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College LifeThe annual review of life at Immanuel College ISSUE 11 SUMMER 2014

IN THIS I SSUE : YOUTH PARL IAMENT ¥ WW1 POEMS ¥ MUSIC FEST IVAL ¥ SPORTS AWARDS

Academic ExcellenceExpert Pastoral Care

Inspiring Jewish Education

2 | COLLEGE LIFE | Issue 11 | Summer 2014

Immanuel College Head Boy Daniel Moses helped enthrone Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, in a ceremony filled with all the joy, good humour and family warmth of Anglo-Jewry. Former Immanuel Head Boy Jonathan Turgel was among the star singers of the Shabbaton Choir, whose Director, Stephen Levey, joins us next year to develop Jewish choral singing at Immanuel. Prince Charles honoured with his presence a gathering including many Immanuel parents. I was filled with pride that Immanuel was so firm a part of such a noble, distinguished and caring community. On November 13th Chief Rabbi Mirvis blessed our new building, in the presence of the Atar family, whose Foundation gave the handsome two-storey Beit Knesset which now stands at our east gate. The Chief was busy, but the special singing and selfless happiness of our Preparatory School children kept him here enjoying what was clearly more than just another ceremony.

A memorable Chanukah fell wholly inside our term, and that busy week saw candles lit and prayers offered around the new, giant Chanukiah sourced in Texas by the Sint family, and publicly dedicated in assembly to Naomi Felder of blessed memory. The Poland Trip prepared, took away, brought back and transformed another generation of Immanuel’s Sixth Formers. At the same time, the Chanukah Concert was a turning-point in our history, as our young ladies performed hit songs from the Broadway musicals, in newly-possible solo performances, as part of our newly-created Performing Arts agenda. Debating fever swept the school, courtesy of the English Department, and Staff were persuaded to debate on corporal punishment in a packed JKT. The Parents’ Association, reborn as the Parents’ Guild, created the Sports Awards Dinner and raised considerable sums for our sporting life. Staff also dined together to

A View From the Bridge: 2013-14say farewell to Mr Blain and Mrs Solomons, many going on to attend Ms Endelman’s excellent school play, Lord of the Flies.

The Pesach Term of 2014 brought much happy news. Our summer 2013 results of 65% A*or A grade at A Level were placed in the top 60 schools in the country, ahead of UCS and South Hampstead. Cambridge, Imperial College and Medical School places fell to students who had worked extra hard across many months, and of 16 finalists in the Emunah Young Musician of the Year competition, four were Immanuel pupils - Louis Isaacs, Year 7, Saxophone, won a prize. The Dance Show showed huge teamwork and personal development, in the Year 8 girls who starred in, and the Sixth Formers who directed, the event alongside Miss Lord and Mrs Conetta. An Israeli University and Gap Year Fair was organised by Ms Natalie Lancer, Director of Higher Education, to augment our excellent provision for entry to the best British, European and American universities. The presentation by Technion was impressive, and it was an interesting glimpse of the future to see the Hebrew University of Jerusalem building shared degree courses with high-flying British universities. Large numbers of staff and parents enjoyed the annual Supper Quiz together as the end of term approached. Mrs Gaffin’s Preparatory School showed it had already developed a life of its own under her, with invaluable collaboration from parents, in a Sunday Purim party and Megillah reading supported by every family. Finally, we were able to assist the Board of Deputies by showing two schools from Romford and Hatfield what Modern Orthodox Judaism meant in practice for young people, putting our human face on what for those students had been a shadowy abstract concept; thanks to Mr Baigel for all he did there, and to the JS and Beit HaMedrash staff and pupils who helped him.

The Shavuot Term has seen a Gala Dinner replete with Immanuel mishpacha and respect for the individual, with rousing speeches from Mrs Mazal Nisner and Mrs Feigy Lieberman to mark their retirement and that of Mr Freddy Isaac, and a powerful keynote address from Lord Kestenbaum on what makes Immanuel special, in which he paid particular tribute to Mr Philip Skelker and Mr Edwin Hedge for fostering independent thinking among students. Sports Day was outstanding for its unique combination of inclusivity and healthy competition. Our pupils cheered three freshly-renamed and reinvigorated Houses, Senesh, Levin and Einstein, to their victories. We also enjoyed the incomparable charm of Preparatory School Sports Day. For these major achievements, as for the all the work that went into the Sports Awards, we must thank Mr Phil Monaghan and his team.

I stop writing now to go to the Junior Music and Drama event, which matinéed for grandparents this afternoon and shortly has its encore. Where there are Immanuel children, there is music, creativity, laughter, talent, ambition and not a little chutzpah. For this I thank Immanuel’s staff, past and present, with a particularly large “thank you” and a sad pause to remember Mrs Gill Strauss of the Academic Support Department and Mr Paul de Naeyer, until very recently Head of Geography and leader of our Ski Trip. I know they would be proud of everything their pupils continue to achieve, and am confident that Immanuel College Preparatory School, Senior School and Sixth Form go m’chayil l’chayil with each year, in both Torah and Derech Eretz.

I hope you will enjoy this bright selection of College Life.

Charles Dormer, Head Master


Alumni NewsOvercoming challenges was the spur to my decision to join the Israeli Army. Before taking up my place at university I had decided to take a gap year with my youth movement, Bnei Akiva.

One component was a two-month army experience course called Marva. We wore the IDF uniform, carried M16 assault rifles, learned how to shoot and what it was like to be in the army. I encountered many challenges and conquering them gave me a fantastic sense of purpose and achievement. Delaying my place at university was the next step towards my ambition to enlist in the Army on a year-and-a-half volunteer programme called Machal. I wanted to help serve Israel and continue overcoming challenges.

I enlisted in the Army’s Education Corps for a three-month Hebrew course, and was joined by Aaron Lester and Max Compton from the Year below me at Immanuel. We learned Hebrew intensively, and then all three of us were accepted into combat units, Aaron and myself into Nachal and Max into Givati.

I am now in an environment where the only language is Hebrew. The last two weeks I spent in the field; by day we learned how to move around without being seen and build watch posts and shooting posts so camouflaged that you cannot see them even if you are a metre away. We also learned how to move and shoot in groups with both dry (no bullets) and live (shooting bullets) practices.

My appetite for being challenged is certainly met as the obstacles that I face nearly daily are usually so physical that they become mental. The discipline is particularly high, and attention to detail is important - skills I will find invaluable at university. I am sure that the life-skills I am learning will remain with me forever. I am really enjoying my time in the IDF and have no regrets about delaying university for a bit longer.

