Grandparents and Friends News ~ April 2024

Welcome to our latest Grandparents and Friends newsletter. We hope you and your family are well. Some of you reading this newsletter have done so for a number of years, whilst others are new grandparents to the School. Some of you may even have been Emanuel parents when your own children were students here. Those students have returned as part of our ever-growing second generation of Emanuel School parents. We can also proudly say we have a small group of readers who are now Emanuel great grandparents!

Our 40 year celebration

2023 marked 40 years since Emanuel School opened. We treasure the first-ever official School photograph taken towards the end of 1983 – our mighty School has certainly grown enormously since then and some of you will recognise names and faces in this photograph which includes teacher and also a parent, Jeanette Streimer, who returns to the School this year as a grandparent, with her granddaughter Stephanie Perl starting in Year 5. You will see we are still missing five names in the photo –perhaps someone reading now will recognise those faces and email these to me so we can complete this list of the 1983 students. See the image on page 3 with the students whose names we are missing circled.

Primary Grandparents and Friends Day

Primary Grandparents and Friends Day which was held last year, was attended by over 600 grandparents! During the formalities in the Lehrer Family Multi-purpose Hall (MPH), brachot were recited by some current grandparents who themselves were once Emanuel parents. How lovely to see them standing on the stage with their children and grandchildren, who are some of the next generation of Emanuel students. Listed here, you will see these students’ classes at the time of this event.

• Cleo Friedlander (Year K) and sister Ali (Year 3) – father is Ricky Friedlander (Class of 2001), grandparents are Ivan and Stephanie Friedlander and Adele and Stanley Ephron.

From the Development Office (continued)

• Mila Keen (Year K) – mother is Gabi Keen (nee Rein), Head Madricha Class of 2004, grandparents are Nigel and Marianne Rein, and Paul and Emillie Keen. Sadly, Paul was too ill to attend this event and since then has passed away – we wish the family Long Life. May his memory be a blessing.

• Isaac Greenberg (Year 4), brother Ariel (Year 2) and sister Samara (Kornmehl) – parents David and Lisa (nee Shapiro) Greenberg are both alumni (Class of 2001) – grandparents Susie Platus, and Merle and Hilton Shapiro. Note: first cousins are Noam Greenberg (Year 5) and sister Ava (Year 1), whilst Lisa’s sister Tammy Shapiro is also an alumna (Class of 2005).

• Bowie Berger (Year 3) and his sister Alfie (Year 5) – their family has a long history with the School. Their father, Adam, attended Emanuel for Primary School. His older brother, David (Class of 1993), came back to School for our 2023 Careers Space event, where past students met with our senior High School students to talk about their journey after HSC and their career paths. Although Adam was not here for High School, he returned to Emanuel when Alfie started in Kornmehl Pre-school in 2016.

We found some old School photos of Ricky, David, Lisa, Gabi and Adam which were shown to the audience during the introduction of this session – their children especially thought it was quite funny to see their parents dressed in school uniform on the big screen when they too were Emanuel students in years gone by.

An auspicious occasion

The official opening of our amazing new B’Yachad Building in November last year was a very special event. You can read details about this auspicious occasion plus lots more photos in the Emanuel Foundation Report on page 11.

Black Beanies and warm heads

Pam Wertheim, one of our grandparents, spear-headed the Black Beanies Project for the IDF following a request from the IDF after the outbreak of war on 7 October last year. Many of our grandparents and parents along with other members of the wider Jewish community knitted over 1,800 black beanies that were then sent to Israel to keep the heads of our soldiers warm during the cold winter. Kol Hakavod to Pam and to everyone who supported this amazing project.

Our Grandparents and Friends newsletter is normally published twice a year whilst the School newsletter Ma Nishma comes out every Friday during School term. We are planning some amazing events for this year, including our private tour of Salon des Refuses, which you can read about in Ma Nishma. If you don’t currently receive the newsletter and wish to be added to our mailing list please email marketing@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au If you have news to share and/or changed your email please get in touch so we can update our database and ensure we are able to let you know about our news as well as upcoming events: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Sonia Newell, Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

From the Development Office (continued)

Bianca Gehl, Naomi Tarsis, Mela Medvedovsky, Zoe Spiegel, Kate Ratner, Jasmin Streimer, Alanah Zitzerman, Christina Lemkin, Simone Havin, ________, Talia Deutsch, Susan ________, ________, Georgia Teiperman, Janine Israel.

