-jna dj-The community magazine of Leibler Yavneh College • Issue 1 2018

Earlier this year theNational AustraliaBank began theprocess of retrenching6000 or 20% of theirstaff over the next fewyears, though they doplan to hire 2000technology experts.

Other banks, financial institutions,accountancy and law firms areundergoing similar processes as softwareis increasingly used to analyse data andto make complex decisions, replacingmany highly skilled and highly paidemployees. Dominic Barton, globalmanaging partner of McKinsey andCompany, believes that 30% of activities,in 60% of current jobs, are nowautomatable.

Children starting school this year will beyoung adults in 2030. Acceleratingglobalisation and the rate of technologicaladvancements will provide these studentswith great challenges and greatopportunities. As we are becoming moreand more aware, schools have thechallenge of preparing our students for jobsnot yet created, technologies not yetinvented and problem solving not yetapparent.

Much is made in current educationalthinking of the need for students to pursuethe STEM disciplines. Yet STEM subjects areonly one part of preparing our students forthe future. The occupations showing thefastest growth are those heavily reliant onpeople skills, and as of yet computers don’tdisplay empathy or make people feel as ifthey have been understood!

The recent article “The New Work Smarts”from the Foundation for Young Australians(FYA 2017), states that by 2030 workers willbe problem solving for an average of 12hours per week, (up 90% from now),applying critical thinking skills for 15 hoursper week (up 40%), using verbalcommunication skills for 7 hours a weekand interpersonal skills such as listening,empathy and persuasion for another 7hours a week (both up 17%). For example,in accountancy as more repetitive andadministrative tasks become automated,future accountants will need to be problemsolvers and communicators who canpresent options and persuade others totake action.

Yavneh’s holistic education becomesincreasingly important in this context as weprepare our children for their future. A focuson academic excellence and everystudent working to their potential remainsvital, but focusing on the explicitdevelopment of the so-called soft skills isgaining importance. At Yavneh we providestudents with multiple learning experiencesto support them in achieving a deeperunderstanding of who they are, what theirpurpose is and how to develop effectiveand healthy relationships in a myriad ofcontexts. At a whole school level studentscome to understand who they are throughour exploration of Jewish identity in JewishStudies, Informal and Jewish cultural andholy days. They also come to realise thevalue of the deep connectedness they

have with their faith and culture. Inclassrooms from our Early Learning Centreto Year 12 we encourage and support ourstudents to be actively engaged in theirlearning by asking questions, and enteringdebate and discussion to build self-confidence. In Tefilla students have the time,space and support to reflect on theirpurpose. With the fast pace of today’s livingand the need for instant gratification,Yavneh provides time for spiritual growthand personal reflection. To understandoneself is key to developing the empatheticcommunication skills absent in computers.

At Yavneh we also understand that everyinteraction a student has is important innurturing their personal development andin turn their interpersonal skills, and oftenthese interactions occur informally. We lookto provide students with opportunities toengage in verbal communication, listening,problem solving, critical thinking andempathy in unfamiliar contexts. Studentspresenting to their peers at schoolassemblies, speaking at parent evenings,taking part in formal group discussions suchas the design of our outdoor areas andclassrooms, welcoming guests to our schooland being part of conflict resolutionprocesses to restore healthy relationshipswith peers, can be challenging butinvaluable learning experiences. The timeand thought invested into maximisingstudent growth that results from suchincidental and informal interactions makesthe education at Yavneh unique. Everyinteraction provides our students with theopportunity to grow; to become the bestthey can be. These learning experiencesprepare our students with the confidenceand high level people skills required toembrace our world of 2030.

Cherylyn SkewesPrincipal

for the futurePREPARING OUR CHILDREN

Living Judaism today. For tomorrow.

Ten Li Yavneh Issue 1 • 2018 3

As someone who isimmersed in thecorporate world, I cansay with confidencethat the topic oforganisational changeis at the epicentre ofBoard table discourse.The reason that

organisational change is such a dominantthematic is quite simple; businesses areexperiencing unprecedented disruptionfrom new technologies, confronted withhitherto unmatched demands fromcustomers, under fire from intensecompetitive threats, and are being forcedto cater to ever-increasing expectationsfrom employees in order to win the warfor talent.

The father of contemporary organisationalchange is arguably John Kotter. In 1996, inthe early years of my career, Kotter pennedhis major work, “Leading Change”. It wasan 8-step change model that is now usedby many multinational corporates seekingto either transform or evolve theirorganisations. The first three steps are aboutcreating the right climate for change, thenext three speak to engaging and enablingthe organisation, and the final two are aboutimplementing and sustaining change.Change occurs when there is commitment,a sense of urgency or momentum,stakeholder engagement, openness, vision,good and clear communication, strongleadership, and a well-executed plan.

