.

Please book in to attend the Open Day. 

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Old School Ties

Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

Do you still have your School tie?

Alumna and current parent Michelle Levitt (nee Drexler), Class of 2000 recently donated her old school tie to our archives. It is pictured below, along with our current school tie, which is worn by all students from Years 5 -11 and then in Year 12 students receive a special tie for their final year of School, which is featured on the right hand side of the photograph. If you have any old records, photographs or other items of interest from the early days of the School, you might like to lend them to us so we can include them for display at events we are planning to hold this year as part of our celebrations of 40 Years of Emanuel School.

I am also sharing a photograph from the 2003 YearBook, celebrating 20 years of the School. You might be able to see in small print where then Emanuel parents Diane and Paul Drexler say “Mazal Tov. Only wish that our girls could begin at Emanuel again!” – better than that they have returned as grandparents at School, with daughter Michelle’s children now in Year K and at Kornmehl Pre-school. Keynote Speaker at High School Speech Night in 2003 was Justice Ronald Sackville AO, KC, whose youngest granddaughter Calliope Owen is now in Year 10, with her sister Saachi finishing Year 12 in 2019.

School ties

Emanuel celebrates 20 years (2003)

The importance of geneology tools for tracing family roots

Many of our families have parents and grandparents who were born in Poland, some of whom managed to escape the horrors of the Holocaust whilst many other family members were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during World War II.

A lecture, “Navigating Polish Ancestry” by Michal Maiewski on Sunday 26 March 2023 at the Sydney Jewish Museum (SJM) may be of particular interest to some of our readers, both as parents and/or grandparents, especially those of Year 7 students, as you prepare to help them with this year’s Shorashim, where the students delve into their family roots. Perhaps some of our older students might also be interested in attending this free lecture. Michal, a historian and professional genealogist, will share his knowledge of the best websites, records and most recently digitised archives relating to the shifting borders of Greater Poland.

If you cannot make this lecture, there are many other lectures and exhibitions that may be of interest at SJM another time.  Perhaps a tour of the Museum and/or for the amazing interactive high-tech exhibition “Reverberations: A Future for Memory”, which shines a light on the humanity and life experiences of 43 Holocaust survivors, who have shared their stories with visitors to the Museum in recent years. These survivors include many from our own School community including great grandparents Olga Horak OAM, Yvonne Engelman OAM, the late Eddie Jaku OAM and the late Lotte Weiss OAM as well as the late George Grojnowski and the late Helena (Lena) Goldstein plus current Emanuel grandparents Paul Drexler, Litzi Lemberg, Alice Loeb, Kitty Lowinger, Egon Sonnenschein and Mimi Wise.

Reverberations – a future for memory. Yvonne Engelman OAM, Eddie Jaku OAM and Olga Horak OAM

Navigating Polish Ancestry

Of the Body – Wednesday 5 April 2023
Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House

Alumna AJ America (Head Madricha, Class of 2012), founder of Luminescence Chamber Singers, will be performing at this unique event at the Sydney Opera House.

Maccabi LIFE 
Connecting our Jewish community through sport and wellbeing

The next major community event is the Maccabi Life FUN RUN – open to all ages.

Following several successful events for over 60s last year, the first Senior Walkie Talkies event for 2023 is on Saturday 18 April 2023. This is a wonderful opportunity for them to enjoy meeting new people over a walk and a talk. 

Maccabi Life Fun Run:Walk 2023

BRAVE TALKS

BRAVE TALKS is back after a sold-out event last November.

JewishCare NSW together with JCA bring our community four new speakers sharing their stories of anxiety, trauma recovery, overcoming adversity including a Paralympian, growing up with a parent experiencing depression. Join us on Thursday 30 March 2023 at 7.45 pm for our BRAVE TALKS event. Together, we have the courage to change the Mental Health conversation.

Book via the link.     

Gift of Life 
Still looking for a blood match for member of our Community

As many of you will know by now, we want to spread the word to help a member of our community, Murray Foltyn, the 41 year old brother and uncle of an Emanuel family, who has a rare blood cancer and requires an urgent blood stem cell transplant to help save his life.

Here’s how everyone can help:
If you fit the heritage criteria, please check your country’s age limit and the testing process below. Most countries are an easy mouth swab kit at home!

Australia: https://www.lifeblood.com.au/ .If you’re having trouble booking in please call them on 13 14 95.