Second Row (L-R): Alla Nock, Miriam Fox, Jenny Spinak, Jessica Bures, Ondine Sherman, Mandi Smith, Eli Haski, Daphny Ravy, Natasha Cherny, Khara Weisz, Svetlana Goltsman, Rachel Spiegel.

Third Row (L-R): Benny Sharon, Daniel Vasin, Russel Bergman, Rueben Newhouse, Danny Sharon, David Jeffries, Julian Bures, Perlita Benhayon, Kolya Miller, Ben Fox, David Ratner, Jacob Kaplan, Alex Strizhevsky, Jonathan Hirst, Simon Glasser, Eric ________.

Fourth Row (L-R): David Kotek, David Sorauer, Guy Ravy, David Hirst, Greg Weisz, Anton Boski, Lindi Smith, Felicia Meric, Nadine Weinberger, Marina Goldshmid, Solonge Boski, Sarona Pilcer, Denis Zilberman, Maxim Bolkovsky, ________, Ryo Hino, Adin Pilcer.

Back Row (L-R): Hezie Lazarous, Nick Deutsch, Daniel Sorauer, Michael Fooks, Leonid Goltsman, Harry Derunovsky, Alan Jeffries, Eugene Freeney, Ronnie Aron, Ari Marks, Christian Charnas, Yonaton Miller, Ben Donally, Ronen Stolier.

SAVE THE DATE

14

14 AUGUST 2024

TOUR OF SALON DES REFUSES, S.H. ERVIN GALLERY, OBSERVATORY HILL More details to be announced soon.

Parent Security Group (PSG)

Life is busy, everyone is busy, and many of our grandparents still work, but if you have a few hours to spare you might like to be part of this amazing and vital group of volunteers here at School, now more so than ever.

We thank Emanuel parent Elan Miller, who heads our PSG, and all the parents and the many grandparents who already volunteer as members of our PSG. We really appreciate the time you give to help make us safe, and we encourage more of our able-bodied grandparents and friends to join up too. These volunteers are our eyes and ears each morning and afternoon during school term, as they quietly and carefully walk around the perimeter of the school grounds to help ensure the safety of our students and staff. Please email Kirsti at: psg@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au for more information on what is involved and how to become part of this very important team that helps keep our campus and students safe.

Emanuel Schools first official photograph taken in 1983.

Front Row (L-R):

Staff: LHS left to right: Sandi Einstein, Shirley Holt, Linda Zurnamer.

Middle of photo left to right: Lou-Anne Folder, Tom Wiedenman (Principal), Sarah Friend.

RHS left to right: Debbie Levy, Jeanette Streimer, Carol Perry.

From the Principal’s Desk

As we are nearing the end of Term 1, our School continues to thrive as do our students. The opening of the muchawaited B’Yachad Building at the end of last year was a major milestone and I am delighted everyday with the expanded opportunities that the new facilities offer our students.

The graduates of the Class of 2023 have started their secondary studies, are enjoying gap years or working in industries of interest.

In February we welcomed our High Achievers to a special Academic Assembly and honoured their exceptional achievements. While we recognise their commendable academic achievements, I am very proud of all our graduates’ strong work ethic, resilience and their positive impact on the culture of our School.

We are a community of learners, with our teaching staff serving as instructors, guides and supporters. We acknowledge with gratitude the key role that they play in preparing our students for further independent study and for the future workplace. Their deep commitment to both the wellbeing and academic development of our students will have an enduring impact on our graduates as they commence the next steps in their life journey. If you have not yet had the opportunity to read our HSC brochure or hear from our Year 12 graduates, I encourage you to do so by clicking here I know you will be as impressed by their maturity and achievements as I!