David Sint, Immanuel College alumnus

ContentsA View From the Bridge: 2013–14 2

Alumni News 3

Poland Trip Diary Extract 4

Remembering Paul De Naeyer 5

Remembering Gill Strauss 5

Immanuel College Preparatory School 6–7

Immanuel College Book Award Shortlist 2013/4 8

Interview with Charlie Coverman (10DL) 9

Political Selfies 10

History and Politics Society (HiPoSoC) 10

Interview With Ed Miliband 11

Immanuel’s Maths Olympiad 11

ICIT 2013 Diary Extracts 12–13

Emunah Young Musician of the Year Woodwind Award 2014 14

London College Of Music – Musical Theatre Examinations 14

AS Photography Trip To Malta 15

Dramatic Reflections 15

Inaugural Drama and Music Festival 15

Lord of the Flies 16

Photography Showcase 17

War Poems Remembering the Soldiers of the First World War 18

Sports Award Evening 19

Year 8 Paris Trip 20

Young Enterprise 21

Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award 21

Shevet Achim 22–23

Art Showcase 24–25

Beit Midrash 26–27


Poland TripAs soon as we walked through the famed gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the whole group was shocked at the enormity of the camp – 90 square kilometres – and the way in which it was purpose-built to be a ‘factory of death’, the most efficient killing machine the world has ever known.

Diary Extract

In Birkenau, our guide Sara explained the selection process to us and why a signal to the left – indicating the direction of the quarantine barracks – meant life, and a signal to the right – towards the back of the camp and the gas chambers – meant immediate death. Sara noted that everyone was chosen for death: 70% to the immediate death of the gas chambers, and the 30%, supposedly chosen for ‘life’, also really chosen for death – the slow and lingering death of starvation and exhaustion. For us, the efficiency of the camp was the most shocking factor, and we were taken aback to hear how

over one million people were brutally killed there in the most cruel manner possible.

After visiting Birkenau we were given a guided tour of Auschwitz-1, which unfortunately now has more of a museum feel, yet was still powerful. Behind huge display windows we saw seven tonnes of human hair found by the Russian liberators of the camp, as well as vast quantities of glasses, suitcases and even prosthetic legs of the victims of the camp. Witnessing these remains of the victims of the Holocaust was a truly powerful moment and helped us begin to comprehend the scale of our people’s tragedy.

Travelling from Auschwitz to Warsaw we stopped at the former home of the famed Gur Chassidic group. There we learned about Chassidut in the best way possible – through a fun and uplifting experience! With dancing, singing, laughing and, of course, eating, the day was balanced between sadness at what was lost and joy in our values as a people.

Shlomo Amor L6LS/YG, Hannah Salt L6SMU/JKP, Ella Bazini L6VSG and Yasmin Sadik L6LS/YG


Remembering Paul De NaeyerPaul joined the College in September 2004 as Head of Geography, a role he undertook with professionalism and dedication until illness meant that he could no longer continue at work.

Paul had a love of his subject which he was able to pass along easily to his students. He combined traditional teaching methods with up-to-the-minute ICT use to make his lessons fun and stimulating and to motivate his students to engage in their learning and to want to find out more about geography.

Both the Paris Trip and Ski Trip were Paul’s brainchildren. He loved to travel and to share that love with students, and his interactive quizzes held on trip evenings became a feature of the trips in themselves. He was also the co-creator of the termly College newsletter Slice of Life, and generally helped out in all areas of school life whenever he could.

Students and ex-students held Paul in the highest of regards– the word inspirational is the one most used by them - and Paul was also a loyal and committed friend to many teaching and non-teaching colleagues. He had the widest of smiles and a keen and dry sense of humour.

Paul was diagnosed with bone cancer in May 2010 and underwent aggressive treatment over the following year. He returned to school for the 2011-12 year but sadly the cancer was never fully beaten. Paul passed away peacefully at the age of 41 in the early hours of 3rd June, having suffered with dignity and without ever complaining about his lot. He leaves behind his wife Ruth and two beloved sons Daniel and Jacob, as well as many, many friends within the Immanuel community.

Paul Abrahams, Assistant Head

Remembering Gill StraussGill supported the Department for Academic Support at Immanuel College for well over ten years. She wasn’t on the Immanuel payroll, choosing instead to work as a peripatetic teacher so she could take time out during term time to travel. However, Gill was a stalwart of the DAS team, ever-dependable and always willing to pitch in. She was one of those colleagues in whom you could have implicit trust to understand students’ needs, devise innovative ways to encourage memory and study skills and realise each student’s potential.

She was never ever grudging with her time and support for the College and she spent many unpaid hours supporting the Department, liaising with school staff, attending meetings and so on. She was a sparky and sparkling colleague and teacher and the many messages from staff, parents and students are testament to the respect she earned.

Her Psychology background and specialist post-graduate qualification, together with her own enquiring mind, meant that the support she was able to give students was always relevant and she had a way of teaching which enhanced confidence and built up students’ self-esteem so that they were better equipped to realise their potential.

Gill was a staunch member of the lunchtime SEN club and we spent many a lunch hour discussing students’ needs, exchanging ideas and debating the most appropriate way to help students break through the brick wall of their individual difficulties, although, to be fair, we would also occasionally exchange chicken soup recipes or the best way to cook salt beef.

She was a pragmatist with a sharp and intuitive mind which she shared with us all.

Her absence from our department and from Immanuel will leave a huge gap. I will miss the spirit, the professionalism and the common sense that was Gill Strauss.

To honour her work and her memory, Immanuel College has decided to name the DAS teaching room, where Gill spent many hours, ‘The Gill Strauss Room’.

Gill leaves behind a husband, two daughters and three grandchildren as well as her mother and sister.

Mrs S Fishburn, Head of the Department for Academic Support


IMMANUEL COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Each week we celebrate the successes of the children, announcing our “Stars of the Week” at assembly and recognising children who have been polite, well-mannered and tried new foods by giving out “Golden Tickets” at lunchtime on a Friday. This is in addition to our daily “Bentching Stars” and class rewards. Year 2 earned a trip to the park for completing their “Secret Walker” chart and Reception had prizes for filling up their “Smiley” jar with pebbles.

The Preparatory School has had an incredible year, filled with learning, laughter and fun. We have grown from a small group of children and adults into a school focussed on supporting each child through our academic, personal and extra-curricular activities and opportunities.

The children sing songs and play games as they learn the Aleph Bet, having fun whilst increasing their knowledge.

The children enjoyed a “Blue & White Day” to celebrate Israel’s 66th birthday. They danced, decorated birthday biscuits, made flags and listened to first-hand accounts from some of our parents who themselves had grown up in Israel.

