SHELANU SEPT 2021 / 5782
Contents
Pesach Message from Principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner
p. 3
Message from Principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner
p. 4-5
Mural Lights Up Bialik’s Vibrant ELC
p. 7
JED Talks
p. 8
Old Collegians: A Conversation with Author Sarah Krasnostein (OC ‘97)
p. 9
Old Collegians: Upcoming Reunions
p. 10
Bialik Foundation: Connecting our Community - Buchenwald Ball
p. 11
Bialik Foundation: Dedication of the Reagan Milstein Football Field
p. 12
Foundation Morning Tea
At Celebration Evening, the wonderful celebration of both the College as a whole and our wonderful Class of 2021 in particular, we considered the challenge that the Torah tells us was given to the Israelites in the desert:
I set before you today blessings and curses.
I take this opportunity to thank our incredible team of educators and support staff, our inspiring and resilient students and our supportive and optimistic parents and grandparents. This year more than ever, I wish all of our community a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Jeremy Stowe-Lindner Principal
What a year we have had of blessings and curses! Whilst we could focus on the curses of the year, locally and globally, we can choose instead this Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) to focus on our many blessings. We can do what the Israelites did when Pharoah drew near:
We can lift up our eyes.
p. 13
Kol Hakavod to our Award Winners
p. 14
From the Archives – Shana Tova!
p. 14
Spotlight on Alumni, Michael Lipson and Bryden Zeldin
p. 15
Bialik College Parent’s Association (BCPA)
p. 16
Recipe: Little Apple Cupcakes
p. 17
Smachot
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This edition of Shelanu is an opportunity to reflect on our blessings – our health, our community, our family, our menschlichkeit, our talents and our creativity – and to lift up our eyes to be inspired by the Bialik family. You will read of art and music, murals and food, memorials and learnings, celebrations and charity and it will lift up your eyes, as it has mine, so that we are inspired by our many blessings.
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Mural Lights Up Bialik’s Vibrant ELC With the beige exterior of Bialik’s Early Learning Centre conflicting with the vibrant learning and play inside, in 2019 Principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner approached Artist and Painter, Julian Clavijo with the vision to transform the ELC. Excited by the project, Julian immediately got to work conducting focus groups with students from different age groups to brainstorm ideas of what they would like to see. The children’s ideas formed the mural’s design, transforming the entire look and feel of the campus. ‘Initially the brief to Julian was to come up with three designs so when he came back with just one we were unsure’, Jeremy explained. ‘That uncertainty changed when we (the College Council and Leadership Team) saw it and we instantly fell in love with it. It was obviously a very special design and perfectly Bialik.’
Lockdowns and restrictions caused delays and the mural was finalised in 2021, partly funded by a grant thanks to the Victorian Government. The mural’s design has been developed specially for Bialik, taking into consideration the College’s history, values and traditions. While the design was kept top secret, the painters slowly unveiled a little more each day to the curious students, staff and parents on campus.
Bubbles
Rounded window
Children
Demonstrates a curious mind, dreams, forward thinking and magic. The books are the steps towards getting to the dreams.
Represents opportunities beyond your comfort zone and encourages us to adapt and look deeper.
Represents friendship, support, sharing, helping towards a common purpose for all. Shows confidence, resourceful purpose, curiosity and community. Each child in the mural has their own special role. One child is looking towards the horizon guiding the rest while another is blowing the shofar, representing the Jewish celebration of Rosh Hashanah. The children helping each other up the sails show teamwork and connection.
A key theme of the mural is the focus on a tower of books, symbolising education, learning, academia and Bialik’s philosophy as a high-achieving school. Involving the entire school community, parents, students, staff and grandparents had the opportunity to suggest and vote upon which books played a vital role in Bialik’s history, values and future. Sails
Rope ladder
Sailing boat
Openness, inclusivity, flexibility, balance and movement.
Symbolises life’s challenges.
The type of boat is a Goto Predestinasia, a common sailing ship from the area where Bialik was born (Volhynia). The boat demonstrates crew, togetherness and direction to move forward through teamwork.