Back to the present. I was asked to summarise my top five school projects and events from Term 1 for you. Whilst there have been so many memorable moments, the following will give you insight into what has been a wonderful start to the year.

Our commitments and priorities for 2024

Our three-year Strategic Plan (2022-2024) outlines our key commitments and under each key commitment, our priorities for that school year. It is to these priorities that we devote our energies and our funding. Over the past two years, we have maintained a steady focus on what is important, as defined through our Strategic Plan. Looking back, we have achieved much. For the first five weeks of the term, our Strategic Advisory team (SAT) worked closely with their teams to review and develop our priorities for 2024. The final year of our Strategic Plan can be accessed here –and I encourage everyone to read through our action plans that lie within

• Future focused learning

• Inspired Jewish living and learning

• Wellbeing Culture

• Learning beyond the curriculum

• Sustainable practices.

The Strategic Plan document provides parents and grandparents with an insight into what we value; our mission; our aspirational graduate attributes and our commitments. It is well worth a read!

Welcoming our new (and newish) parents

Our senior leaders enjoyed the opportunity to meet our new parents informally, over a light breakfast. Most capably hosted by our Primary School and High School Madrichim, our parents heard from the Board President, Mr Gary Joffe, the Principal and our Head Madrichim. I was particularly impressed by our Primary Head Madrich, Joa Israelstam and High School Head Madricha, Amelie Trope, who shared their Emanuel experiences. Below is a short excerpt of what they shared.

Joa: “At Emanuel School I have felt included and had a strong sense of belonging since the very first day. From the teachers to the environment and the friends I have made, it has truly been a great introduction to school and learning. I have been given loads of opportunities to shine and have had a wonderful and challenging learning experience.”

Amelie: “The welcoming environment at Emanuel allows students to constantly feel safe and supported and we’ve recently seen the strength of this over the past few months with Emanuel’s support of Israel. In High School, discussion groups were initiated to create a space where students felt comfortable to come and voice their opinions, ask questions or just sit and listen. We had weekly blue and white non-uniform days where we fundraised for the United Israel Appeal, went sent cards of hope to the parents of the hostages and have learnt new songs, prayers and Psalms which we sing and recite at Shabbat, Assembly and Tefilah.

“Recently we’ve had amazing visitors come and speak to students about their experiences since October 7. We have been overwhelmed with their positivity and just how much our support means to them. In Year 10, I spent six weeks in Israel with my Year group on Chavayah. It was a transformative experience and consolidated our connection to the Holy Land, our collective history and our people. We learnt that, regardless of where you live – be in in Israel or the Diaspora, we are united.”

Each of our new parents left with a young plant to take home and nurture. The signs that were

From the Principal’s Desk (continued)

included with each plant were die cut and printed using specialised software and machinery from our new Primary Imaginarium. The inscription included with the gifts read: “With water, food and perhaps some interesting conversation, this young plant will develop strong roots and leaves that reach towards the light. We hope that, like this plant, your child continues to flourish and find their light”. I welcome our new grandparents to our school community and hope that, like Joa and Amelie, your grandchildren continue to grow and thrive.

Welcome to Big School!

Our Kindergarten students arrived at ‘Big School’ on 1 February 2024. Many children had ‘graduated’ from Kornmehl Centre Emanuel Pre-school, allowing for an easy transition from the lower to upper school campus. For others, this was the start of a new beginning which would see their families join our community for the first time. Welcome to all our Year K students, their siblings, parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents to the start of a memorable Emanuel adventure.

Our Primary Library is now open!

With the recent move into our much loved and highly functional B’Yachad Building, the vacated Kindergarten space has been renovated to accommodate our beautiful new Primary Library. We are delighted with the colourful design, comfortable furniture and functionality of this important learning space. Moving, sorting and reshelving an entire library of books is no small feat. Grandparents, when you are next on campus, you are welcome to have a ‘sneak peek’!

Focus on our Swimming Carnival

Our Years 3-6 and High School Swimming Carnivals are the most anticipated events of the Term 1 calendar. Our students displayed admirable team spirit, determination and enthusiasm, with every child giving of their best. I believe this collection of photos perfectly depicts the excitement and fun of what is a fantastic day for all.