At Yavneh, we are in the midst of a changeprogram of our own. We embarked on thatprocess when we launched the Collegestrategic framework. That frameworkdefines our raison d’etre, it governs ourdecision making, articulates our valuesystem, and is therefore repeatedlyreferenced by our Principal. The sense ofurgency we spoke about at the strategylaunch was driven by the wave ofsecularisation and attendant assimilationraging through the Jewish world and thathas continued unabated. We engagedwith the community at that juncture, we

developed a clear vision for our studentsand we thereafter appointed newleadership to drive execution of the plan. It is now a work in progress.

Yavneh, like any organisation in the 21stcentury, must be committed to continuallyevolve in order to remain relevant. Inaddition to a range of personnel changes,you will have already noticed this term ashift in tone and in emphasis. We willcontinue to ask more of ourselves, more ofour staff and more of our students. Expectthe shift to continue and expect it toaccelerate. We have a phenomenalschool that continues to produce the crèmede la crème of this community’s graduates:graduates who are paragons of DerechEretz, knowledgeable in their Judaism,passionate about Israel, and seriouslycommitted to communal leadership. Butwe also have a school that, like any other,must continually lift the performance bar.Yavneh’s lay leadership is totally committedto a process of continual improvement andits management team is charged with theresponsibility and the authority toaggressively drive positive change.

Our commitment to positive change, like somany contemporary values, has its rootsdeeply embedded in Jewish thought.

The very first Mitzvah of the Torah, given toAm Yisrael prior to their departure fromEgypt, was Sanctification of ,קידוש החודשthe New Month. It immediately precededthe commandment of the Korban Pesach. If you or I were authoring the Torah, Isuspect we would have come up with amyriad of seemingly superior alternativesfor the very first Mitzvah. Belief in G-d, loveof one’s fellow man, doing what is right andjust, there are numerous options that wouldsurely have been more fitting than theestablishment of the month!

Like all things textual, a deeperunderstanding of the Mitzvah is required toshift from the superficial prima facie to thecomplex tapestry of Jewish thought. TheJewish calendar is based on the lunar, notthe solar cycle. Unlike the sun, the moonwaxes and wanes and the performance ofthe Mitzvah, its sanctification, deliberatelyoccurs as the moon transitions into thewaxing, growth phase. Another odd choice.Why not time the Mitzvah for when themoon is fully illuminated in all its majesty?Why choose the point in the cycle when itsform is barely visible? Indeed, why thisMitzvah as the very first, and presumablyfoundational Mitzvah for all Mitzvot?

The Sfat Emet (first Gerrer Rebbe) explainsthat the Mitzvah of the New Moon was given

to the Jews very intentionally at their ownpoint of renewal, as they morphed from agroup of slaves into a free people. TheMitzvah was given to them at this juncturenot to mark a point in national history, butrather, it was given to them as a perpetualreminder of the imperative that a Jewoperate in a continual state of growth. Theongoing pursuit of our full potential, thenotion that we are called upon tosystematically reassess and redirectourselves, the idea that we have the ever-present capacity to transition, to “wax” intoa more enlightened state is, according tothe Sfat Emet, the central motif in Judaism.

It is for this reason that in our prayers we continuously recall the Exodus Not just because the .(”זכר ליציאת מצרים“)Exodus represents the historic revelation of G-d, but more importantly, because itreminds us of that remarkable historicmoment when the Jewish peopleexperienced our first growth inflection. We may be appropriately named thePeople of the Book for our commitment tolearning, but the very purpose of that Bookis to teach each of us how to live ameaningful, spiritual life of continuous,positive change.

As we celebrate the festival of our birth as aNation, may we all be blessed with the giftto actualise the very first Mitzvah given to usas a Jewish People – the noble quest thatwe are all tasked with, the active realisationof our G-d given potential.

Wishing the entire Yavneh Community a Chag Kasher V’Sameach

Avi GilboaCollege Chair

change management!THE VERY FIRST MITZVAH…

THE TEACHING AND LEARNINGPARTNERSHIP ATLEIBLER YAVNEHCOLLEGE Learning is a jointresponsibility betweenparents, teacher andstudents. Parents and

families play an important role insupporting their child's education. We knowthat when the school works in partnershipwith families, children do better. They aremore engaged with their school work,behave better, and have better social skills. Teaching students how to learn, how toconnect their learning in one discipline toanother, how to develop curiosity andprovide time to follow their own passionsand interests are all important. We want ourstudents to be lifelong independentlearners, to have integrity and resilience, topursue excellence and strive to achievetheir potential (this is in fact part of ourmission statement).

Our teachers are committed to supportingall students to be engaged, motivated andresilient. We are dedicated to providing anoutstanding teaching and learningexperience for all our students. Our staff arealso learners and they continue to developand improve their skills to create an excitingand contemporary learning environment,honing their craft and continually striving toimprove their teaching and learningthrough professional development,mentoring and academic discussions withtheir peers. Teachers collaborate as a teamboth informally and during their regularmeetings with their Heads of Department.They also meet with the year levelConvenors, and our Head of SecondarySchool, Dr Amanda Samson. Importance isplaced on the individual and as well as thegroup by providing support in JewishStudies, literacy and the afterschool MathsClub. We all work as a team to ensurestudents prosper and achieve success.