Each week children can earn tickets at lunchtime for sensible behaviour, trying new foods and good listening. The children with the most tickets get to sit at the “Golden Table” on a Friday and get to keep a golden ticket!


Over the course of the year the children have been engaged in a variety of informative and exciting lessons, such as seeing what happens when we fill a balloon with hot air and subsequently what happens when it cools, how far a car will travel on different surfaces, how quickly they can park numbered bikes into the corresponding parking spaces, and writing stories and comic strips about their own superheroes. The learning has been skilfully led by our excellent teachers with the support of our teaching assistants, who together make sure our children are growing into the “whole happy people” that are at the heart of our vision for ICPS.

In addition to our class learning we have run an impressive range of after-school clubs this year: Drama, Athletics, Ballet, Construction, Board Games and Gardening to name a few. Our curriculum has also been enhanced by performances at Chanukah and at the end of the year, a fancy dress Megilla reading on Purim day, a mock Seder before Pesach, and activities for Tu B’Shvat and Yom Ha’Atzmaut, complete with the appropriately coloured clothing.

This year has also seen the formation of the Preparatory School Parents’ Guild, whose efforts on our behalf have meant that we have been able to purchase some additional playground equipment, that our events have been well advertised and efficiently run, and that those joining us have been warmly welcomed into the ‘Immanuel Family’.

Next year we will be entering another new phase as we open our first Key Stage 2 class. Watch this space...

Alexis Gaffin, Director of the Preparatory School

The run up to Pesach was an extremely busy time for the Preparatory School. As well as learning the Mah Nishtana, making their own hagadas, preparing for the Mock Seder and getting rid of all the chametz in sight, the children spent an afternoon learning how to bake matzas, starting with mixing the flour and water all the way through to seeing them baked.

In our weekly assembly we celebrate the successes of individual children who have excelled that week. It is a chance to recognize effort, kindness and achievement. The children receive a certificate and have their names listed in the weekly I.C.P.S. Newsletter.

As part of their topic on “In the Egg”, Year 1 welcomed eight incubated eggs in to their classroom and watched and waited as the chicks tapped their way out of their eggs. The children thoroughly enjoyed holding the chicks once they were able to do so and were very gentle with them.

In addition to all the preparations that took place at school before Chanukah, including rehearsals for a whole-school Chanukah Show, Year 2 had the opportunity to make their own menorahs at home and enter a competition. The entries were all of a very high standard and picking winners was a very difficult job, but we got there in the end.


For Lower SchoolJulianna Baggott. Pure. Nominated by Noah Halpern, 8EM/JG and Talia Fogelman, 10 SW/RG

“A coming-of-age novel set in a post-apocalyptic world.”

Sally Gardner. Maggot Moon. Nominated by Mrs. Samuels, staff

“Its hero defies a ruthless regime to come to the aid of his best friend.”

Morris Gleitzman. After. Nominated by Freddie Assor, 7PM

“An inspiring book about the Holocaust, which makes you think about the horrors of World War II.”

Sophie McKenzie. Split Second. Nominated by Mrs. Leifer, staff

“An action-packed thriller narrated by its two main characters, whose courage and loyalties are tested to the limit.”

IMMANUEL COLLEGE BOOK AWARD SHORTLIST 2013/4

For Upper SchoolNeil Gaiman. The Ocean At The End Of The Lane. Nominated by Talia Fogelman, 10SW/RG

“A haunting, magical recollection of childhood experiences and the power of stories.”

Robert Harris. An Officer and A Spy. Nominated by Penina Bowman, parent

“A fictional treatment of the Dreyfus Affair told by Georges Piquart, who fights for the truth to be told.”

Anthony Horowitz. The House of Silk. Nominated by Joshua Rocker, 11FP

“Holmes and Watson continue their gripping adventures, but with a deadly twist that is relevant to today’s society. It is quite elementary, if you do not mind me saying so.”

Jonas Jonnasson. The Hundred Year Old Man That Climbed Out Of A Window.Nominated by Harry Tucker, 11LR, and Mrs. Goulde, staff

“A very funny story about an old man’s place in the world and a great romp through twentieth century history.”


Interview with Charlie Coverman (10DL)

Why did you choose to run?I chose to run in the UK Youth Parliament because I became passionate about Politics. I also wanted to represent the young people of Hertfordshire and ensure their voices were heard.

What was campaigning like?Campaigning was hard work. I, along with a few friends, my parents and Mr Spitz, set about putting up posters around the school and creating and updating the “Vote 4 Charlie” Facebook page.

When the voting period began, I spent form times going to different tutor groups and trying to persuade our students to vote for me. Mrs Shackell made sure that everyone she taught voted for me by allowing them to do so during her lessons.We also tried to get other schools t o help – and the students of Yavneh College, especially, were extremely helpful.

Generally, I was amazed and humbled by everyone’s support of my campaign.

How did it feel on Election Day?On Election Day, I sat in the chambers at County Hall nervously awaiting the results. When I found out that I had won, I was surprised and elated - and extremely thankful for the people that had got behind my campaign and voted for me.

However, it quickly became apparent that the hard work was yet to come.

What has it been like so far?As an MYP (Member of the Youth Parliament), I have to attend fortnightly meetings. One is assigned

Hertfordshire’s New Representative on the UK Youth Parliament.

a key issue regarding young people, which one has to work on for the year that one is in office.

I was assigned the topic of “Improving mental health services and education for young people.”

So far I have researched mental health care services and why they are desperately in need of improvement. I have also spoken to lots of young people in order to gain a better understanding of the issue at hand. The next step is to create policies and programmes to tackle this issue and present these ideas to Councillors who can authorise funding.

Being an MYP has also given me opportunities that I wouldn’t normally have. A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to have a meeting with a senior Tory MP, John Redwood, in the Houses of Parliament. He gave me invaluable advice about becoming a Cabinet member and shared his inspirational story with me – a journey from a Council Estate in Canterbury through to the upper echelons of British politics.

So – lots of work to be done in the next year as an MYP – and a big ‘thank you’ for everyone’s support so far.


Political SelfiesJonathan Shapiro, Max Fisher and I are all actively involved in the Conservative Party and regularly go to its Headquarters in Westminster in order to help out with campaigning for the General and European elections.

On one occasion, we were going to meet Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan, but as a surprise the Home Secretary, Theresa May, and the Prime Minister turned up. As young political groupies, we proceeded to introduce the people who run our country to the ‘selfie.’ We did this, too, the next week with Boris Johnson, who also signed our Oyster Cards.

Meeting the people we hear about on the news gave us a new insight into the world of politics, a career that I personally wish to go into in later life.

