Moriah visits the Archibald
Sydney’s Moriah College Foundation members joined the Grandparents’ Club for a private viewing of the year’s Archibald Prize finalists at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Brian Schwarz, Judy Lowy, Dr Michael Brand and Rabbi Benji Levy
As well as viewing the entries including the winner, over 170 guests also visited the Wynne and Sulman entries and an exhibition of portraits submitted by young artists.
In her address, Foundation president Judy Lowy said: “Since our establishment a few years ago, our focus, as most of you are aware, has been on the sustainability of Moriah and therefore the affordability of a Moriah education to members of the community. We believe, and i am sure you would all agree, that giving children a jewish education and thereby giving them a jewish moral compass and a strong identity, connecting them to Israel and teaching them to be advocates for Israel is the key to Jewish continuity now and well into the future. For this reason, the Moriah Foundation has begun to raise much-needed funds for our two most important programs.
Through the generous support of our donors, we have been able to award a small number of means tested primary school bursaries this year and last year to children for whom a Moriah education was totally out of their reach. So far we have awarded 20 means tested bursaries.”
Judy Lowy added: “We are raising money to increase the financial assistance funds available to our existing Moriah families who run into crisis. This is unfortunately a growing need and we never have as much funding as we have demand for.”
She said that another important initiative is the goal to send as many year 10 students as possible on the life-changing six-week Israel Study Tour which also includes a visit to Poland.
Judy Lowy said that only a minority of families could afford to send their children on this program prior to the Foundation’s involvement.
She continued: “In 2013, we sent 85 Moriah students, thanks to the subsidies and interest free loans the foundation was able to offer. Last year, we sent 90 students and this year, in spite of the fall in the Aussie dollar, we have 100 Moriah kids going – about 80% of the year group. No child is not going on ist due to financial reasons. We are enormously proud and excited about this.”
Through the generosity of donors, the Foundation has also helped to fund additional initiatives that support the music and visual arts programs at the college.
She concluded by saying: “I want to share that earlier this year we celebrated a small milestone together with the executors of the estate of Hans and Hilde Lewin. A gift in their will was recognised by dedicating a space at the college in honour of their son, Alfred, who was disabled through an accident. This space is now accessed by children who learn living and life skills within the college’s learning support program. We are eternally grateful for the visionary legacy of the Lewin family.”
Also addressing the function were Moriah’s Rabbi Benji Levy and Art Gallery of NSW Director Michael Brand.
All photos: Ingrid Shakenovsky
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