We monitor student progress, educationally,socially and emotionally; we conduct avariety of assessments and tests, run studyskills and life skills programs andcommunicate with parents as required.

We prepare students for the NAPLAN testingand involve them in Science and Bookweek and encourage them to becomeactively involved in all Jewish and Generalco-curricular activities and informal studentled programs.

In the secondary school students areexposed to the complexities of ademanding and diverse dual curriculum,whilst creating an environment wherestudents feel supported, happy and safe inkeeping with the ethos of the College.

The learning areas, based on the AustralianCurriculum are taught to give students anopportunity to experience a range ofsubjects and explore where their futureinterests may lie.

I look forward to a successful partnershipwith all our stakeholders.

Renee DabscheckDeputy PrincipalDirector of Teaching and Learning

WORKING INpartnership

As a young lad, I spenta great deal of timewatching Disney’sAladdin. While myfavourite scene wasthe one in whichAladdin encountersthe genie in the caveof wonders, I revelled

at the tear-jerking conclusion in which,after a brief scare, the genie is finally setfree. As the gold bracelets releasethemselves from his puffy blue wrists, hescreams ”I’m free!” and shortly thereafterdisappears into the ether, leaving us, theviewers, to imagine the blissful existencein store for the genie we had come to love.

However, freedom, as any Yavneh studentwill tell you, is more than not having aforeign master. Disney’s version of freedomis simply ‘step one’ of a long walk tofreedom. True liberty is having the skills,knowledge and inspiration to make one’slife thoroughly meaningful. In educationalterms, one is born free only in the Disneysense, one gains true liberty via a solidschooling.

Over the past few years, one of my goals asHead of Jewish Studies in the Secondaryschool has been to build on the work of mypredecessors to ensure that Yavneh fulfils itsobjective to create “life-long, independentlearners.” A student does not become anindependent learner for life, if they do notmodel independence in their learning atschool. As such, the Jewish studiesclassroom strive to provide ampleopportunity for students to study fromoriginal texts in the traditional Chavruta(group-study) style.

The unique method of studying Gemarawhich has been developed at Yavneh,known as The Block Method, has been metwith great student engagement. Thismethodology, which has garnered

international interest and is influencing theway in which Gemara is taught at otherJewish day schools, is designed so thatmany of its components require students towork in small groups for extended periods,delving into the text. The completion of asugya (unit of study) is marked not just by again in knowledge, but more significantly,by a gain in ability.

Our Chumash curriculum is likewiseadvancing in terms of its accent on thedevelopment of independent skills. Studentsin Years 7-9 study from a mikra’ot gedolot,accessing the text of the Torah and itscommentaries using the classic compositionthat brings some of the most brilliant mindsof Jewish history together on the one page.Using a differentiated model that bothsupports the less experienced andchallenges the experienced, studentsspend significant segments of their time inChumash class, decoding a text with tailoredassistance from the classroom teacher.

The study ofGemara andTanach, the primarytexts of our Writtenand Oral tradition,are the two corecomponents of asolid Jewisheducation. Bydeveloping the toolsneeded to engagewith thesefoundational works,students areprovided a

background that facilitates their life-longengagement with the Jewish bookcase.While Torah study is infinite and the greatestschooling will never cover more than asmall fraction of its content, Yavneh aims toprovide students with the means and drive,setting a trajectory which acts to guide thelearner well beyond graduation.

Pesach is the time in which we meditate onthe hard work that is freedom. Disney’sfreedom, defined by the removal of foreignmasters is only the first step. Yavneh’sfreedom, which is the careful cultivation ofindependent learners, is the morechallenging second step – the one thatpaves the way to true liberty.

Rabbi Chaim CowenHead of Jewish Studies, Secondary

Ten Li Yavneh Issue 1 • 2018 5

freedom…THE LONG WALK TO

Dr. Carol Dweck, a professor ofpsychology atStanford Universityand author of thebook Mindset: TheNew Psychology ofSuccess, studiesmindset in children.

She believes children are similar to adultsin that they have one of two possiblemindsets—a fixed mindset or a growthmindset.

Kids with a fixed mindset believe they’re‘smart’ or ‘dumb’, talented at something:painting, music or football, or not. They maybelieve the world is made of some giftedpeople, whom the rest admire from thesidelines. Conversely, kids with a growthmindset appreciate anyone can buildthemselves into anything they want to be.They recognise that people aren’t ‘smart’ or‘dumb’, that there are no talented geniuses;only hard-working people who have chosento take their abilities to the next level.

Dweck’s research shows that students’beliefs about intelligence play animportant role in their school achievement,engagement, and happiness.