What’s happening – straight to your inbox every week

Ma Nishma, our weekly newsletter, is an excellent way to keep up to date with what’s happening at school. You’ll be able to access articles written by students, reports on school events and activities as well as the Parash Hashavuah by Adina Roth, our Director of Jewish Life. If you don’t currently receive Ma Nishma, please email marketing@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au to be added to our database.

I trust you will enjoy reading this edition of our Grandparents and Friends newsletter.

Andrew Watt, Principal

Photo: Ofer Levy

Photo: Ofer Levy

Photo: Ofer Levy

Photo: Ofer Levy

Jewish Studies and Jewish Life at Emanuel

We have just celebrated Purim and you will be able to read about our celebrations in Ma Nishma this week. Below is a recap on what our students did in the last half of 2023.

Burger Centre visits

A wonderful group of Year 6 students visited the Burger Centre, Randwick to spend time with the clients talking, playing games and interacting through art and other activities. These visits provided valuable intergenerational connections, benefitting both the Burger Centre clients and our students. Our walks back to school were always filled with energy and chatter, as the students shared their conversations, the new friendships they have made and their experiences with the group.

During our visits, students Nadav and Shayna connected with regular clients Eugene and Rachel, planning to have a regular “playdate” with them. Through discussions with his parents, Nadav discovered that his great grandfather knew Eugene, as they both came to Australia as Czech Holocaust survivors and developed a strong friendship during their early years in Australia. This multi-generational connection now includes Nadav’s grandfather, who is planning to visit Rachel and Eugene to have a cup of tea.

Nadav: “I have really enjoyed spending time at the Burger Centre. It is so much fun getting to know the people there to talk and to play games with them. It has been so interesting to learn that Eugene and Rachel had such a deep connection with my family.”

Shayna: “Meeting Rachel and Eugene has been amazing. I look forward to Tuesday lunchtimes and our visits to the Burger Centre. I think it’s truly amazing that Nadav met Eugene and then found a connection between Eugene and his great grandpa”. “It is important to support and connect with our Jewish elders. We can learn so much from each other.” Gideon Cohen

“Meeting new people and bonding with them, especially people who are not your age means that you get to hear stories from the past.”

Arya Cohen

“Tal and I played Scrabble with three clients and we had lots of fun. It was

impressive that we played with a 98-year-old who is amazing at Scrabble, knowing so many words and finding the best ways to get high scores.” Orlando van der Starre

Kol HaKavod and todah rabah to all of the students who volunteered to be part of these special visits which continue this year.

Primary Grandparents and Friends Day –New beginnings start with grandparents.

Our School was filled with warmth, laughter, and cherished memories as we celebrated Grandparents’ Day 2023 with our Years K-6 students and their special visitors. It was a day dedicated to honouring the special bond between grandparents and their grandchildren and sharing in the richness of our Jewish traditions. The day commenced with a heart-warming assembly that brought tears of joy to our eyes. Students showcased their love for Shabbat through songs and Rosh Hashanah prayers. Year 2 students dazzled us with a Rosh Hashanah dance, and K-6 students shared anecdotes about why they hold their grandparents in such high regard.

We were fortunate to have Morah Adina, our Director of Jewish Life, and Rabbi Ninio, tell stories that ended with the magical words, “and they lived happily ever after”. To conclude the assembly, students and their grandparents joined in a passionate singing of the prayer Avinu Malkeinu, accompanied by our talented pianist, Novak.

The excitement continued with a series of engaging workshops tailored to different Year levels, each offering a unique experience:

Greenberg family

From the Jewish Studies Department (continued)

Year K: Our youngest learners explored the significance of the word Shofar and its Hebrew meaning, Leshaper (to improve). Through thoughtful discussions, they, along with their grandparents, discovered ways to enhance themselves and make the world a better place.

Year 1: Students and grandparents joined forces to create clay plates with apple and honey bowls. The artistic process of moulding and painting these vibrant plates added a colourful touch to the day.