🇺🇸 US: https://my.bethematch.org/s/join (18-40) – cheek swab
https://www.giftoflife.org/swab
https://www.dkms.org/register-now
🇬🇧 UK: https://www.dkms.org.uk/get-involved/become-a-donor (18-55) – cheek swab
🇮🇱 Israel: https://www.ami.org.il/ (18-45) – cheek swab
🇿🇦 South Africa: https://sabmr.co.za/ (16-45) – cheek swab
🇸🇰 Slovakia: https://swabtheworld.com/en/country/slovak-republic (18-45)
🇷🇺 Russia: https://swabtheworld.com/en/country/russia (18-45)
🇨🇦 Canada: https://www.blood.ca/en/stemcells/donating-stemcells/stemcell-eligibility-and-registration (17-35)
🇳🇿 NZ: https://www.bonemarrow.org.nz/#join-now (18-35)
🇨🇿 Czechia: https://www.darujzivot.cz/how-to-register (18-40)
🇲🇽 Mexico: https://bethematch.org.mx/
🌎 Other:  https://swabtheworld.com/en/become-a-donor

A match overseas is as good as a match in Australia, as a donor’s stem cells can easily be sent to Australia once they’re on the worldwide register.

Careers Space 2023

If you have older children who are Emanuel graduates, we ask you to please pass this on to them.  “Dear Emanuel graduates who finished school between 2007 and 2021, would you like to be involved in sharing your career story with our current students? Would you like to help shape the workforce of tomorrow? We are looking for Alumni who would like to come in to School and share those stories in an informal Q&A style setting. If you have had a messy or zig-zag path to your current role, even better. We would love to hear from you.

Details are:

Date:         Friday 19 May 2023
Time:        8.30 am  – 11.00 am 
Where:     Meet at Emanuel School Reception
Register:  Please register your interest via this link
What:        No preparation or presentations needed. Conversational style event.
Contact:   Claire Pech 

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

Shabbat shalom, stay safe and have a great weekend.

Music

Diana Springford – Director of Music P-12

Welcome to our Music Matters page! 🎶

Private Music Tuition and Infant Strings Program

Thank you to those who have already 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, notification of changes or intention to discontinue for Term 2, is Friday 17 March 2023 (end of Week 7). All students currently receiving private music tuition and students in Years K-2 who are currently participating in the Infant Strings Program will be automatically re-enrolled into tutor schedules for Term 2 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 will be created at the end of term and emailed during term break.

For your diaries!

Music Camp – CRU@ Lake Macquarie
Monday 19 June 2023 – Thursday 22 June 2023

Please see the separate article by Primary Music Leaders all about Music Camp. All committed members of Emanuel instrumental and vocal ensembles are eligible. Commitment is measured by a student’s attendance at rehearsals for Terms 1 and 2 and their proactive and attentive focus in rehearsals. Monday and Tuesday are overnight in Lake Macquarie, Wednesday night is at home. The cost is to be confirmed but will be approximately $580.00.

Primary School Music Leaders

Music Camp 2023

Music Camp is a four day camp full of music activities. It’s a one and a half hour drive away to an exciting place where you sing your hearts out and play the night away. The camp ends at school showcasing all of the music we’ve learnt. Whenever people go to Music Camp they always come back saying that Music Camp is one of the biggest highlights of their year. 

You may be wondering what you will be doing for four days! That answer is simple, you will be rehearsing fun and challenging pieces in your ensemble groups! If you are in multiple ensembles, your time at camp is really busy because you have to participate in all of your groups!

So, what happens when you’re not playing music?

Well there are breaks where you can hang out with your friends.There is also a talent show which you will be able to audition for to perform your special talent. You will be able to perform a talent from singing, comedy, dancing and playing an instrument. There is also a movie night to add some more enjoyment to the camp!

If you want to participate in Music Camp 2023, then you will have to join a choir or band as soon as possible this term. Sadly if you don’t join a band or choir soon, you will not have a chance to come to camp. If you are already in a choir or a band, no need to worry, you are already invited to come to camp!

This camp will make you a better musician and a better person. Hope to see you there!

By Arya Cohen, Daniel Joffe, Zoe Laurence and Sophia Rule
Year 6 Music Leaders

Come to the Cabaret

Parents on Parade

Justine Hofman – Head of P&F

Parents on Parade

Purim was a gorgeous wave of colour and excitement – especially with so many parents get into the festive spirit, wearing hats and participating in the parade (much to their children’s delight)! This is a new tradition that we will certainly carry forward to next year.  We were also thrilled to have some fun-loving parents get involved in the telling of the Purim story with Morah Baron.