Ocean / Water The element of life. Sometimes calm, sometimes rough. Vastness, path of journey.
Marine fauna Highlights respecting nature, sustainable living and longevity.
Paper cranes Common bird in Ukraine, and the bird of happiness. Symbol of hope and healing during challenging times.
Books included Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak My Place Sally Morgan Exodus Leon Uris
Diary of Anne Frank
Tower of books Academia, pedagogy, excellence and knowledge. P 4 | Shelanu Issue 16 Sept 2021
Altneuland Theodor Herzl Bialik Community Cookbook
Possum Magic Mem Fox When All is Said & Done Neale Daniher Welcome to Country Aunty Joy Murphy & Lisa Kennedy Fantastic Beasts and where to find them J K Rowling A Concert in the Sand Tami Shem-Tov People of the Book Geraldine Brooks
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Spotlight on Julian Clavijo
Happy 2nd Birthday to the Bialik Creche
Julian Clavijo is a nationally and internationally renowned award-winning artist currently based in Melbourne, Australia.
This July we celebrated the second birthday of our beautiful Bialik Creche. Thank you to our wonderful staff, educators and families who make our Bialik Creche the warm, community it is. Here are some of our highlights from the past two years.
Public Artist, Painter and Sculptor
Working in Australia, South America, USA, Europe and the Middle East, Julian has extensive experience across the world and is renowned for his street art and translating his photorealistic oil painting technique on to mural painting at any scale. In 2018, Julian was awarded the ‘Best Global Artist Award’ in the Category of Street Art in Dubai. Julian has also been participant, finalist and winner of multiple art awards and exhibitions in Australia and around the globe including the prestigious Lester Prize (former Black swan Prize), Doug Moran Prize and Archibald Prize amongst others. Currently his studio practice aims to portray the human essence through the empathetic nature of childhood’s joy, curiosity and innocence; as an invitation to connect with one’s own life journeys in an introspective, emotional and reflective manner.
JED Talks Parents, grandparents, old collegians, prospective families and all friends of Bialik are invited to join Principal Jeremy’s JED Talks. 5,000 Years of Jewish History.
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Thursday 14 October, 9.30am at Bialik Wednesday 17 November, 7.30pm via Zoom To RSVP to attend or join the mailing list: RSVP@bialik.vic.edu.au
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OLD COLLEGIANS
A Conversation with Author Sarah Krasnostein (OC ‘97) Old Collegians, parents and friends of Bialik College were invited to an evening with Bialik Old Collegian and award-winning author, Sarah Krasnostein (’97). Sarah discussed her latest book, “The Believer”, with our Director of Jewish Life and Bialik Old Collegian, Zach Gomo (’03). It was an inspiring an evening of thought-provoking conversation and a celebration of our wonderful Bialik Family.
Context and Connection Bialik College Old Collegians hosted ’Context and Connection’, a panel discussion exploring the Israel-Gaza conflict and the role of the media in shaping the narrative.
Michael Manhaim (Ha’Tzofim) and Joel Burnie (Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council), and moderator Samantha Worth (OC ’14), each brought their own perspective, insight and nuance.
Panellists Jeremy Leibler (Zionist Federation Australia), Maeve Slonim (Bialik College),
A big thank you to our organising committee; Ashleigh Carp (‘16), Taya Carp (‘18), Tanya Cherny
(‘00), Maeve Slonim, Carli Philips (‘00) and Samantha Worth (‘14), who brought this event together very quickly and under challenging circumstances, pivoting the event to online due to the snap lockdown.
Spotlight on Alumni
Michael Lipson and Bryden Zeldin
We were delighted to welcome back Old Collegians Michael Lipson (’02) and Bryden Zeldin (’14) who led the project team responsible for the rollout of Bialik’s 800-panel solar system. The state-of-the-art system will save 400 tonnes of carbon emissions for Bialik, the equivalent to planting 80 trees each year or taking 150 cars off the road! The project was completed at the end of 2020 and supplies Bialik with up to 50% of our daytime energy usage and a cost saving of $60k per annum.
in Shakespeare Grove, I take a lot of pride in being able to align myself professionally in setting up Bialik to be sustainable for the future with the school that set me up from such a young age,” Michael said.