Year 2: Creative spirits soared as students crafted 3D Shanah Tova cards decorated with sparkling papers and heartfelt blessings in English and Hebrew, spreading joy to family and friends.

Year 3: Year 3 students crafted elegant Challah Covers from velvet fabric, decorated with Rosh Hashanah symbols and the Hebrew words “דובכל תבש םויו בוט” (in honour of Shabbat and Festivals). They also received beautiful apple candles, thoughtfully made by Venetia Kalinko, a grandmother from Year 3 and Year 5.

Year 4: In a challenging yet rewarding endeavor, students crafted artistic apples from scrap papers, promising a stunning addition to the Rosh Hashanah table.

Year 5: Year 5 students and their grandparents participated in a meaningful Rosh Hashanah Seder, embracing Sephardi traditions and the symbolism of various foods, such as dates, pomegranates, carrots, and beetroot.

Year 6: Students delved into the tale of Jonah and the whale, creating a Jonah Paper Midrash with different coloured papers and shapes, each with profound meaning.

The day concluded with a delicious morning tea, accompanied by the melodies of our Jazz Band. As we shared delicious treats and engaging conversations, the sense of togetherness and tradition continued to flourish.

Project Heritage 2023

Project Heritage was a wonderful opportunity for the students in Year 6 to present the learning they did over the last term of 2023. We had nine ‘Living Historians’ who generously shared their time and life stories with us to enable such powerful learning for our students. Groups of Year 6 students were able to spend three sessions with their Historian before creating a tribute that was presented to the Historians and our Year 6 community. Thank you to the Historians who were involved last year: Dr Andrew Gal, Dr Ivan Goldberg, Mrs Vera Goldberg, Mrs Erna Levy, Mr Abe Pollak, The Honourable Justice Stephen Rothman, Professor Mark Spigelman, Mrs Miryam (Mimi) Wise and Mrs Gwen Zeller.

Adam Carpenter, Head of Jewish Life, K-6

Berger family

Rein/Keen family

From Kornmehl Centre

Emanuel Pre-school

Following the shocking events of October 7, we have been filled with trepidation, anxiety, and disbelief. I would like to acknowledge how difficult this has all been for our community. Everybody has somebody they are connected to in Israel and is feeling pain and heartache and unsettled at this difficult time. In particular, we need to take extra care of our older generation and value their contributions to all our lives. They are the matriarchs and patriarchs of our families, and we must treasure and value each other more now than ever!

I hope you get the chance to read the school newsletter, Ma Nishma, that comes out every Friday, where you can get weekly updates on our activities. Below is a recap of what we did in the last half of 2023. Some of the children whose quotes and photos I have included here in my report, have now “graduated” up to Year K in “big school”.

Grandparents Day

The Pre-school is the perfect place for us to make deep and meaningful connections with grandparents. We value these relationships deeply and know that the benefits for children, staff, parents, and grandparents are huge. Connections with grandparents bring numerous benefits to the lives of young children and highlights the importance of intergenerational relationships, which promote empathy, respect, and understanding. Grandparents play a unique and significant role in a child’s upbringing, providing love, support, and wisdom that enriches their lives.

In Term 3 last year, we were lucky to enjoy three beautiful Grandparent Day celebrations, one for each group. All three groups delighted their appreciative audience with their songs and dances, which were sung so confidently. Our special visitors were invited to join in creative craft activities together. The room was full of the sweet sounds of lovely conversations and the business of sharing, of enjoyment and of learning too. There were smiles all around. Everyone enjoyed a delicious morning tea together. The feedback received from Grandparents was positive and the smiles on their faces during this time was evident of a very special and beautiful time shared together.

From Kornmehl Centre Emanuel Pre-school (continued)

Grandparents sharing with us

We are so blessed to have grandparents share their interests, talents, and expertise with us. In Term 4 last year we had special interactions with a few Kornmehl grandparents:

Juliette Gordon’s Grandpa, Evian Gordon (Brainpa), is a neuroscientist who has a passion for educating young people about their brains. He explained that we are the bosses of our brains and that our brains tell us to make good and bad choices. We learnt that the left side of the brain is used for thinking and the right side is the part of the brain that manages our feelings. Brainpa finished off his talk with an interactive brain dance that encouraged the integration of the left and right brain through movement.

