Successful Year for JEMS
JEMs – Jewish Education Matters has held its end of year annual banquet attracting a guest list of over 700.
Gabrielle Upton MP with Sue Sonnenschein presents certificates to teen volunteers. All photos David Gross
The function, held at Sydney’s Kesser Torah College in Dover Heights, was highlighted by an account of the achievements of the 200 schoolchildren enrolled with JEMs.
Councillor Leon Goltsman presents a certificate to a JEMs teen volunteer
The pupils learn Tefillah, Jewish Studies and Hebrew reading on a weekly basis and are assisted by a dedicated team of 80 teen volunteers from the local Jewish day schools who mentor them and motivate them with their Hebrew reading. The volunteers and children are led by an equally dedicated team of teachers.
Each group performed on stage a section of their Tefillah, Jewish studies and Hebrew they had learned throughout the year and at the culmination of their performance were presented with a certificate and a Jewish gift. The teen volunteers were honoured with presenting the gifts and certificates recognising the time and effort but overall their physical achievements the children reached through their efforts. “Our family had felt so welcome and part of the community this year, all through Jems. What an amazing program!!!” said Andy Goodman a JEMs parent.
Zoe and Joel Gross with their Jewish gifts and certificates
A highlight of the evening was when all the volunteers were presented with a certificate and gift by Gabrielle Upton MP, Councillor Leon Goltsman representing Waverley mayor Sally Betts, Rabbi Gourarie from BINA, Stephanie Smith-Jones representing Moriah College and Sue Sonnenschein. “I have never experienced this before and was just blown away” wrote Rene Super a parent of a JEMs volunteer.
Rabbi Yossi Shuchat, director of JEMs announced a special thank you to Kesser Torah College for their year round support in enabling JEMs to operate out of their campus.
JEMs parent Jody Moses said, ” My daughter Danielle came home on such a high… and wanted to sleep in her JEMs t-shirt. I only wish i’d had a ‘JEMs’ when I was at school!!! ”