Upcoming Reunions Reunions for the Classes of 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2016 will be held later in the year.
If you would like to be involved in the planning please email oldcollegians@bialik.vic.edu.au
Reunion Dates: 1 December
– Class of 2001
We would love to hear from you.
2 December 9 December
– Class of 2011 – Class of 2016
23 November – Class of 1991
Michael and Bryden both have fold memories of their time at Bialik. “I was with Bialik from the time they were a small school
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FOUNDATION Connecting our Community Buchenwald Ball Bialik College, supported by the Bialik Foundation, hosted the ‘Buchenwald Ball’, celebrating 76 years since the liberation of the ‘Buchenwald Boys’. The ‘Buchenwald Boys’ are a group of Holocaust survivors who were liberated from the Buchenwald concentration camp on 11 April 1945. Their story is one of resilience, friendship, and rebuilding life after tragedy. The Boys arrived at Buchenwald from different locations in Europe, however their shared experience of survival which eventually landed them in Melbourne in the 1940s, formed the basis for lifelong connections between
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Dedication of the Reagan Milstein Football Field
the Boys, their partners, children and subsequent generations. Each year since arriving in Australia, the Boys have celebrated their liberation at an annual event called the ‘Buchenwald Ball’
It was an honour and privilege to welcome the Buchenwald Boys and their families to Bialik, including many of our current and past students, parents and grandparents.
This year’s special gathering was held at Bialik where more than 200 community members came together to celebrate the legacies created by their husbands, fathers and grandfathers and recall their incredible stories of survival.
More information on the Buchenwald Boys can be found here www.monash.edu/ buchenwald-boys/home .
Principal Jeremy spoke at the event and highlighted the important role our Jewish Schools play in ensuring their stories are never forgotten.
The Buchenwald Boys website was authored by historian and Bialik grandparent Dr Anita Frayman, and has become a part of the Victorian schools’ curriculum for Holocaust education in Year 10.
Reagan Milstein was a muchloved student of Bialik College who tragically passed away in 2010 after being injured in a scuba diving accident when he was only 14 years old. Last year was the very sad 10-year anniversary of Reagan’s passing and to mark this milestone, the family wished to name our soccer field after Reagan. Reagan’s family and his peers from the Class of 2014, along with our senior school students, gathered for a special assembly to dedicate the sports field in Reagan’s name.
Reagan loved all sports and is remembered for always helping and motivating his peers. The Reagan Milstein Sports Award at Bialik is awarded to Year 12 students who have participated in inter-school sport throughout their schooling. This is just one of the ways as a community we can ensure that Reagan’s legacy continues. Reagan will always be a part of our Bialik family and we are honoured to name our all-purpose court in his memory.
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Kol Hakavod to our Award Winners
FOUNDATION Foundation Morning Tea Generations of Bialik supporters came together for an intimate morning tea on Friday 14 May. Guests experienced a Kabbalat Shabbat service led by our Prep children before hearing from Principal Jeremy about the challenges and silver linings of leading Bialik through a year like no other.
Thank you to Amanda Ruben and her daughter Milla G for helping us bring to life the spirit of Shavuot, curating an abundant feast of seasonal fruits and cheesecakes. The event concluded with a moving performance of Hatikvah from the Primary Choir.
Premier’s Awards
Top Designs 2021
Private Greg Sher Memorial Award
Premier’s Awards are presented to the top VCE students in each subject by the Department of Education and Training. Mazel Tov to Kiah Shnider who received the 2021 Premier’s VCE Award in recognition of her outstanding academic achievement as a Top AllRound VCE High Achiever.
Kol Hakavod to Visual Communication Design student Ellie Roth who was not only shortlisted (reported in the last Shelanu) but made it into the 2021 Top Design Exhibition.
Mazel Tov to Year 12 students Lucca Attar and Ethan Zohar who were awarded the Private Greg Sher Memorial Award. The Greg Sher Memorial Award is presented in memory of Private Sher who was tragically killed whilst on active service in Afghanistan in 2009. It is awarded to students who have provided outstanding voluntary service to the community and their fellow students.