Daisy: “Your brain listens.”

Milo: “You are the boss of your brain. There are two pieces of the brain.”

Henry: “My brain makes me feel happy.”

We invited Roger Davis, Drew Davis’s Grandpa, to come in and share his knowledge and passion of Bonsai trees with the Starfish group. We learnt that the word Bonsai, is the Japanese word for “little tree”. Roger showed us how he turns a normal tree into a Bonsai tree. He took a pomegranate tree that he has been growing and planted it into a Bonsai pot. He started to clip and cut the branches. We got to see his tools, trowels, and clippers that he uses to do this. He also told us that the pomegranate is special to him, as he used to live on a Kibbutz in Israel, where they grew a lot of pomegranate trees, and they would sell them at Rosh Hashana time. Roger very kindly left this tree for us to keep and look after at Pre-school. The children spent time during that week drawing our new Bonsai tree.

Ziggy’s Grandma, Bev Brand, joined us when she was visiting from Melbourne. Bev came in to help the children bake Challah for the Shabbat Project and to spend time with her grandson Ziggy in the Pre-school.

We’re off to visit our friends

Towards the end of last year, the Starfish and Dolphins visited the Burger Centre in Randwick. It’s always such a treat to visit this wonderful facility and to be able to see first-hand the benefits of inter-generational connections. The Starfish were invited to be part of an incursion with Taronga mobile zoo. The ranger, Ryan from Taronga Zoo, was knowledgeable and sensitive by being able to cater to both his audiences –young and old – and he presented an interactive and informative hands-on workshop that delighted us all and kept everyone mesmerised for over an

From Kornmehl Centre Emanuel Pre-school (continued)

hour. Thank you to the Burger Centre for inviting us to join them for this incredible intergenerational exchange, that took place through spending time together and all experiencing such joy, wonder and delight, whilst learning about beautiful native creatures.

Encouraging and nurturing these intergenerational relationships can have a profound and positive impact on a child’s overall development and well-being. We feel blessed and grateful to have so many daily interactions with grandparents in the Pre-school and our wider community. We look forward to telling you all about our 2024 activities in Ma Nishma each Friday and of course in the next Grandparents and Friends newsletter.

Comments from children:

Alma: “Grandparents help your parents be nice to you because they are your parents’ mother and father. They teach me Hebrew. My Savta orders schnitzel and chips from Charcoal Charlies for us for Shabbat.”

Hudson: “My grandparents take me around to lots of places like the park. I like having Shabbat with them and ‘G’ makes me sausages.”

Noam: “I have two grandmas – Savta and Mimi. I love it when they come to my house, and we spend time together. I love them so much.”

Ziggy: “I have Ouma, Oupa, BB and Par. They are so special to me. Ouma does art with me. Oupa used to be a doctor. I like to hang out at BB’s house.”

Drew: “I have Doggy Granny (Janine) she used to have a dog and I have Fairy Granny (Lorna) who has a fairy garden at her house. They look after me a lot and bring me to school. When I am sick, they take care of me.”

Teya: “I have lots of grandparents. I have Shells and Poppy, Muriel and Mora and Bobbi. Bobbi is super, duper old, like 100 years old! She likes to make potato latkes. We all have Shabbat together. I love to stay at them and have a sleep over. They cook me nice food like nachos.”

Joseph: “I have Nanna and Grandad in Chicago. I talk to them on the iPad. I went to visit them. I have Saba and Savta in Australia.”

Terry Aizen, Director, Kornmehl Centre Emanuel Pre-school

Dear Grandparents and Friends

We ended 2023 with so much still happening in Israel after the start of the war on 7 October 2023. We support our brothers and sisters in arms as best as we can, whilst supporting our Emanuel family here and pray for the safe release of the hostages.