IMG_9330[21]

Announcing Pre-loved Unform Shuk at School
Monday 24 April 2023

The P&F will be hosting a grand pre-loved uniform sale on Monday 24 April 2023, just in time for winter uniforms in Term 2. Donate your second-hand blazers, ties, shirts, skirts, dresses and more, and whatever funds are raised will be donated to the P&F for their many projects that benefit the School and your children. 

How it will work

• Donate pre-loved uniforms in clean, good condition on collection days.
• Sale will be held on campus from 1.00 pm – 5.30 pm on Monday 24 April 2023.
• Credit card or EFT only (we won’t be accepting cash payments).

Collection Days

• 7.30 am – 8.30 am, Monday March 27 2023 – Friday 31 March 2023: inside Avoca St gate and Waxman gate.
• 3.00 pm – 4.30 pm Friday 31 March 2023: Basket Ball Courts (Friday Chills).

Volunteer call out – an hour of your time

This initiative will only work if we have volunteer-power behind it. If you are available for an hour to help with collection mornings, sorting uniforms or at the sale, please register here.

Got a question?

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions FAQ Uniform Sale

PSG

Thank you to our volunteers for last week 
(Monday 27 February 2023 – Friday 3 March 2023)

Peter Goldberg, Val Balint Halmagyi, Stephen Silver, Harley Mckenzie, John Salamon, David Nathanson, Peter Freed, Shaun Gross, Tanya Goldberg, Corinne Franks, Darryl Sacks, Daniel Novy, Bradley Drutman, Jessica Sikar, Larry Narunsky, Adam Pozniak, Guy Olian, Lynn Ross, Shaun Gross, Doron Kalinko, Graham Hurwitz, Barry Sherman, Jacqueline Rule, David Weinberger, Ryan Melman and Deborah Zolot.

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

Important Dates

What’s happening next week

High School

Monday 13 March 2023

• Year 11 Hospitality Work Placement 

Tuesday 14 March 2023

• Year 11 Hospitality Work Placement
• Year 11-12 SDD Big Day In (UTS)

Wednesday 15 March 2023 

• Year 11 Hospitality Work Placement 
• Years 7 – 9 NAPLAN Testing
• Year 10 3WLC

Thursday 16 March 2023 

• Year 11 Hospitality Work Placement
• Years 7 – 9 NAPLAN Testing

Friday 17 March 2023 

• Year 11 Hospitality Work Placement
• Years 7 – 9 NAPLAN Testing

Primary School

Wednesday 15 March 2023

• Years 3 – 5 NAPLAN Testing

Thursday 16 March 2023

• Years 3 – 5 NAPLAN Testing

Friday 17 March 2023 

• Years 3 – 5 NAPLAN Testing

Kornmehl

Thursday 16 March 2023 

• Pre-school Open Day

Save the date

High School

Monday 20 March 2023

• Year 9 3WLC
• Years 3-12 Cross Country

Tuesday 21 March 2023 

• Year 9 French to Alliance Francaise Cultural Workshop

Monday 27 March 2023 

• Non Uniform Day – SRC BBQ
• Year 10 Careers Avenue Debriefs
• Cabaret Night 

Wednesday 29 March 2023 

• Year 11 Geography to Bantry Bay 
• Year 11 3WLC 

Thursday 30 March 2023 

• Years 11-12 Visual Arts to ArtExpress

Monday 3 April 2023

• Year 7-12 Music Competition

Tuesday 4 April

• Year 10 Business Creators Generation Entrepreneur
• Year 11 Geography to Cronulla
• Last day for students

Primary School 

Monday 20 March 2023 

• Years 3-12 Cross Country

Wednesday 22 March 2023 

• Parent Teacher Night 

Friday 24 March 2023

• Years K-6 Open Day 

Monday 27 March 2023

• Parent Teacher Night (online)

Monday April 3 2023

• Year K-2 Swimming Carnival

Tuesday April 4 2023

• Last day for students

Kornmehl

Tuesday 21 March 2023

• Deborah Blackman Protective Behaviours Talk

Wednesday 22 March 2023

• Deborah Blackman Protective Behaviours Talk

Thursday 23 March 2023

• Deborah Blackman Protective Behaviours Talk 

Thursday 30 March 2023 

• Kornmehl Pesach Seder

Tuesday 4 April 2023

• Last day for students

Community Notices