One key to instilling a growth mindset beliefin children, lies in how parents and teacherspraise and motivate children .

It was once thought telling children howsmart they are would give them confidencein their abilities, the desire to learn, and thehardiness to withstand difficulty. However,research shows that praising the process -children’s effort or strategies - createseagerness for challenges, persistence in the face of difficulty, and enhancedperformance.

Equally important to our children having a growth mindset, is the mindset of theireducators. If our teachers are able tomodel positivity, the ability to challengeoneself, adapting to change and learningfrom mishaps, this allows our children tovisualize the importance of these concepts.Our beliefs are shaped by the subtle andnot so subtle messages we receive from ourenvironment. These messages help usunderstand what is valued in a givencontext, which in turn can shape our goalsand behaviours.

In taking the value of growth to heart, notonly does the focus lie in our educators andchildren, but also in the physical growth ofour centre.

2018 has begun with enormous change inour ELC. This year we see the new crechecentre come to life. Converting the portablespace into 3 purpose-built creche roomsand now accommodating 48 children aday, has allowed our space to grow in sizeand in occupancy. We have created a freshage-appropriate outdoor learning space toencourage and develop vital life skills.

Our 4 kinder rooms are all now alongsideone another with a natural flow from Juniorto Senior Kinder. We have further increasedour outdoor learning environment for ourkinder-age children incorporating ademarcated road track, a safe climbingwall, mud kitchens, water features, cubbyhouse area, a rolling hill, a tunnel, sand pitsand tactile experiences.

We are now building a much needed staffroom for our educators flowing off a freshreception area and an office. Our centre ismoving ahead with looking into a variety ofnew technology growth options forchildren, families and staff.

We are all growing as individuals, staff andchildren alike, as our environment isgrowing accordingly.

As Benjamin Franklin once said : “ Withoutcontinual growth and progress, such wordsas improvement, achievement, and successhave no meaning”.

Charlene OrwinHead of ELC

the growth min

Living Judaism today. For tomorrow.

the growth mindsetFrom our youngest learners in the ELC to our (almost) graduating class in VCE, one theme that will always remain relevantto all students is ‘Growth’ and in particular ‘The Growth Mindset’. Charlene Orwin, our head of ELC and Amanda Samson,Head of Secondary School both touch on this topic and illustrate how mindset is relevant for all students.

Ten Li Yavneh Issue 1 • 2018 7

dsetSTARTING WITHTHE SMALLTHINGSWelcome to the 2018academic year. It is aprivilege to be joiningLeibler Yavneh Collegeas Head of the

Secondary School. I know I’m joining agreat team who are passionatelycommitted to the success of the Collegeand delivering on our vision to be‘Melbourne’s pre-eminent Jewish DaySchool: developing the characters,enriching the intellects, and engagingthe souls of outstanding, Torah and Israel– committed youth’. It’s an exciting time tobe part of the College and already I havefelt the warm welcome from staff andstudents. I am looking forward to exploringhow we can continue to craft a learningenvironment that honours the spiritual life ofthe College, and demonstrates howacquiring 21st century skills can support allour students to thrive and flourish.

Speaking with the Secondary Schoolstudents at our Commencement Assembly, I made the link between the beach early inthe morning, washed clean of footprints bythe night time tides, and the new schoolyear. For each of us, we contemplate howwe might step onto the sand. Which way willwe go? Shall we walk in the water or staynear the dunes? What marks we will leavebehind? What feelings does that first step

evoke? Excitement? Possibility? Uncertainty?Worry about where to step? Whichdirection? Being an adolescent makes allthese emotions seem much more intense,immediate, and, at times, overwhelming.We look at that long curve of the beachstretching out to the other point and wonderhow we’d ever walk that far.

It’s the first step that’s the important one. Thewillingness to move from wherever we areto somewhere new. Once we have takenthe first step then the next is less daunting,and the one after that is easier again. Soonwe find we are in a rhythm, moving forward.Then we have time to become aware ofwhere we are on the beach. What are wenoticing? What do we want to explore?What is the water like? How does the softsand differentiate from the sand at thewater’s edge? We gather information aboutourselves and our environment that wecouldn’t have done without that first step.With practice we find taking that first stepinto any new situation becomes easier. Wetap into our curiosity which is an essential21st century skill. We grow.

As we begin the new academic year Iencourage all of us to look forward with afocus on curiosity to support our growth.Growth in our learning, in our teaching andin our caring. A growth mindset enables usto build resilience, step outside of what iscomfortable and be curious about whatmight be. A growth mindset means its ok tomake mistakes, and make them again. In

fact resilience grows not only in thewillingness to try something new, but in thetrying again and again to improve theresult. A growth mindset means weapproach all that we do with a sense ofcreativity and excitement; study, work,relationships, sports skills, music skills,dancing, cooking and more. We are opento seeking help and encouragementbecause we know that together we aresimply better. We remember to pay itforward, helping out when others ask us.Knowing this helps us to develop gratitudeand empathy, without which anything wedo is devoid of true meaning. When we dosomething meaningful then we persevereand become better at self-control becauseour motivation moves from extrinsic tointrinsic.

