From the Principal’s Desk: Gesher Together Conference
This week, Masada College was abuzz with excitement as we hosted the Gesher Together Conference, a unique gathering of 350 Year 10 and 11 students from Jewish schools across Australia. The event’s name, Gesher
(Hebrew for “bridge”), beautifully encapsulated its mission: to foster meaningful connections among young Jewish Australians while equipping them with the tools and confidence to engage in complex conversations about Israel and Jewish identity.
We were thrilled to welcome students from Moriah College, Emanuel School and BJE in Sydney and Carmel School from Perth, WA. The Carmel students joined our Masada Year 10 and 11 students for an unforgettable Shabbaton over the weekend, followed by a special barbecue and kumzitz at Balmoral Beach on Monday evening. This shared time forged what I am sure will be lifelong friendships and strengthened ties across our Jewish communities.
The two-day conference featured dynamic keynote speakers, including Noa Sheer, a leading expert in negotiation, and Neil Lazarus, a renowned commentator on Israeli politics and society. These thought leaders inspired students with their insights into navigating disagreements and understanding the complexities of the Middle East.
Workshops and sessions encouraged critical thinking and dialogue on identity, resilience, and advocacy. From virtual reality experiences bearing witness to the events of October 7 to seminars on effective persuasion and leadership, students delved deep into learning how to engage meaningfully with contested information. The program’s vibrancy and energy were palpable as our school transformed into a hub of creativity, collaboration, and thoughtful discourse.
This extraordinary event was made possible by our generous sponsors, including the UIA (our major sponsor), Y2I, JNF and JCA. Their support ensured that our students could benefit from exceptional resources and expertise.
Gesher Together Conference was not just an event, it was a celebration of a shared commitment from across the Jewish Schools of Sydney and Perth to collaborating and to fostering informed, confident, and connected young leaders. It is clear that the friendships and skills cultivated during these two days will have a lasting impact, shaping a future where our students stand tall as proud ambassadors of their heritage.
Our Jewish Life team has been integral to the success of these events, with Shoshana Gottlieb, Ori Lewin and Rafi Franklin running the Shabbaton and Liora Hayman project managing the conference. Behind the scenes supporting all of this were other incredible staff members, but in particular, Alex Wild. We are so lucky at Masada College to have the staff that we have and the community of our school.
Raquel Charet College Principal
From the Executive Team
Deputy Principal
Our slogan for this year, “Together we are more, 2024” set a profound and positive tone for the year. It called upon every member of our College community to contribute, both in significant ways and through small actions, in the face of adversity, to reach our collective aspirations. As we take this time to reflect on our vision, goals, and accomplishments, we look back on the year that passed and look forward to future Masada.
It's astonishing how quickly 2024 has drawn to a close. I write this, my last newsletter article, with a deep sense of pride and gratitude for all that continues to make Masada the very special place it is. This year was filled with opportunities to stand in solidarity and be proud of our community. The tremendous impact on our community of late, has emphasised the critical importance of connection and interaction for the wellbeing of each individual in our College community.
Throughout the year, across the College, our students excelled both inside and outside the classroom. Whilst there have been many highlights, too many to mention, several of particular note include our Pathways Camps and Shabbatons, Duke of Edinburgh, Living Historians, Pink Stumps Day, Diversity Day, Wellbeing Week, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut, Performing Arts evening and always a must-see, our HSC showcase featuring our talented students across multiple disciplines. On behalf of our dedicated educators and staff, I express my heartfelt gratitude to our students for their efforts in representing themselves, their families, and our College with distinction.
Connections Building on the tremendous success of our Ignition experience last year, Connections promised to be a highlight for our Year 7-9 students. Central to our approach at Masada College is our culture of thinking, and this was certainly at the heart of Connections this past fortnight. Our dedicated and passionate educators, led by Head of Learning and Teaching, Jen Grace, ensured the last few weeks of term were full of critical and creative thinking with real-world experiences. Whilst other schools are winding down for the year, our educators push further to engage our students in their learning.
Jewish Life Further testament to the commitment of our teachers has been evident in the Jewish life of the College. Spearheaded by our College Principal, Raquel Charet, our Year 10 Gesher Together conference drew together almost 400 students from across Sydney and Western Australia. With expert speakers, focused on important topics to guide our students, the conference also acted as a bonding opportunity for students. The conference was the beginning of a program for our students unable to participate in the Masada Israel Trip. A significant thanks goes to Liora Hayman and Alex Wild for their key roles in organising the conference. This was followed by a week-long experience including incursions such as the community hackathon and Shazam! as well as a visit to the Jewish Film Festival and Adamama Farm, with some fun bonding activities in between! Our thanks go to Shoshana Gottlieb for ongoing support for our programs.
Reflection on the year As all of our students are undertaking or have just completed some assessments for the year, our attention turns to review, reflection and goal setting. Assessment for the sake of assessment, at least in my mind, is a waste of our time. What we do with the feedback obtained by undertaking the assessment is key.
Throughout the year I have met with our Year 10, 11 and 12 students and their parents/carers to review and reflect together. Our Review and Reflect meetings provide a time to take stock, to assess what is next, what we are aspiring for and how we can get there intact. At its core, our review and reflect sessions with students are an opportunity to slow down and focus on what’s possible.
The end of year is a special time. The mind kicks into reflection mode (the past), wonders what’s next (the future), and ideally also practises gratitude (the present). We may ask ourselves:
What did I do well?
What can I do better?
What more can I do?
How else can I contribute to the people who matter most in my life?
What do I want next year to look like?
Self-reflection is a humbling yet powerful experience. It’s one of the best ways to maximise our learning, discover how we do our best work and improve our performance. In its simplest form, reflection means taking time to think, examine and review ourselves. Reflection is a structured process, which allows us to step back and systematically review past events. To get the most value, we must ensure we move beyond the surface level of what happened and dig a little deeper.