I want to thank committee members Margaret Lowe, Deputy Principal; Michelle Favero, Manager, Marketing and Communications; grandparents Kathy Passman and Tammy Keller; alumna Asha Friedman (Class of 2020); alumnus Joshua Moses (Class of 2011); Samantha Butt – alumna and current parent; Carli Rothman – current parent, and Sonia Newell, Development

Officer Alumni & Community Relations for their unwavering support and hard work throughout last year.

Towards the end of 2023 we established an alumni subcommittee, chaired by Carli Rothman, with the support of Joshua, Asha and Sonia along with a few other alumni who will help us to re-engage with our ever-growing alumni community. We have some very exciting events planned for this year including a private tour to Salon des Refuses at the S.H. Ervin Gallery plus other events that we are sure you will enjoy too. So watch this space and keep an eye out for more information in Ma Nishma. If you would also like to join our Gesher committee and/ or have some ideas about how best we can connect more with our community, please let Sonia know.

Best wishes,

Daniela Freed, Chair, Gesher Committee

B’Yachad Building opens!

Emanuel School Foundation is thrilled to announce the opening of the Roth Segal B’Yachad Building, a milestone achieved following our highly successful Capital Appeal in 2021. This remarkable building, inaugurated in Term 4, 2023, stands as a testament to the generosity of our Jewish community members, to whom we extend our deepest gratitude.

The opening ceremony in November 2023 was a significant event for our School community, marking a new chapter in Emanuel School’s history. In these challenging times, such gatherings are vital, celebrating our commitment to education, community, and the Jewish spirit. The B’yachad Building, a symbol of learning and growth, is a product of your support and our community’s collective efforts, paving the way for a brighter future for our students.

What’s on the horizon?

As we look forward, we invite you to engage in shaping the next phase of Emanuel School. Your insights, leadership, and passion are crucial for our continued success. Emanuel has grown from a modest school to one known for academic excellence, sports and arts programs and producing graduates renowned for their integrity and values. Our 25-year vision aims to enhance our students’ educational experience significantly. A top priority is creating more covered recreational spaces, adaptable for major events and resilient against weather extremes. Envision covered basketball courts with lighting and sound systems, reducing pressure on the Lehrer Family Building (MPH) and facilitating extended evening events.

A Senior Study Centre in the Brender Moss Building is another planned project. This versatile space will double as a library and classroom, transforming into a study area for up to 100 senior students, supported by alumni and staff tutors. We are proud that numerous alumni have returned as teachers, tutors, coaches, and administrators, strengthening our community bond.

Innovative development plans

Our development plans include creating specialised “hubs” for activities and staff with shared purposes. The Innovation Hub, currently under development on the first floor of our Innovation Building, is a prime example. This Hub, featuring our new Exhibition Space, will showcase a range of student projects, with the 2023 HSC Visual Arts Showcase already exhibited there.

Further developments include transforming a classroom into a Maker Space, housing a Design Lab, Fabrication Lab, and workshop. This space will be invaluable for computing, design, technology, and business classes.

We also envision a Wellbeing Hub in the current Primary Library location, centralising our Medical Centre, counselling team, Heads of House, and Director of Students. This integrated approach aims to create a supportive and collaborative environment for student wellbeing.

Additionally, plans for a Jewish Life Hub are underway, envisaging spaces for prayer, reflection, activities, classrooms, and staff areas.

Finally, our DA-approved plans for the Creative Arts Centre include encasing the perimeter with glass windows, creating breakout spaces for art rooms and exhibition areas for each Year group’s artworks.

An invitation to collaborate

The future Emanuel School Campus is shaping up to be a vibrant and innovative learning environment, each new space meticulously designed to add significant value to our students’ educational journey. In line with this vision, we extend a special invitation to our alumni, grandparents and community members who are inspired by these initiatives: consider joining the Emanuel School Foundation Board. Your expertise, enthusiasm, and guidance could play a pivotal role in steering these projects to fruition. Participation on the Foundation Board is not only a way to contribute to the school’s legacy but also an opportunity to work closely with a team dedicated to educational excellence and innovation. If any of these projects resonate with you and you wish to make a more significant impact, we welcome you to discuss joining the Board, explore our design plans further, and perhaps play a more integral role in bringing these visions to life. For further details, email foundation@ emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Together, we can continue to build a school that not only educates but inspires and nurtures the next generation of leaders and innovators. We thank you for being part of our community and for your continued support in making Emanuel School a beacon of excellence and innovation.