Growth is not always easy, effortless orwithout struggle, but if we start small, withjust the first step and add some zest, grit,gratitude and meaning, we have greaterfocus and perseverance, and the tools toaccomplish what we put our minds to –our growth minds. So as we look towardsa new year of learning, teaching andcaring, let’s look out at that vast expanseof freshly washed sand and think aboutwhat marks we will leave in the sand.

Dr Amanda SamsonHead of Secondary School

Living Judaism today. For tomorrow.

Ten Li Yavneh Issue 1 • 2018 9

Doug Henning wasone of the mostsuccessful and well-known illusionists. Hestarted with magictricks as a young boyand continued toperform throughouthigh school and

University. However, in the early 70’s, amagician was not exactly the most well-respected profession, so he decided hewould go to medical school. However,before he buckled down, he thought togive magic a “whirl” for two years. In1971, he was invited to perform shows forCanadian troops stationed in NorthernCanada, 400 miles from the North Pole. Thefollowing excerpt is from an interviewHenning did with MAGIC magazine, inwhich he reminisced about that trip:

"At one point on the tour, they asked if Iwould like to do a show for a group of Inuit's[Eskimos]… I set up my show in a littlebuilding, and the Inuits came in to watch.They sat on the floor in their parkas, and Idid what I thought was some pretty goodstuff. They just sat there, didn't smile, didn'tsay a word and, at the end, nobodyapplauded. But they were completelyfocused on me, like I was some sort ofphenomenon. Only one of them spokeEnglish, so I asked him, "Did you like theshow?"

"Yes, we like the show," He said.

Then I asked, "Did everyone like the magic?"

He said, "The magic?"

I explained that I was trying to entertainpeople.

He said, "Entertainment is good, but why areyou doing magic? The whole world ismagical…" We sat down on the floor and

he told me "It's magic that the snow falls, allthose little crystals are completelydifferent… that's magic."

Now I was gasping, trying to explain magicto him. I thought of my "Zombie," which Ithought was my best thing. I said, "I madethat beautiful silver ball float in the air…That's magic."

"Then the Inuit's started talking amongthemselves. The man came to me with a bigsmile on his face, and said, "Now, we knowwhy you're doing that. It's because yourpeople have forgotten the magic. You'redoing it to remind them of magic. Welldone!”

"I cried right then… I said, "Thank you forteaching me about the magic. I didn'tknow." That was really the first time I knewwhat wonder was. It was the mostmemorable thing that has ever happenedto me. I never forgot that, inside. That's why Ibecame a magician."

Doug returned home and abandonedplans for medical school.

We live in a world today where we haveforgotten magic. We are disconnected fromthe mystery of life. We are in desperateneed of a system reboot.

Often students say to me, “I would believe inGod if there was a miracle, like when Godsplit the sea. But there hasn’t been anymiracles for so long!” The truth is, there aremiracles all around us. Our very existence ismiraculous. We are a people who shouldhave been wiped out many times over.However, we are still here, strong andpowerful. Our struggle today is to see themiracles of creation at every moment, to be“reminded of the magic” of life.

In many ways that is what Pesach is allabout. We don’t just talk about the story of

the Exodus, we relive it. We enter into atransformative educational experience thatimprints upon us the idea of miracles andmagic. We learn from a young age not totake our existence for granted.

“If He had brought us before Har Sinai andnot given us the Torah, Dayenu!¬-It wouldbe enough!”

Every step along the journey of the JewishPeople has been miraculous, not a given.Every moment of the Pesach seder isdesigned to inspire us to think about “why isthis so?” Why do we do the things we do?Why is life the way it is? Ah, it’s a miraculousblessing.

In truth, today we experience far greatermiracles than what our ancestors saw inEgypt. In ancient Egypt, God broke the lawsof nature to redeem an oppressed people.However, over the past hundred years ofJewish History we have begun a process ofredemption through natural means—fighting wars, draining swamps, plantingfields, creating infrastructure, runninggovernments—and this, according to RavKook, is a far greater miracle, only we needthe eyes to see it.

Please God, on Pesach, may we be grantedthe eyes to see the magic in the world andthe miracles not just in our long history, butin every day. And may these eyes witnessthe ultimate redemption of all of humanity,with the building of the Beit Hamikdash andthe coming of Mashiach, speedily and ourdays.

Wishing you a chag sameach v’kasher,

Rabbi Noam Sendor, Campus Rabbi &Coordinator Informal Jewish Studies, Secondary

Living Judaism today. For tomorrow.

the magic of lifeBEING REMINDED OF

2018 has seen ourPrep children begintheir first year offormal schooling witha natural sense oftrepidation but mostlywith great excitement,curiosity andunbridled enthusiasm.