Digital Bialik Bialik has been a leader in online learning from the very first closure. Determined that our children should experience a full on-line curriculum during every lockdown, with every lesson running in real time, we believe our children’s wellbeing is best served when they are able to continue with their learning in a meaningful way. The College has not followed the path of other schools by simply setting work for children to complete independently and holding occasional check-ins with teachers. Digital Bialik has been more than great learning. With wellbeing opportunities, FeelGood Fridays, P 12 | Shelanu Issue 16 Sept 2021
psychology and counselling provision continuing and ensuring that music lessons, meditation, sport and PE run as planned, the students have been challenged and nurtured. For the wider community, the College’s inspired and delicious Shuk Babayit (Shuk In The Home) menu has allowed the “taste” of Bialik to permeate our homes and stomachs. Bringing the school together, we ended the term with a Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat experience, complemented by a yummy Shuk Babayit meal deal! P 13 | Shelanu Issue 16 Sept 2021
From the Archives – Shana Tova! At this time of year we celebrate Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year. These newspaper clippings from the archives report on the College’s Rosh Hashanah celebrations in 1966. Each class presented a performance of singing, dancing and music, displaying their ‘high standard of knowledge in the Hebrew language’.
Have you got photos, memorabilia or news clippings from days gone by at Bialik? We’d love to see them. Contact: ARCHIVES@bialik.vic.edu.au
Bialik College Parent’s Association (BCPA) With the in-and-out of lockdowns, our Parents’ Association events calendar has been a bit trimmer of late… We had a spectacular turnout for Yom Ha’atzmaut last term and the parent volunteers came to help with the celebrations wearing blue and white and partying and laughing together while serving falafels and chicken pitas. We enjoyed a very fun Mother’s and Special Friend’s Day Stall for the Primary in May and supported the very successful Mother/Daughter and Father/ Son Weekends away which were both well attended. Thank you to the organisers! We entertained some lovely parent and grandparent garden enthusiasts in our Kitchen Garden with Teacher Julie and
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some of Teacher Fay’s special muffins for our new “BCPA Green Thumbs” initiative and everyone has been welcomed to come in to the space (when allowed on campus) and invited to help out. The “Bialik Green Thumbs” aprons designed by parent Leora Elton are also pretty fabulous to don while gardening at the school, and are also available to purchase for the home. We were able to deliver the Gippsland fire relief items at long last to a primary school that distributed them across their student body who so very much appreciated them. We have also supported the MS Readathon, with children across the school reading for the cause. The St. Kilda Mums received a huge bundle of goodies, thanks to the effort of one very caring and dedicated Bialik mum.
The ELC families really outdid themselves with donations, the support was overwhelming. Hopefully next term we can see everyone back on campus and get back to business as usual! On behalf of the BCPA Committee, wishing our Bialik families and friends of the College the sweetest new year! Make sure to dip your apples into the honey and wish for yourselves and your loved ones every happiness as we welcome the New Year. Sally Robin Bialik College Parents’ Association President BCPA Committee: Lana Black, Romy Blecher, Anouche Levy, Rebecca Somerville, Ilana Susman, Naomi Swart, Jessica Sztrajt and Julia Teperson
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Recipe: Little Apple Cupcakes
Smachot
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
MARRIAGE
•
2 small apples
1.
•
110 g margarine or butter (1 stick)
•
130 g soft light brown sugar (approx. ¾ cup)
•
2 eggs
•
225 g plain flour (scant 2 cups)
•
¾ tsp baking powder
•
1 tsp mixed spice
•
3-4 tbsp milk/soya milk/ apple juice
•
2-3 tsp clear honey
•
12-14 small mint or basil leaves
•
3-4 pretzel sticks broken into 2cm (approx. 1 inch) pieces
First, prepare your cupcake cases. Make an inward fold on one side of each paper case before inserting into the cupcake tray. Then scrunch up a ball of aluminium foil to the size of a small marble, and insert between the paper case and the tray, to help hold the shape. Prepare 12-14 paper cases in this way. (See photo).
2.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
3.