Some people find this uncomfortable as it makes us take an honest look at ourselves: our current level of skills, our behavioural patterns, our strengths and weaknesses, and how we influence others. But for those who are willing to take an honest look at themselves, experience will turn into significant growth.
As we ask our students, staff and community to review and reflect on the year we have experienced together, we take an opportunity to learn and grow together and plan what’s in store for a successful 2025.
Farewells and Welcomes At this time of year, we also say a fond farewell to some of our colleagues:
Laura Mills, Science and Technology teacher, leaves us to move to a new school closer to home. Laura has been a committed and passionate teacher in the faculty, as well fulfilling a temporary role as Year Patron during her time with us.
Alissa Erdmann, English Teacher, leaves us at the end of the year. Ally’s passion and commitment to her students at the College has been appreciated by all in her time at Masada. We wish Ally the very best.
Jo Gluckman, English teacher, rejoined the faculty earlier this year, to replace another teacher who had to unexpectedly leave the College. Jo’s experience and commitment to teaching has been appreciated by all. We wish Jo the very best in her new role and school.
We also farewell Rabbi Mendy and Rabbi Lobel and thank them for their contributions and dedication to our students in Jewish Life and Classical Hebrew.
Welcome back!
Jess Lyons, returns to us from maternity leave as Head of Learning Area - Performing Arts Curricular (ELC-12). Laura Peisley will continue as Year Patron but will also be Head of Learning Area - Performing Arts Co-Curricular (ELC-12). We wish Jess and Laura the very best in these new roles.
Liora Hayman, returns to us from maternity leave as Head of Learning Area - Jewish Life and Experiential Learning. We wish Liora well as she returns to this integral role for the College.
We look forward to welcoming some new staff members to the College in 2025. More details of our newest additions to the Masada faculty will be announced at the beginning of the new school year.
Finally, may I take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support over the past fourteen years for me at Masada College. It has been a privilege and an honour to serve the community and I look forward to seeing continued growth and success over the coming years.
I wish the community a Chanukah Sameach and a restful and happy summer break.
Mr Ryan Gill Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School
Masada Cottage
Mr Recycle Man at the ELC
The ELC children were very excited to welcome Mr Recycle Man to our centre. This incursion coincided with National Recycling Week and was a wonderful opportunity to introduce the importance of caring for the environment.
During this week we encourage our children to explore concepts of recycling, waste reduction ,and sustainability. These foundational lessons foster environmental awareness and empower children to make choices that can positively impact the Earth, laying the groundwork for responsible habits in the future.
Together with Mr Recycle Man the children discussed how we recycle and the importance of using the correct bins. He discussed the importance of sustainability and how to look after the environment.
Dressed up like their favourite Super Hero, the children were mesmerised by his engaging hands on lesson.
After he left we asked the children what they enjoyed most.
Abbie :” I loved pretending to be a super hero and collect rubbish”
Raphy: “ I loved learning what bins to put the rubbish in”
Asher : “ Now I know we have to recycle so animals don’t get hurt and that would not be fair”
Heidi: “ I learnt that the trees give us air”
Evan; “ I know now that I must always put the rubbish in the bin”
Through National Recycling week ,we hope that the children will develop a deeper respect for the environment. We hope that they gain an understanding of how their actions can make a positive difference,inspiring them to care for our planet every day.
Our two Junior School Captains, Kian and Levi, were invited to the Parliament of NSW last Friday, where they received a special certificate from Matt Cross MP in recognition of their leadership in Year 6 in 2024. The presentation took place in the Lower House, and we were also treated to a tour, learning many fascinating facts about the NSW Parliament. Congratulations, Kian and Levi!
Year 3-6 Surf Awareness
Our annual Years 3-6 Surf Awareness excursion took place on Tuesday 5th November. We were fortunate with the weather on the day and travelled via bus to Long Reef and Palm Beach. It was an exciting, hands-on day where students were able to experience the thrill of learning to surf and boogie board. They gained understanding around valuable water safety skills including how to spot rips and sandbanks, where the safest spots are to swim and how to stay safe in the water. As well as having lots of fun, students also gained a deeper appreciation for the beach environment.
To celebrate Sukkot, students experienced a hands-on learning session with Madrichim Ori and Raphy in the Shul Sukkah. Students were immersed in some of the customs of Sukkot, a special meal (theirs was constructing their own Sukkahs out of treats to eat), learning about the structure of the Sukkah and shaking the Lulav and Etrog. Decorations were made and hung up to ensure each student felt they had contributed to the idea of unity and fulfilling traditions of the Chag.
The Kindergarten Orientation sessions have been a delightful success! During the first session, the children were excited and engaged in various activities, including name recognition, syllable exercises, and brainstorming words starting with “m.” They made special necklaces, played a dice game to learn about each other, and enjoyed activities like playdough, Lego, and Magna-Tiles.
In the following session, the children explored patterns, created patterned keyrings, and crafted ice-cream patterns. Their enthusiasm and progress have been impressive, and everyone is looking forward to the upcoming full-day orientation on November 20th. The Kindergarten 2025 journey is off to an exceptional start!
For their Year 8 end-of-year project, beginner and intermediate Hebrew students were tasked with creating and presenting a PowerPoint presentation about their personal lives. They were assessed on several factors, including content, fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and presentation skills. This task is a highlight of the year, as speaking for up to 5 minutes in a different language is no easy feat. It challenges students to apply their language skills in a real-world context, boosting both their confidence and proficiency. All students did a fantastic job, showcasing their hard work and language abilities, while demonstrating strong communication and presentation skills.