Pristine uniforms, neatly organised hair andthe broad smiles with which they greet theirteachers; it’s hard to miss the Preps as theyarrive at school each day. Their little bodiessagging slightly, not yet from the weight ofexpectations but simply from struggling withoversized school bags, a burden they areonly too willing to shoulder, providing as itdoes tangible evidence of their newlyacquired sense of responsibility. Indeed,everything about the school experienceseems to infuse them with excitement: theunpacking of folders, the stowing of lunchboxes and drink bottles, and the eageroffering of any notices or tzedakah to theirteachers. They begin their day with Tefillahfollowed by a variety of learningexperiences. And lunch, of course, is aparticular highlight and is awaited withintense anticipation, for not only can theyfinally unpack those lunch boxes but theycan also look forward to being joined bytheir buddies.

Leibler Yavneh College has a longstanding, highly successful, Buddy Programthat pairs our Senior Kinder children with ourYear 5 children, the purpose being to helpstudents entering their first year of primaryschool to feel safe, valued and connectedto their school community.

The annual life cycle of the Buddy Programbegins in the last term of the children’spreschool year. The program is launchedby our older children visiting the Kinder and

is followed up in subsequent weeks with thepre-schoolers visiting the Slezak Campus.When these children begin their first formalyear of schooling they are once againreunited with their Buddies, who in themeantime have graduated from Year 5 toYear 6. The older children are there towelcome our young ones into ‘big school’,providing a familiar face and the support,encouragement and reassurance that is soimportant in ensuring a smooth transition tothat critical first year of school.

The Buddy Program recognises theimportance of friendships and the impactthese early connections have on thedevelopment of positive social adjustmentsand the acclimatisation to a differentlearning environment. Having our Prepswork in small groups with their Year 6buddies assists in building friendships,strengthening the children’s sense ofidentity and their ability to interact withothers with care, empathy and respect, andcontributes to their social, emotional andspiritual wellbeing.

Our Buddy Program continues to be one ofthe significant highlights for both our YearSix children and our Preps. The seniorsadopt their role as leaders with seriousintent, committed to fostering healthyrelationships that will help the childrendevelop a sense of belonging and

connectedness to school. The Prep childrenin their turn excited by the friendshipsoffered by the older students, making themfeel valued and supported inunderstanding their new environment. Theframework builds strong relationships withour younger students feeling safe andcared for and the older students feelingvalued and respected. The older childrenact not only as a friend but also as a sourceof practical information and guidance,particularly in the playground.

We look forward to this special relationshipblossoming further as the year progresses.

Yianna PullenHead of Primary, General Studies

Ten Li Yavneh Issue 1 • 2018 11

THE BUDDY PROGRAMyou’ve got a friend

On Purim we read theMegillah. We readabout how Hamanplotted to destroy the Jewish people,how Esther andMordechai savedthem and how all theevents of the story

where navigated by Hashem allowing for the Jews’ success.

When Mordechai heard word of the factthat Haman intended to wipe out the JewishNation, he immediately relayed the news toEsther who instructed the Jewish people tocommence a three day fast. Rashicomments that this fast coincided with thefirst day of Pesach. Why is it then, thatMordechai would override the Mitzvah ofeating Matzah, Maror, drinking four cups ofwine and so forth, to prevent a war that wasstill 11 months away? Could the fast not bepushed off a few days?

We can learn a fundamental concept inhuman behaviour from this incident;inspiration without resulting action ismeaningless. In the rare moments in lifewhen we become inspired, we resolve tochange our actions and to improve. Butwhat tends to happen is, the inspirationdoesn’t become rooted in action and itdisappears; because inspiration is fleeting.Mordechai knew that if the Jewish peopledidn’t start fasting and praying to Hashem

immediately after hearing the intent for their demise, the fire of excitement wouldhave died down, the sense of impendingdoom would have weakened, and theTshuvah would not have been complete.We all have moments of inspiration. Atcertain points of life, events occur that giveus a different clarity of vision. The questionis, what do we do at that moment? Beinginspired is wonderful, but doing something with that inspiration is whatallows us to reach greatness.

I believe that our students at Leibler Yavneh College, embody this value. We are privileged to have students who notonly aspire to learn, but have a passion for learning. It is this passion that made the Purim day so special. Purim is a day of Simcha - happiness. This past Purim atYavneh, simcha not only infused the day of Purim itself but also the weeks leading to it. The buzz in school in the periodproceeding Purim was electrifying. Thecollaboration between different peergroups, as well as the combined effort onthe part of every student to make the Chag magnificent, was inspiring. Ourstudents took the inspiring lesson that theylearnt about Purim and rooted it in action,allowing for a truly incredible day.

Wishing everyone a restful break.