The pictures, of course, will serve as excellent memories for the future, as well as great Facebook profile pictures.

Saul Nagus U6KP

History and Politics Society (HiPoSoC)This year, HiPoSoC has excelled in bringing in speakers from a broad spectrum of specialist fields, ranging from politicians to world-renowned historians. Jonathan Fenby gave an insightful lecture on Mao’s China and how the development of their Five-Year Plans has in some ways triggered its vast economic growth in today’s society. Fenby himself spent a number of years working in both China and Hong Kong, allowing him to truly appreciate Chinese culture and history. As AS Level History students currently studying China during the mid-20th Century, this provided us, along with the rest of the school, with further knowledge surrounding the subject.

Lord David Young enhanced our understanding of British political history, another area of study. He drew upon his relationship with Margaret Thatcher as her right-hand man and presented his opinion on some of her more controversial policies. Students were then given time to ask any questions on topics they felt Lord Young had particular expertise in; this proved to be extremely thought-provoking and useful.

The Board of Jewish Deputies was additionally welcomed to HiPoSoC. They stimulated our thinking towards what we can do as Jews to combat anti-Semitism using the support of politicians. Some students took the opportunity to enquire about possible internships over the summer holiday.

Unsurprisingly, the First World War features prominently in the Year 9 curriculum. The students’ understanding was further enhanced by Dr Gillian Davidson, who came to speak to them about the Jewish contribution to the Great War. Pupils were able to show off their knowledge and understanding of Jewish war poets such as Sassoon and Rosenberg. According to the Year 9s, this was a most interesting talk.

In February, representatives from each Year visited the Hertsmere Youth Conference, in which they had the opportunity to meet current councillors and explore their views on prominent political issues, namely the voting age and attitudes towards environmental problems. The day consisted of a number of activities including an interactive session which stressed the significance of voting in upcoming elections and a workshop in the afternoon that encouraged us to analyse on-going problems in our local communities and the ways in which we can resolve them.

Overall, helping organise History and Politics Society has expanded our knowledge in many areas beyond the confines of the syllabus and has been thoroughly enjoyable.

Ella Bazini L6VSG and Eli Clinton-Davis L6LS/YG


Interview With Ed Miliband

Immanuel’s Maths OlympiadDaniel Berenson and I were selected to participate in the Olympiad round of the Maths Challenge. The questions really made you think – and they were unlike anything I had ever faced before! I want to thank Mr Littlestone for entering us in the Olympiad, and I think it has really helped me progress as a mathematician.

Alex Root 9PDA/NDC

Streetwise manager Nathan Servi was asked to organise a conference call between ourselves and Ed Miliband, as the Labour leader was interested in speaking to us about our experiences with Streetwise and the CST. In particular, he wanted to hear about our involvement in the Alan Senitt Community Leadership Program and other Streetwise life-skills sessions run at Immanuel, especially the anti-Semitism programme that was delivered to us during Life-Skills Day.

Mr. Miliband was due to be a guest speaker at the annual CST dinner that night. He had prepared a few questions to ask us, including how Streetwise has helped us personally, and if what they had taught in the Alan Senitt Community Leadership programme had been useful.

The Alan Senitt Community Leadership programme is offered to six schools of mixed faiths. It helps us integrate and socialise with people that belong to different religions in order to prepare us for when we leave our Jewish school, and also teaches us how to help other people and our wider community without involving religion. For our project this year, the participants from Immanuel decided to investigate experiences from Holocaust survivors, and then run Holocaust education sessions, as we feel that it is important to spread awareness of this. Mr. Miliband wanted to hear from us about this, as he is Jewish and has Holocaust survivors within his own family.

As well as our participation in the Alan Senitt programme, Mr. Miliband asked us to elaborate on our views on anti-Semitism. He asked us how we would deal with a situation if we ever found ourselves victims of an anti-Semitic attack. We told him how important we felt it is to educate people concerning anti-Semitism, as it is important that we feel safe and secure and know that there

are certain organizations, such as Streetwise and the CST, that we can turn to if we ever find ourselves in such a situation.

Although we were not there, Nathan told us that the CST dinner was a great success – this too was reported in the JC Newspaper. At the dinner, Mr. Miliband gave a speech and mentioned our names four times. He said he was really impressed by what we have learnt, our experiences and our Holocaust education project, and that we delivered a passionate and thoughtful interview.

Streetwise posted on their Facebook page: “Massive shout out to Danielle Abkin and Aaron Goldstein who were quoted four times in tonight’s speech by the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP at CST Dinner. Their experiences in Streetwise life-skills sessions learning about anti-Semitism and their amazing endeavours with the Alan Senitt Community Leadership programme are truly inspirational. Thank you guys, you really made us proud.”

Danielle Abkin 10SW/RD and Aaron Goldstein 10DL


Dear Parents,

Today was an extremely important, meaningful and emotional day.

The day started with a talk from Rabbi Benji Levin, the grandson of the great tzadik of Jerusalem, Rabbi Aryeh Levin. He told us stories about caring for your fellow Jew and he explained to us the importance of being nice to every person. His talk showed us that kindness could get you a long way, no matter what.

After this, we had a thought-evoking tochnit (activity). It was the start of our learning about the Holocaust. One by one we all entered a dark room with a few candles on the floor. On entry we were given a piece of paper with the story of a person who lived during the Holocaust. This person had a similar or the same name as us. For example, Sam Cainer had Simon Caminer, Lior Carno had Leona Calo and Boaz Barnard had Baruk Bernard.

As we went round Yad Vashem, our next activity, we were told to remember these people and stories. It was really emotional and touching to think about all the Jews whose lives were taken. Whilst walking

round Yad Vashem we learnt all about Hitler’s tactics and rise to power in Germany and the Holocaust. Lastly we went to the Children’s Memorial and thought of all the lost generations. It was a very moving and emotional experience but was very necessary to the trip.

After, we were split up into groups and went to interview olim (people who made aliyah) in Modi’in about their opinions on aliyah, and how different life is from where they moved from. There were families from England, South Africa and America. It was really fun and interesting to hear about their perspective on aliyah and what it is like to move countries.

We finished our day by going to Rabbi Riffkin’s house for a barbecue. There was delicious food and a happy end to an amazing day. There was a fire display and we all tried to do circus tricks but it didn’t really work. Thank you to the Riffkins for their hospitality.

Love you and miss you,

Sam Cainer, Boaz Barnard, Danielle Abkin and Lior Carno

ICIT 2013 Diary Extracts


Dear Parents,

Yesterday, we started our journey down to the Negev (south) on our way to the Bedouin tents, leaving the Golan Heights in the North. After a 5-hour coach journey, we arrived at a park near Mitzpe Ramon where we ate lunch and participated in activities such as putting sand into a mini glass bottle and creating patterns with the different coloured sand. Then we did some archery where we had to try and hit balloons. Later we did long-distance archery. We also learnt how to carve sandstone rocks into shapes like the map of Israel.