Peel and core the apples, and cut into quarters. Slice one apple into 24-30 thin slices for the tops of the cupcakes. Finely dice the second apple.
4. Cream the margarine or butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then add the flour, baking powder and spice, and lightly mix together.
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5.
Stir in the milk/juice to give a dropping consistency. Finally, add the diced apple and mix well.
6. Divide the mixture between the prepared cupcake cases. Arrange two slices of apple on the top of each cake, and press gently down. 7.
Bake the cakes at 190°C (375°F) for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.
8. Brush the apple cupcakes with honey while still warm. Once cool, insert the mint/basil leaves and pretzel sticks to decorate. NOTES Approx. per cake: 184 calories, 7g fat, 3g protein, 27g carbs
Lysette Zukerman (’14) to Jarryd Karsz Amanda Borik (’07) to Ben Engel (’05) Marcelle Gansky/Malka to Aaron Nadler (’08) Hannah Cowen to Josh Pinch (’05) Tess Bentley to Jem Robin (’08) Lexie Mand (‘09) to Alon White
BIRTHS Megan (Barr ’03) & Josh Banky – Jordan Eric Natalie Venuto & Ronnie Binder (’09) – Elijah Ross Jacqui (Binder ’07) & James Brown – Harriet Rose Jessica (’06) & Cat Cohen – Edward “Teddy” Sharon (Feldman ’05) and Tom Dreyfus – Ren Carlie (Cohen ’04) & Michael Edelstein – Harper Scarlett Natalie (Rochman) & Yariv Field (’96) – Olivia Alex (Rutman ’06) & Josh Givoni – Archie Balthazar Natalie & Paul Glezer (’99) – Jude Milou Hofman & Dylan Gordon (’12) – Mallee River Dana Rechtman (’06) & Ben Hershan – Poppy Madeleine Vanessa (Blode ’04) & Elliot Janover (’00) – Tyson Bodhi Julia (Dubowitz ’02) & James Kelly – Freya Zoe (Miller ‘06) & Jeremy Kestenberg – Luca Terri (Goldman ’06) & Jono Lazarus – Isaac Jude Jacqui (Krivitsky ’06) & James McKay – Narcisco Corinne (Marabel-Whitburn ’11) & Jake Milgrom (’10) – Mahlia Juniper
Naomi Popper (’03) – Hunter George Samantha (Blau) & Adam Rischin (’05) – Bella Miriam Kira (Richards) & Joseph Rogers (future Bialik parents) – Bella Violet Claire Devine & Adam Rosenberg (’00) – Frankie Winter Kylie (Harris) & Julien Schulberg (’02) – Theodore Levi Georgia (Sackville ’08) & Jason Seidl – Luca Freda Robyn & Justin Sherwin (current Bialik parents) – Toby Solly Monique (Gringlas ’98) & Gidon Silverman – Lotte Miriam Sam (Cowan) & Danny Stuk (’99) – Aurora Joy Emma (Seltzer) & Dan Swart (‘05) – Lola Jackie Malter (staff) & Roger Wadia – Arthur Tadek Nicole Levy (’00) & Elihay Weinberger – Jaia Rita Elizabeth Paratz (’04) & Bruce Wilkie – Alexander Jodie (Goldsmith ’07) & Peter Wong – Stella Charissa & Moty Zaga (staff & current Bialik parents) – Aria
ENGAGEMENT Georgia Schulberg (’12) to Nathaniel Adams (’09) Nalalie Mittelman (’04) to Zachary Aflalo Simone Pianko (‘13) to Saul Block Zarina Vershinina to Sam Broder (’06) Georgia Geminder (’11) to Matthew Danos (’06) Nicole Korn (‘14) to Troy Derbyshire Ruby Faraday to Nathan Haupt (’10) Deena Metz to Matt Nissen (’09) Samantha Gross (’13) to Spencer Rath (’11) Mel Alizzi to Ben Rosenberg (’07) Ilia Bennatar to Gideon Rozner (‘05) Natalie Rabinowitz to Mark Shulman (current parent)
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Thank you for all the wonder ful memories here at Bialik.
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