Pnina LandauHead of Jewish Studies, Primary

Living Judaism today. For tomorrow.

was electrifyingTHE PURIM BUZZ AT YAVNEH

DANIEL FELDMAN Year 9“The fact that we can celebrate our freedom all together is prettyamazing”

JONAH FEIGLIN Year 8“I love all of the interesting food weeat on Pesach and spending timewith my family”

JUDAH KREUZER Year 1“I love all of the food that we eat,especially Matzah”

LEXI AMAR Year 9“I love listening to the story of Pesach,I think it’s so cool and interesting to re-tell the story”

ESTHER COHEN Year 2“I love going out with my family justbefore Pesach and I love the end ofPesach because it’s my birthday!”

GIDI SZTOKMAN Year 5“I love having Seder with everyone in my family, we all get together and re-tell the story at the table”

MEYTAL ALMAGORYear 4“I love eating Matzah because it’sdelicious and I think it tastes likechocolate. I also love making matza pizza”

TAHRI GILBOA Year 6“I love going to my Grandparents’house for Seder and celebratingbeing free. I also love finding theAfikoman”

ZAC DONATH Year 4“I love the food because 60% of myfamily are good cooks and the menuwill be really good. Last year we hadalmond, caramel and orange cake”

ZEV KNIBBE Year 1“I love re-telling the story of Pesachespecially Kriyat Yam Suf, the splittingof the sea and how Hashem did thisfor the Jewish People’

OREN DAVISYear 3“I love looking for the Afikomanbecause when you find it, you canask for things that you want, like footy cards”

SHAYNA DAVIS Year 6“I love spending time with my familyon Seder night and I love eatingCharoset because of what itrepresents, every food is symbolic issome way and I think that’s amazing “

Ten Li Yavneh Issue 1 • 2018 13

about pesach?WHAT DO YOU LOVEBa

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There are stars whoselight only reaches theearth long after theyhave fallen apart.There are peoplewhose remembrancegives light in thisworld, long after theyhave passed away.Hannah Senesh

HONOURING BEQUESTSWe are thrilled to be back at school foranother year filled with learning,initiatives and exciting projects - allaimed at enabling our students toachieve their personal best.

Leibler Yavneh College has benefitedmaterially from a number of generousbequests over the past 12 months.Remembering Jewish Education hasensured that these donors perpetuatetheir legacy through our children intothe future, underpinning Jewishcontinuity in the process. SupportingYavneh through a bequest represents abelief in our wonderful school and in theextraordinary education it provides ourstudents. Yavneh continues to grow inboth size and reputation - to continuethis legacy, facilities and buildings mustbe updated and created, and thescholarship program must thrive.

DON & SONIA MAREJN Z”L We are indebted to be recipients of theincredible bequest of Don and SoniaMarejn z”l. Their gift has provided a verysubstantial scholarship fund dedicatedexclusively towards enabling Jewishstudents to join our school and to benefitfrom Yavneh’s first class Jewish educationaloffering.

Don and his late wife Sonia wereextraordinarily generous in contributing tovarious communal organisations. Don wasa passionate supporter of the Jewish dayschool system and he believed in theprimacy of educating for the future. As ayoung couple, Don and Sonia left war-tornBialystok for Australia. With their entirefamilies decimated in the Shoah, whenrequired to nominate an address on theirsuitcases, the only address they could citewas “Jewish Welfare in Victoria”.

When Don’s wife died a few years ago, he continued his charitable work andestablished scholarships, bursaries andfoundations throughout the community.Sonia and Don had no children andvicariously adopted the cause of Chinuch(education) wherever they could, so thatthey could very directly influence the futureof Am Yisrael. Don was incredibly modest,yet erudite – articulate, well read and adeep thinker. He was the epitome ofChesed (kindness) and a true Mentsch.Due to his and Sonia’s generosity of spirit,there are numerous young Jewish childrenwhose lives will forever be changed due tothe gift of a private Jewish education atYavneh.

OSCAR & LISA SOKOLSKI Z”LWe are enormously grateful forthe bequest received from theEstate of the late Oscar Sokolskiz”l. A survivor of the Shoah,Oscar made a life in Australiawith his wife Lisa z”l, establishinga successful business andbecoming an integral part ofthe community.

Following the death of his wife,Oscar met Eve Casper z”l and through Eve’s family, Oscar was introduced toYavneh. Oscar particularlyappreciated the pride anddepth of Jewish identity andZionist spirit that is socharacteristic of our students.In his later years, Oscar(pictured at left) moved to aretirement home where Yavnehstudents would visit him.

Oscar died at the incredible age of 101 – awarm, gentleman who will be sadly missed.

Oscar’s bequest will be directed to therefurbishment of the administration facilitiesat the Balaclava campus. The ELC is in theprocess of being expanded to incorporatea new staff room and planning area, andthe plans also integrate the new Head ofELC office with the Administration Centre.