After lunch, we went to Machtesh Ramon, where we looked out on an amazing view of the desert. We davened Mincha on the edge of a mountain looking over into the crater. We then continued our journey down to our final destination, the Bedouin tents.

After a very long journey, we sat down and ate a traditional Bedouin dinner. After dinner we had a Bedouin man talk to us about their history, and the way they lived and still live. We also received a traditional

welcoming strong coffee from the Bedouin. After a very long day, we took a walk outside into the middle of the Negev where we had time to think and reflect.

We rounded off another amazing ICIT day with a bonfire, where we heard stories and sung songs. For most people it was a very emotional night with a lot of crying and tears. People told stories; some sad, some uplifting. Some of the sad stories really affected us; it made us think about how much we should appreciate the things we have. As a year group we have developed such a special bond with one another and have become an ICIT family.

During Adon Olam we all stood around the fire as a whole year group and not as separate little groups. Last night was not only emotional but very inspirational.

Missing you lots,

Jesse Arenson and Katie Fisch

Dear Parents,

Today we started off at Independence Hall in Tel Aviv where the State of Israel was declared. Everybody had been expecting a giant hall and we were shocked when we arrived. Independence Hall is very small, especially for such an important place! We saw a film explaining the lead up to the State of Israel which helped us understand where we were. We then entered the hall where David Ben Gurion unveiled the Jewish State. It was strange being there with all the original seats and we listened to the speeches being given. It must have been very emotional at the time and we are happy to have been to the place that made ICIT a possibility. We then moved on to our last visit of ICIT, the Palmach Museum. The Museum was all about the Israeli Army before 1948. We followed the lives of soldiers who were part of the Palmach and we saw how it affected their lives. It was inspiring!!

We can’t believe that we have been here for 23 days and sadly we are coming home tomorrow! Although we are all looking forward to seeing our families!

See you tomorrow!

Aaron Goldstein and Sam Tyler (P.S. from Sam: “Please can I have sushi for dinner?”)


Emunah Young Musician of the Year Woodwind Award 2014My journey to performing at The Royal Academy of Music began at the first audition on Sunday 2nd February 2014 for the Emunah Young Musician of the Year Award, which in itself was a great honour and experience.

Music has always been an important part of my life. When I was 2, I used to listen to Barry White! I started to play the piano when I was 7 and then at 9 moved on to the saxophone and various other instruments. I have a good ear for music and rhythm and enjoy improvising. I like most other music, too, not just jazz.

I am quite shy by nature but winning the Emunah Young Musician of the Year Woodwind Award has made me believe in myself and my talent. Before my audition I was a bit nervous, although also excited. I really enjoy playing to an audience and, with my sax around my neck, I become a different person. I have performed with bands at several hotels where I have stayed with my family, without the other guests realising that it was me on sax. I like to make people smile.

Two years ago I started a band, Jazz Sharp, and have played at various charity events, at bar mitzvahs and at my mum’s birthday party! Last year, I was proud to have been invited back to play at my old nursery school’s assembly. Since starting at Immanuel College, I have been asked to play at school events. I am also a member of the Camden Big Band.

I am proud to have won the Emunah Young Musician of the Year Award and hope to have further successes like this one in the future.

Louis Isaacs 7BF

London College Of Music - Musical Theatre ExaminationsImmanuel College achieved a stunning set of results in the Musical Theatre Examinations sat in March at the College. Pupils were examined by the Chief Examiner, adding to the nervous tension, but he was blown away by the talent and application of the entire cohort.

Immanuel has always excelled in all the Arts, but to achieve such results in only the first year of its newly-formed Performing Arts Department is a credit to all pupils and staff.

Congratulations and Mazal Tov are due to the following pupils:

Grade 8Georgia Barnet – DistinctionGeorgia Katz - DistinctionEliana Marks - DistinctionKayla Jaffe - Merit

Grade 6Danielle Abkin - DistinctionGeorgia Cass - DistinctionNatasha Fisch – DistinctionIndia Jacobs - DistinctionAmber Marks - DistinctionLouis Lederman - MeritDaniel Berenson - Merit

Grade 5Grace Hollis - DistinctionLucie Robins - DistinctionKezia Sinclair Horne - DistinctionElla Skolnik - Distinction

Grade 4Jemima Atar - DistinctionAmy Hertz - DistinctionAmy Lipman - DistinctionLior Carno - MeritTalia Fogleman - MeritLauren Smith - Merit

Grade 3Tali Blitz - DistinctionBenjamin Sweiry - DistinctionJosie Bergman - Merit


Inaugural Drama and Music FestivalIn the first Immanuel College Drama and Music Festival we performed “Don’t Rain on my Parade” from Funny Girl. Performing at school is always enjoyable, particularly a duet. The addition of a Drama category to the Music Festival this year allowed students with other strengths to take part. Additionally, we were able to rehearse a lot leading up to the event with the help of our singing teacher at school, and this definitely paid off! The event was a great success, and we hope to be able to take part next year.

Danielle Abkin 10SW and Eliana Marks 10SW

Dramatic ReflectionsAs part of our A Level Drama practical assessment we studied political/feminist theatre. Eight weeks took us from brainstorm to polished performance. We had great fun researching what life was like for women in the 1950s compared to the present day. We focused on the Jimmy Saville case and this inspired many of our scenes. Using the JKT, we built mini stages that represented each decade from 1950. Our last stage was 2025, where two female sports reporters rushed off to the pub after work, whilst their husbands hoovered at home. We wanted to show how equality has

been addressed over the years, but also how much work there is to do in this area. In our perfect world, there was a 50-50 male/female split in all top jobs in all walks of life, as well as in stay-at-home parenting. We thoroughly enjoyed writing our own scripts – a new challenge for us - and we hoped it was humorous as well as hard-hitting in places. We held an open rehearsal to gain feedback from our teachers, parents and classmates which was really enjoyable – possibly more so than the actual exam!

Ellen Johnson 13MG

AS Photography Trip To MaltaAs an AS Photography student, I travelled to Malta with my group for a week in February to put into practice the skills that we were learning in class. My exam title was ‘Coloured Glass’, so my photography needed to relate to this theme. Every day we did something different which tested our photography skills. We visited different towns, an island called Gozo and we also went to an exhibition. I took a green glass bottle with me and shot it using different backdrops of the island. We also went to visit a few religious buildings, and I was able to shoot some beautiful stained-glass windows. On the island of Gozo we went to a glassblowing demonstration. During this very enjoyable trip, I was able to produce many shoots, which counted towards my exam. Jessica Gee L6SMU/JKP


Being in the school play The Lord of The Flies was one of the best experiences I have had at Immanuel so far. Even though it was hard work, with lots of rehearsals, I gained pride, confidence and even some new friends!