Marla Bozic, President of Emanuel School Foundation

Parents & Friends Association

2023 was a significant year for the P&F with big celebrations, new initiatives and a new structure for how we work with our School.

Celebrating our 40th year

We kicked off the second half of 2023 with a Primary School celebration of Emanuel School’s 40th year. It was a wonderful and heart-full morning of sentimentality and Shabbat goodness. Over 600 parents, grandparents, special friends and kids joined us to mark the occasion. It included a special Kabbalat Shabbat sing-a-long followed by Emanuel School’s biggest-ever Challah making session that saw adults and kids learn techniques and create a special 40th challah to bake at home.

A change in structure

In our 40th year, our Parents and Friends Association underwent a structural change to better serve our school community. At the end of Term 3 at our Termly meeting, the existing Parents & Friends Association constitution was rescinded and our new structure as a committee under Emanuel School came into effect. We are now guided by a new Charter which is much more relevant, user-friendly and reflective of how our group will be run into the future.

As a Parents & Friends Committee we now receive significantly more support with our finance, administration and marketing. This means our P&F Executive team need to focus less on administration and more on developing initiatives to engage our community and supporting our committees. We believe that ultimately, these changes will foster a stronger sense of belonging, collaboration, and community.

Pre-loved uniform initiative a huge hit

We were thrilled to launch a pre-loved uniform sale on campus last year with three sale days so far. The response has been well beyond expectations with families giving old quality uniforms so generously and the sale generating incredible funds for the P&F. In the current financial and environmental climate, it has been an initiative that has been greatly needed and appreciated by all.

Father’s Day fun times

Over 270+ dads, special friends and kids joined us for our Father’s Day morning serving up classic games and backyard fun with an accompanying pastry and coffee. We enjoyed fold and fly paper airplane challenges, hopper races, parachute and basketball games and much more. We also were lucky to have a portrait studio to capture special photos of kids and their special adult thanks to Ofer Levy, an Emanuel parent and professional photographer. It was great to see so much lovely interaction between parents, kids and friends.

Finally, we enjoyed an intimate Spring Family Camping weekend. In light of everything going on in the world, a bit of nature and wholesome fun was very much in order for our community.

We provide weekly updates on P&F activities in Ma Nishma and we look forward to celebrating Mothers Day in May.

Justine Hoffman, P&F President

Social Media @ Emanuel

INSTAGRAM

Join Mr Watt’s Instagram page – watt.s_up_at_emanuel – where the latest news from the Principal’s desk is posted. It provides an opportunity for you to enjoy special moments in the life of Emanuel School. The content on Mr Watt’s Instagram differs from that on our Facebook page, so you’ll want to be on both! We request that for security reasons, please ensure that your Instagram page is set to ‘private’. Click here to join

FACEBOOK

Community page Ever wished you were a fly on the wall in your grandchild’s classroom or on the playing field? Our Facebook page is the next best thing. Enjoy stories, activities, artwork and happenings at the School on a regular basis through our Community Facebook page. If you are not already a member, please join here

Emanuel Shuk This is the place to swap, sell, buy and advertise pre-loved and new items, holiday homes and cars… in fact anything that is of value (actual or perceived) can be advertised here. If you have a business, you are welcome to tell us what you do, but please make it interesting and a special offer for the Emanuel community is always a bonus! There are rules to posting – please check out the pinned post for these. Click here to join

Thank you to everyone for their contributions to this newsletter, and I look forward to sharing more news in our weekly Ma Nishma and the end-of-year newsletter.

We believe the information included is correct at the time of printing. Any errors are regretted.

Stay in touch with the Emanuel School Grandparents & Friends group

Do you want to add or update your details on our Grandparents and Friends mailing list?

Please send an email to Sonia Newell at snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

www.emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au