Last Shabbat, following a record turnout for Simchat Torah on Thursday evening, we welcomed the remarkable Jillian Segal AO, Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism and a valued member of our congregation, for our sold-out, biggest-ever Shabbat dinner.
As we return to regular programming following High Holy Days—relive the magic on emanuelplushere—this week's newsletter is a bumper edition because November is jam-packed with activity, including some programs we're announcing here first, such as our final Shabbat dinner and People of the Books for 2024 and an exciting getaway for our 20-somethings.
Here's a snapshot of everything you should book before it sells out. Scroll down to regular and special programs, or click through for all the details –
• ShabbaTotw/ Wendy Dolowitz – 1 NOV – REGISTER HERE • Shabbat Dinner w/ Rabbi Kaiserblueth– 15 NOV – BOOK HERE • Kol Nefesh Inner Westw/ Daniel Sherrel – 15 NOV – REGISTER HERE • Lior live in Concert [SELLING FAST] – 23 NOV – BOOK HERE • Mitzvah Day – 24 NOV (invitation with details will be sent next week) • People of the Books w/ Diane Armstrong – 26 NOV – BOOK HERE • Mitzvah Day – 24 NOV (watch out for an invitation next week) • Special Documentary Screening – 28 NOV (details announced next week)
This week we launched Your Voice Matters, a survey that offers the opportunity to help shape the future of Emanuel Synagogue. By participating, you could win some serious prizes, including a double pass to every cultural program we're running in 2025. Take the survey here and find more details below. Also this week, we excitedly announced theTamar Young Adult Summer Retreat, a fun weekend getaway exclusively for Jews in their 20s and early 30s. Popular abroad, this is the first time this program will be running in Australia. Participation is heavily subsidised, but places are strictly limited. If you'd like to join, learn more and register your interest here ASAP.
If all of this isn't enough to keep you busy, take a peek at the Around Town section below for all the other incredible programs being offered by our friends in the community.
Last night, our Kol Nidrei Appeal closed for another year. A huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who gave so generously. If you missed the deadline but still want to contribute to supporting our clergy's important work and our diverse and inclusive programs, please email info@emanuel.org.auor call us on 02 99389 6444.
As we light our candles this Shabbat, we will be praying for the safe return of the hostages, a peaceful end to the war, and healing for our whole community. We will also say a special prayer for all of our Year 12 students who are in the final stretch of their HSC. May the future be bright for us all.
Shabbat shalom.
SHARE YOUR OPINION AND WIN SOME SERIOUS PRIZES
Our community turned up in record numbers these High Holy Days and experienced the kind of connectedness we strive for—Thank you for your part in creating this magic.
As we continue to grow and strengthen our offering, we want to know what matters most to you. This is your chance to shape our programs, services, and membership model—your insights will help us work towards aligning them to the desires and needs of our congregation. You can have your say by completing this short survey. It will only take a few minutes, and your responses will remain confidential.
To thank you for participating, you’ll be entered into a draw to win one of these incredible prizes –
🥇 A double pass to every cultural program in 2025 🥈 2 platinum tickets to the upcoming Lior concert (23 Nov) 🥉 4 tickets to a Shabbat dinner of your choice
This survey is completely anonymous, and you will be prompted to enter your contact details only if you elect to participate in further research or enter the prize draw. • SURVEY CLOSES TUE 12 NOVEMBER, 11.59 PM • PRIZE-WINNERS ANNOUNCED FRI 15 NOVEMBER
We look forward to learning what you love most about Emanuel Synagogue and how we can collaborate in shaping our progressive, diverse and inclusive community for generations to come.
Lahav Shani, conductor of the Israel Philharmonic, will participate in Project Hatikva, with 13 Israeli orchestras performing throughout Israel in October and November.
Kol Nefesh Shabbat Service & Potluck Dinner 6.15 pm | Heritage Hall
Masorti Shabbat Service 9.00 am | Millie Phillips Sanctuary
Progressive Shabbat Service 10.00 am | Heritage Sanctuary Bar Mitzvah of Leon Freiman
Kid's Shabbat Service 10.15 am | Education Centre
Bar Mitzvah of Leon Freiman Bar Mitzvah of Joe Zorzano Rodriguez
NO'ACH RABBI SAM ZWARENSTEIN
“This is the line of Noah.— Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). In addition to introducing us to the central figure in the story of the flood, this verse sets the platform for understanding Noah’s role in the narrative, as well as providing important lessons about individual righteousness and integrity, and what it means to walk with God in a corrupt world.
We extend our heartfelt sympathies to those in our community who are mourning the death of their loved ones and we grieve the loss of so many lives in the current war in the land of Israel.
_________________________
SHIVA
Roger Cherry, Alfred Stricker, Noah Izcovich, Leonard Ivan Lipman, Fraser McEwing.
PASSED AWAY IN THE PAST 30 DAYS Alan Obrart, Nusia Koslowski, Noah Brieger, Mark Kanevsky.
YAHRZEIT On the anniversary of the death of a loved one, Yahrzeit (annual remembrance) is observed by their relatives. Every year, in the lead up to this day, we will contact you to advise that your loved one's name will be read on the Shabbat before the Yahrzeit.
We invite you to arrange a call up to the Torah in memory of your loved one by completing the form at the link provided in the reminder email.
NEW PEOPLE OF THE BOOKS | DIANE ARMSTRONG AT EMANUEL SYNAGOGUE Tuesday 26 November | 7.00 pm
Join us for an unforgettable evening with award-winning author Diane Armstrong. A Holocaust survivor who arrived in Australia in 1948, Diane has captivated readers worldwide with her powerful novels and memoirs that explore resilience, history, and the human spirit. At our next People of the Books event, Diane will dive into her latest epic, Wild Date Palm—a gripping tale of espionage, sacrifice, and survival set in WWI’s Middle East. Bring your copy to be signed or pick one up at the event, and enjoy refreshments from Nora's Kitchen. Spaces are limited, so book now to secure your spot.