When we started rehearsals, I didn’t really know what to expect because I had never done an Immanuel production before. As time went on I realised that we were having more and more rehearsals, and eventually having one every lunchtime and two after school, which felt like a lot! Even though at times it felt like it was too much to comprehend, eventually we came to terms with it as this was only for two weeks. All this effort definitely paid off though.

Dress rehearsals were when it all came together. It felt incredible to see the production develop over time and then finally see it as one production. At this point we were all very excited because we were trying on our costumes and make-up for the first time. This was also the first time we had performed properly on the set.

On the day no one really knew how he or she felt. We were all a mix of nervous, excited and hyper at the same time. One could only imagine the aftermath backstage. Even though we were all having these mixed emotions, inside we knew it would go well and we would all get each other out of situations if we forgot our lines.

Finally, the time had come to start the play, the one moment we had been waiting for! The lights went down then back up, and that was our cue. As soon as I walked on I got an adrenaline rush just seeing how many people there were in the audience. At the end it felt amazing knowing that people were cheering just for us and that all the hard work really had paid off.

Ms. Endelman was the best director that any of us could have asked for. She didn’t just get the best accents out of us, but also pushed our acting skills to the limit. At first I didn’t really believe her when she said “All Immanuel

productions must be perfect!” After a few weeks though, I realised I was a million times wrong, because any small piece of acting or piece of the set that was wrong had to be corrected. This just made the play all the better though, and we could have never done without her.

Jack Frolich 8NGA

Last December, just before the end of term, Immanuel College brought William Golding’s Lord of the Flies to the stage in spectacular fashion.

In this play, a group of boys crash on an island and turn savage. “The cast really brought the characters to life and the set is amazing” said one audience member. We even had the privilege of acting with Mr Kerridge-Phipps, an English teacher here at Immanuel. He played the part of the Naval Officer at the end and we are all very grateful for his contribution to the performance. It took two-and-a-half months to prepare it, but on both nights it went perfectly. Personally, I couldn’t have hoped for a better success.

Through the process of rehearsing, we also started to understand the feelings of the boys and what they must have been thinking. We began to understand their loss of innocence and their guilt at the end. It was a lot of fun to rehearse and perform in front of an audience of parents, siblings, grandparents, teachers and friends.

At the opening night, after the play was over, I remember feeling elated that we had taken this play and acted it in the best way possible. After the second night, we were all sad that it was over, but pleased that it had gone well.

To conclude, I would like to say a massive “thank you” to Ms Endelman for directing the play, to Mr Kerridge-Phipps for acting and giving us his input in the lead-up to the play, and to all the other staff members involved.

Ben Harari 9GDS/AAZ

Lord of the Flies

Photography Showcase

Elana Cohen, A2

Antonia Appel, A2

Antonia Appel, A2Isabella Vandermolen, A2

Jessica Gee, AS Lauren Simon, A2

Rachel Levy, A2



War Poems Remembering the Soldiers of the First World War

My GardenThe paper’s damp and crinkled in the shadow, The water runs hidden and blocked from reason,The dwelling’s empty from what I used to know,My limbs are stained in crimson.

A place lost without the hand upon my shoulder,To comfort the words, I cannot bear to face:I cannot face, no way to be much bolder,To stay within this dwelling; within this place.

I shut my eyes and go to my great garden, The reddened mud feels soft beneath my wings, The moonlight shines boldly through the galleon,The poppies in the distance sing G-d’s holy hymns.

Yet a crow, lurks within the empty spaces, And stalks each green butterfly, in its turn And my eyelids flutter, in my garden’s deep embraces, To turn away from my only home!

Now a flood, is coming toward me,Clouds and waves, flooded with shadow,The oncoming mist is all I see……

Sabrina Miller 9SB

WorthlessSound is crushing our ears, Bullets pound our souls. Hearts are ready to burst,Our lives are ready to go.

The gas is pummelling our vision,Blurring the fields of vast destruction.We lay in the swamps of the trenches,Achingly listening to the sound of gunfire.

My thoughts weren’t with me,The battlefield is where they were.The men that were dying,What were they fighting for?

As my death edged closerThe fighting wasn’t over, For this was day 87 Of a war just getting older.

Max Misrahi 9GDS/AAZ


In November, the first Immanuel College Sports Award Evening was held to reward anyone who had achieved success in Sport over the past year. It was hosted by Ivor Baddiel, who kept the audience entertained with stories of his X Factor scriptwriting and who was in charge of the running order of the event.

The guest speaker for the evening was Team GB paralympian Andy Barrow, a man who had an accident at a very young age which had paralysed him. He explained that this made him more determined to achieve his goals, one of which was to represent Team GB at a Paralympics, a goal that he achieved at London 2012 in wheelchair rugby.

There were many awards given out on the night, including the presenting of District Winners trophies for the Year 8, 9 and 10 boys Tennis teams and Year 10 boys Basketball team. In the Maccabi events, winners’ trophies were awarded to the Year 8 boys Football team, Years 7, 9

Sports Award Eveningand 10 girls Netball teams and to both the boys’ and girls’ teams in Table Tennis and Athletics.

Pupils were also recognised for their sporting commitment and representation for the College with the awarding of sporting colours. These were given to the two members of each team who had shown the best attitude and commitment to the team.

An auction of sporting memorabilia was also held on the night that raised funds of £11,500, which is to be spent on increasing the participation and sporting success of Immanuel pupils in P.E.

The evening was a wonderful occasion that truly recognised all the great achievements that the pupils have produced this year; it was great that they had a chance to be recognised in front of their parents and peers.

Mr Monaghan, Head of P.E.

On Monday 31st March we travelled through the Eurotunnel to Paris for a trip which would give us many fun times and memories. On the first day we stopped to pay our respects to the fallen in The Battle of the Somme. At the Somme Memorial at Thiépval we recited Kadesh and special prayers and poems for the fallen. It was very emotional to see all the people that had died to give us a better future.

On the second day we went to Disneyland. This was a really fun part of the trip. It was enjoyable going on all the rides and watching the parades.