DR HELEN BENTLEY Z”L Dr Helen Bentley z”l was born in Poland. She survived the Shoah together with herparents and brother by a combination ofcourage and good luck, living under falsepapers and moving from place to place.The family migrated to Australia after theWar and Helen was determined to continueher education. Alongside raising a family,she completed a Diploma of Educationand a PhD in French and History atMelbourne University. She became a skilledteacher and had a long career teachingFrench, History and English as a SecondLanguage. Helen was a passionate believerin the value of education and theimportance of religious Jewish Learning.She was an active member of MizrachiSynagogue for over 50 years and a regularat Shule and at weekly Shiurim. She was ateacher and a student until her last days.

Consistent with Helen’s z”l passion andstrong belief in education, this bequest hasbeen allocated to our scholarship fund tosupport Jewish children otherwise unable toreceive a Jewish education.

We are truly blessed at Leibler YavnehCollege to have supporters who caredeeply about our College, who want topartner with us to enable our continuedgrowth and to assist our children to realisetheir full potential.

Every bequest, large or small, is anopportunity to make a very special,tangible and enduring gift, that willtransform the lives of future Yavneh Collegestudents.

Tanya ShaltielExecutive Director - Yavneh Foundation

For further information and a confidentialdiscussion regarding bequests and/or givingopportunities, please contact Tanya Shaltiel,foundation@yavneh.vic.edu.au or 9528 4911

YAVNEH FOUNDATION

in jewish educationA PASSION AND STRONG BELIEF

Living Judaism today. For tomorrow.

Ten Li Yavneh Issue 1 • 2018 15

initiatives @ purimCOMMUNITY

BIRTHS•Carly (nee Szafran) ‘06 and Eyal Genende,Ezra

•Nomi Kaltmann ‘10 and Daniel Guttmann‘09, Joseph Benjamin

•Liana (nee Kalkopf) ‘08 and Yoni Rubin,Orelia Rivka

•Aliza and Rafi Lamm ‘94, Sidney•Ronna and Yoni ‘04 Hain, Joe•Rachelli and Joel Arber ‘00, Ari•Jasmine (nee Heimann) ‘02 and Yoni Fisher‘01, Zev

•Shanee (nee Katz) ‘05 and Allan Goldstein‘03, Elliot Ron

•Nicole (nee Lowinger) ‘99 and BenjyIsenberg had a daughter

•Naomi (nee Gurgiel) ‘06 and Ryan Berman,Miley Ella

•Elise and Robert Donath ‘95 had a son•Hailey (nee Dembo) ‘01 and Allan Grant,Jade Erin

•Michal and Joshua Felman ‘03, Lior Avraham

•Sarit and Daniel Braver ‘05, Yardena•Tarryn and Adam Shnider ‘07, Jonah•Michal (nee Fisher) ‘06 and Shua Solomon,Eitan

•Sharni (nee Ptasnik) ‘02 and Simon Kohn,Tali Mia

•Laura (nee Rubin) ‘06 and JonathanPosniak, Eliyat

•Gayle (nee Fantl) ’97 and Moshe Shargian,Gilad

•Tal and Sol Zehnwirth ‘97 had a daughter•Rebecca and Jonathan ’02 Skovron,Lennon Rose

•Penina Lazar-Lamm ‘01 and David Lamm‘97 had a son

•Abi and Gilad Katz ‘03, Maya Shoshana

ENGAGEMENTS•Yael Menahem ‘11 to Elron Bandel (Hesder 2016)

•Leanne Donde to Osher Gutnick ‘99•Nicole Hecht ‘06 to Kenny Fried•Talya Curtis to Benji Reisner ‘06

MARRIED•Michelle Cohen to Eli Barr ‘09•Orly Rotstein to Doran Yacobi ‘05•Ilana Parkes ‘02 to Kobi Israelashvili•Sarah Hersham to Eli Shmerling ‘02•Liron Shavit ‘09 to Jason Seeman•Victoria Wein to Ashley Rodan ‘07

ALIYAH•Dion Esterman ‘06•Nathan Joel ‘10•Yaelle Rosenblum ‘10

ALUMNI UPDATE

EditorsDavid Fisher, Naomi Feutrill

Design and ProductionSharon KolskiUnique Designs & Concepts

Print Post Approved

PP 32911 3/00002

Please inform us of any changesto your contact information and of any alumni who havereceived special Awards. If wehave overlooked your Simcha,

please contact us so that we can include it in thenext issue of Ten Li Yavneh.

Please update and be in touch by emailing: alumni@yavneh.vic.edu.au

Be iNTouch

Published byLEIBLER YAVNEH COLLEGE

A MIZRACHI EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

2 Nagle AvenueElsternwick, Victoria 3185AustraliaT (+ 61 3) 9528 4911F (+ 61 3) 9523 7621

Connect with uswww.yavneh.vic.edu.au

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CELEBRATING ADAR in PRIMARY SCHOOL