WITH NOMAD STRING QUARTET Saturday 23 November | Doors open 8.00 pm
Appearing for one night only, we present critically acclaimed and ARIA Award-winning singer/songwriter Lior, exclusively at Emanuel Synagogue. Join us for an extraordinary evening as Lior performs some of our most beloved favourites from his extensive back catalogue and be among the first in the world to hear new songs from his highly anticipated album 'Blue Parade', created with Melbourne-based guitarist/composer Cameron Deyell and produced by Lachlan Carrick.
IN THE CIRCLE WITH RABBI MORDECAI – 7.15 pm, monthly on the last Thursday of every month. Upcoming session: 28 November.
KOL NEFESH–6.15 pm, Friday 1 November. Service followed by a vegetarian potluck. Dates for 2024: 6 December.
KOL NEFESH INNER WEST – 6.15 pm, Friday 15 November with special guest DANIEL SHERREL, who will speak briefly at the potluck dinner about potential climate policies heading into the next Federal election in honour of Australia's national climate shabbat (organised by the Jewish Climate Network). Daniel Sherrell is a climate and union movement organizer and strategist. He has helped lead campaigns to win a Green New Deal bill for New York State, create good union jobs in renewable energy, and pass America's first federal climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act. His first book, Warmth: Coming of Age at the End of Our World (Penguin 2021), was named a Best Book of the Year by the New Yorker and Publisher's Weekly, and shortlisted for the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post, the Guardian, the Nation, and the Drift, among other outlets. He currently lives in Sydney, Australia, where he is the Senior Adviser on Climate and Energy to the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Australia's peak body for organized labor. REGISTER HERE
SHABBATOT– 4.30 pm, monthly on the first Friday of every month. Upcoming dates: 1 November, 6 December– Register SPECIAL PROGRAM ON 1 NOVEMBER: INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING WITH WENDY DOLOWITZ – Wendy Dolowitz is PJ Library's Program Manager for NSW & ACT, curating and delivering engaging events for young families and is responsible for PJ Library administration. She has an early childhood education background and has worked in a variety of childcare settings as well as been a Play Therapist at Sydney Children's Hospital and a Director at a premium Long Day Care Centre. She is passionate about engaging all children based on their individual needs and thrives on the potential impact she can have on an individual child, their family and the community.
YESOD –10.00 am Sundays; 4.00 pm Mondays and Tuesdays – Register
Emanuel Woollahra Preschool is a pluralistic community open to all, providing an inclusive environment enriched with Jewish heritage for preschool children. Activities include Hebrew language learning, celebrations of Jewish festivals, Shabbat, and Israeli dancing throughout the year.
ENROLMENTS OPEN FOR 2025
Emanuel Woollahra Preschool is accepting enrolments for 2025 and Emanuel Synagogue members save 5% on fees. Learn more and sign up today to give your precious little ones the best possible start to their education.
Emanuel Synagogue members have free access to our streaming platform, emanuelplus. Please contact info@emanuel.org.au or call us on (02) 9389 6444 if you need help getting started.
RELIVE THE MAGIC OF
THE HIGH HOLY DAYS
Thousands joined us on campus for services, and thanks to the magic of emanuelplus, thousands more joined us in real-time online. Claim your front-row seat to experience the beautiful music, poetry, and prayer—no matter which corner of the world you find yourself in.
Wolper’s series of Wellbeing webinars provide up-to-date information delivered by experts in their fields. Moderated by Julie McCrossin AM, these 90-minute sessions are always informative and entertaining. This weeks topic: “The Voluntary Assisted Dying Laws (VAD): What you should know.
The Jewish Board of Deputies invites the community to the annual Kristallnacht commemoration, honouring the tragic events of 1938 when Nazi forces destroyed synagogues, Jewish businesses, and lives. In this time of rising antisemitism, attendees are invited to gather in solidarity.
Kate Vinen, the multi-award-winning filmmaker behind the documentary that features Emanuel Synagogue, The Caretakers (streaming here on emanuelplus), is set to make her next work and you have the opportunity to help her vision come to life. Set in the dramatic ocean-side Eastern suburbs of Sydney, Flow follows Harper, who wrestles with her identity after losing her ability to have children. To read more about the project or make a tax-deductible donation please visit the Australian Cultural Fund page here.
The Sounds of Harmony concert, an initiative by Moving Forward Together, promotes peace and unity through music. Open to all, this event celebrates Australia’s multicultural communities with local and international performances, inviting attendees to connect over our shared humanity.
Adamama presents the Jewish Roots Festival, a new and vibrant celebration of Jewish culture explored through nature, sustainability, arts, and music. Jewish Roots Festival is filled with engaging activities for individuals looking to deepen their connection with their heritage, community, and the natural world.
AND NOW WE KNOW – A TRIBUTE TO LIESJE, THE LITTLE DUTCH GIRL WHO WENT INTO HIDING
Sunday 17 November, 2 pm | Sydney Jewish Museum
This storytelling event will explore the life of a young Dutch girl, Liesbeth Prins, who was hidden by several brave family in the Netherlands during World War II. She was known affectionately as Liesje.
YR 10: Monday 16th December YR 11: Friday 20 December Location on registration
Get ready to explore the great outdoors. Camp Beseder 2024 offers all the fun you could dream of – kayaking, climbing, archery, and even laser tag. Although we are not able to go to Israel, this camp will be an amazing opportunity to meet Jewish students from across Australia and further develop your Jewish identity.