On the third day we drove into Paris and had a tiring but exciting day walking around the centre of the city. The first place that we stopped at was the Sacré Cœur. It is situated on the highest natural point in Paris with a breathtaking view. Then we headed to the famous Notre Dame. It has amazing architecture with stunning stained-glass windows. When we walked around Paris we saw many beautiful buildings and parks. The Jewish

Paris Tripquarter was filled with traditional shops and restaurants. We had a delicious lunch of giant falafel. We walked to the Louvre where we davened mincha and admired the view of the Champs Elysées. Our first Métro ride came right after we saw the Obélix. The Arc de Triomphe was amazing. There was an everlasting flame to show respect to the Unknown Soldier buried at the base of the arch. Then the moment came that we had all been waiting for: the Eiffel Tower. Once we got up to the second floor we admired the beautiful view of Paris. It was the highlight of the trip. After our tiring day we headed back to our accommodation.

On the morning of the last day we visited the Stade de France. It was very surprising to see behind the scenes of performances and sporting events.

Overall we had the best time in Paris and will always remember it.

Hallel Rotenberg 8SP and Natasha Hertz 8SP


Year 8


YOUNG ENTERPRISEYoung Enterprise is a charity that helps young people to learn about business and the world of work. They offer programmes which help people in school come together and start a business. Young Enterprise’s research shows that people who have taken part in the scheme are twice as likely to set up a business later in life and that, at the age of 30, previous participants are earning three times more than their peers.

When I heard about this brilliant opportunity, I was eager to take part. I have always had a desire to start my own business and wanted to give it a shot; I had never expected to start something so early on. As I was looking through the potential roles I could have, all my friends told me I should go for I.T. Director as I am known to have a strong interest in technology. However, I was interested in trying something outside of my comfort zone. When it came to the day when we were voting for our roles, I put myself forward for Managing Director. I was very pleased that the team chose me for the job. The other roles were chosen through the same process.We now had our team and next we needed to find a product. We had regular meetings on Mondays and later on thought we needed more time so we arranged meetings on Fridays as well. Having named ourselves Sapphire, we decided that our product would be a waterproof speaker that could be used in the shower.

After spending a whole term working on this product which involved sourcing and pitching to various manufacturers, one of whom showed a keen interest, it was clear that our idea would not work due to our limited budget. Short for time, we then came up with a fresh idea which was a foldable fleece earmuff with built in headphones. We called this product SnugSounds. We bought earmuffs and headphones separately and put the two products together by sewing them ourselves. We sold our SnugSounds for the first time at the Watford Young Enterprise Trade Fair at the Intu Shopping Centre in Watford, at which we received the special achievement award.

We were delighted to reach the Watford semi-finals and then the finals of the Young Enterprise competition. Sadly we did not make it any further, but we felt that this process was very worthwhile and has set us up for future business endeavours.

The thing that stood out the most for me about participating in Young Enterprise was the harsh reality of the experience. It was not a school project but rather a business and every decision really mattered. We encountered problems along the way and we learned how to solve them as a team.

Jack Dewinter L6SMU/JKP

Duke of Edinburgh Silver AwardThere are three sections to the Duke of Edinburgh Award: Bronze, Silver and Gold.

I completed my Silver Award with the JLGB through school. The Award includes four sections: volunteering, physical, skills and expedition. The best bit is you choose what you do. For my volunteering I went to the Princess Alexandra Care Home after school once a week. For my physical section, I took up golf and achieved my handicap, and for the skills section I did woodwork. Probably the hardest part of the award was the expedition. We had a trial expedition and then the real thing. This entailed three days trekking and two nights under canvas. We were totally self-sufficient and had to carry everything we needed for our trip in rucksacks. This included tents, food, cooking equipment and anything else that we needed to ‘survive’. I had a great team and we worked together, encouraging each other along the way. Having completed the programme I was really fortunate to be invited to a special JLGB event in the presence of the Earl of Wessex to receive my award. The photograph shows me with the President of the Board of Deputies, Vivian Wineman, who was also at the event.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme is a really amazing opportunity to push yourself to the limit and do something that perhaps you thought you would never be able to do.

Sammy Rose L6AC


Shevet Achim


The three charities nominated this year by the Shevet Achim committee were Jewish Blind and Disabled, Trekstock and Schneider Children’s Hospital. Each received a cheque for £2,750 and, in the annual Shevet Achim assembly in May, thanked Immanuel pupils for their generosity and spoke of how we have made and will make a real difference to other people’s lives.

Special mention must, of course, be made of the College’s annual sponsored walk, which was held in fancy dress just prior to Purim. This enjoyable event raised £11,500 for Magen David Adom, with a further £800 raised from the sale of food and drink on the day. These funds have been donated to Kisharon on our behalf by Ariella Aaronson, who raised the most money for the walk.

The money given to MDA is to equip a training room for volunteers. The plaque will be dedicated on 12th August and will read ‘The MDA volunteers’ room funded by the generosity of Immanuel College’. Anyone visiting Israel at that time is most welcome to attend the ceremony in Yeruham, and it is very much hoped that Immanuel students will take the opportunity to use this room as an MDA volunteer one day in the future.

During the course of the year, students have raised money for many different causes and charities through a myriad of events and even a club. This year heralded the start of the successful ‘GnT (Giving Time) Club’; weekly sessions run by the organisation GIFT were attended by at least 50 students. This initiative

was run jointly by Shevet Achim and the Beit Midrash and, as well as encouraging students to donate their time to help others less fortunate than themselves, they also had the chance to make and sell popcorn, rice krispies cakes and other delicacies!

The annual Chanukah Fair brought in £800 and the Year 9 girls were responsible for a collection of £600 towards the Philippine Typhoon appeal.

This year also saw a successful teachers’ debate, the tuck shop, and pizza on Fridays, all raising money for Shevet Achim. Indeed on May 14th Mr Wakely’s ponytail was chopped off in the name of charity too. The Little Princess Foundation will be the recipient of his hair and the proceeds will go to the Manna from Heaven project, which sees pupils make sandwiches every week for a homeless shelter in Watford.

Many students this year have tirelessly supported Shevet Achim through their own initiatives like a sponsored run from Finchley to school, dyeing their hair blond and spieling on Purim.

A huge thank you to all involved for a very successful year; overall, over £25,000 has been raised – an amazing feat. Kol Hakavod!

Ms N Amdurer – Shevet Achim director


Art Showcase1 2

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1. Carmel Goldstein Year 13The course allowed me to experiment with new techniques which I hadn’t even heard of before, as well as introducing me to new media and artists that I didn’t know about. The teachers encourage independent work, which is particularly useful for when I leave Immanuel.

I have been offered a place at Central Saint Martin’s to study Art Foundation next year. I am excited to bring what I have learned at Immanuel to the course and to have a chance to try out a range of new techniques and styles, as well as working on group projects.

2. Elana Cohen Year 13I have thoroughly enjoyed my A2 Art and Design course, moving from AS where I worked 2-dimensionally to A2 where my work has transformed into 3D, which is something I intend to continue with when I take a City and Guilds Foundation course next year. My final piece for my A2 exam

was a fungus gown inspired by Alexander McQueen. By creating this, I discovered that I’d like to carry on exploring with the techniques that I’ve learnt and that I intend to take with me on my next step.

3. Tammy Kariel Year 12During the AS Art course I have been able to explore various different media and techniques. It has been interesting to be able to research my projects more deeply than was possible at GCSE. I have enjoyed discovering where my strengths lie and being able to grow and develop as an artist.

4. Amy Bronstein Year 13For my examination I chose the title ‘My Generation’ because I enjoyed the idea of regeneration and the fact that urban landscapes are constantly being redefined. I was heavily influenced by the artist Marcel Heijnen, who juxtaposed building walls with weathered surfaces, capturing buildings undergoing the process of being erased. In order to recreate this effect I used a range of techniques, including transferring an image onto material as well as using paper, paint and cellulose thinners. I felt I learnt a lot from this examination; it helped me become more independent and develop ideas and concepts on my own.

5. Zoe Isaacs Year 12This sculpture was inspired by an artist called Jennifer Measter, who got her inspiration of using pencils from sea urchins, from where my own projected originated. This is not my final piece but one of my sculptures that helped me reach

the end of the project. Surprisingly, I enjoyed working with pencils as it was a very different medium to what I usually work with.

6. Olivia Werth Year 12My examination piece represents stacking of teacups in an irregular form. I was inspired by Cecilia Levy’s work, where she creates Victorian-styled teacups solely out of recycled paper. I wanted to add more meaning to my work, so I chose to incorporate Art Spiegelan’s story MAUS, where he describes his father’s horrific and tragic experience in the Holocaust, moving from one camp to another and being separated from his wife and family. This is why my teacups are precariously balanced, to signify the fragility of life at that time for the Jewish people.

7. Tamara Gertner Year 13My aim for this piece was to bring portraiture into the 21st Century. To achieve this I studied Gabriel Moreno’s work and used biros as my medium.

8. Antonia Appel Year 13 On first glance, it can look like a mass of threads but as you get closer, sharp lines come into focus, creating a complex composition. The images are first plotted before being filled out with the thread, the sharp angles contrasting with the floating ends of the thread. Despite the complexity of the lengthy process, I try to capture a great feeling of energy and scale.

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After joining Immanuel from a non-Jewish School, I found that the Beit Midrash allowed me to explore Judaism in an enjoyable, educational and informal manner. During my time here, the Beit Midrash has enabled me to become more comfortable and confident in my religiosity and observance, whilst helping me grow as a person and look at the world through more rational eyes.

In the Sixth Form, students are able to choose between text-based sessions or Jewish philosophical or advocacy learning with the help of guest speakers. These sessions offer important information and key tools for dealing with any discussions or issues that may arise in university or future life.

The Beit Midrash provides a forum for us to come and ask questions on a range of Jewish and life topics, creating interesting discussions and debates, involving many of my peers and always providing alternative perspectives to broaden our minds.

I cannot thank the Beit Midrash staff enough for the care, consideration and dedication they provide. Every day, they are always more than willing to support, console and advise pupils on all Jewish and life matters in a friendly way. They are truly at the core of the Immanuel experience.

Saul Nagus U6KP

The “GnT” (Giving Time) room is the latest programme started by the Beit Midrash. It combined charity work and programmes with having fun. This workshop took place on Thursday lunchtimes and was open to all year groups. The Beit Midrash hosted a whole range of entertaining activities, from chocolate crispy making with a twist, to soldering names onto wood for the children’s doors in Emunah Orphanage. All these ideas were original and enjoyable, no matter what one’s interests. We think that “GnT” was a great idea as it enabled us not just to give money to charity but also to give our time. This is equally important and, in our opinion, more gratifying. We and many other Immanuel students look forward to participating in this programme next year.

Rachel Green 10SW/RD and Joshua Denton 10DL

In February 2014, I received my Bar Mitzvah call-up in school. It was a really special experience. All the boys in my Year group came and it was wonderful to feel so connected to my school. Lots of my family were with me and even my younger brothers got involved in the service, as they opened the Ark to take the Sefer Torah out. At the end of the service I was presented with my certificate and afterwards I enjoyed a ‘Kiddush’ with all my friends. Everyone really enjoyed it; my Grandmother said how lovely it was that the school arranges this event and I am really grateful to Immanuel for giving me this opportunity.

Alfie Futerman 8NGA

Beit Midrash


The Beit Midrash is a very welcoming place where we can learn, relax and schmooze! We enjoy being able to learn deeper ideas about the Jewish religion and the weekly parsha, whilst also being able to ask various questions about any topics within Judaism. The sessions are always interesting and have helped us build our knowledge of the Jewish religion. It has also been extremely useful for our formal Jewish studies lessons by giving us a clearer understanding of the class work and also assisting us with our homework.

One of the great things about the Beit Midrash is when we get a guest Rabbi coming in for a ‘Lunch and Learn’. We discuss different Jewish ideas and

halachot whilst learning real-life examples which we can relate to our normal lives and which enable us to embrace Judaism in an enjoyable and educational manner. This is something we saw the Sixth Formers having on a weekly basis, and we have really enjoyed having our own ‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions.

In conclusion, the Beit Midrash provides a fun and interesting way to spend your break time and it has really changed all our lives this year! We look forward to next year and learning even more in the new Beit Midrash.

Henry Mann 7BF, Kyle Sacks 7BF and Jacob Rose 7BF

Every Thursday during form time, all the Year 8 boys participated in the Bar Mitzvah programme. I really liked that we were able to discuss interesting topics in a relaxed atmosphere. We learnt really fascinating ideas about prayer and the importance of Tefillin, which changed my perspective on both these concepts.

One lesson that I remember concerned the meaning of becoming Bar Mitzvah. We discussed how when a

Jewish boy reaches the age of thirteen, he must live by lots of different laws. From this, we talked about which of the following is preferable: one who does positive actions voluntarily, or one who does so because they have been commanded. We concluded with an understanding of the importance of responsibility, which is the main point of going through the process of a Bar Mitzvah.

Ben Sweiry 8NGA


Immanuel CollegeElstree RoadBusheyHertfordshireWD23 4EB

Telephone: 020 8950 0604Email: [email protected]: www.immanuelcollege.co.uk HMC Independent Jewish Day School

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