Next week I will be on leave, as I work with colleagues across Jewish schools to reimagine Israel education for our students given the context of what is happening in Israel right now. As we approach the last week of this term, I want to take a moment to wish you all a truly wonderful school holiday period.

For many in our community, the coming weeks will be marked by the celebration of Pesach. This important festival commemorates the exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. A key tradition involves the thorough cleaning of homes to remove all traces of leaven.

This practice resonates deeply with me, and I believe it offers a valuable metaphor for our own lives. Just as Pesach encourages us to remove chametz from our homes, it can also serve as a reminder to clear out negativity and unhelpful habits that hold us back.

As we embark on this holiday period, let's use it as an opportunity to reflect and refresh. Let's clear away the mental and emotional clutter that may be hindering us and embrace the chance for personal growth and freedom from our own mental barriers.

The traditional Pesach Seder concludes with the powerful phrase, "Next year in Jerusalem." This year, this wish carries an even greater weight. We yearn for peace in Israel, and the hope of one day gathering safely in Jerusalem burns brighter than ever.

Wishing you a relaxing and re-jew-venating holiday period.

Mrs Raquel Charet
College Principal

As we near the end of Term 1, the Academic Care Team have been busy preparing for Wellbeing Week. At Masada, the mental health and wellbeing of our students and community remains our priority. Wellbeing Week is an opportunity to slow down, appreciate our school and community, try something new or different but most importantly remember that our mental health and wellbeing is just as important as our physical health.

The team has planned a range of exciting and engaging activities for students over the week. Please click here to see the schedule. This year Wellbeing Week and Diversity Day will be combined.

Please note: If parents would like to bring their own dogs in for the Masada Dog Park, parents must stay on campus with the dogs on a lead for the duration of lunch. Senior School students will also be dismissed from school at 1:15pm on Friday 12th April after our Diversity Day celebrations conclude. The library will be open for students until 3pm as usual.

Jewish Care Parent Seminar

Our parent event with Jewish Care has also been confirmed for Tuesday 7th May beginning at 6:30pm. The topic has been confirmed as:

Empowering Parenting: Nurturing Emotional Well-Being and Resilience

This talk will provide parents with practical tools and insights to nurture resilience, deepen connections, and support the emotional well-being of their children.

Topics that will be addressed include:

• Strategies for Anxiety: Learn effective strategies to support children who have anxiety and understand when it becomes a problem.
• Building Empathy and Connection: Discover techniques to strengthen the bond with your kids and cultivate empathy within your family dynamic.
• Supporting Healthy Self-Security: Explore ways to assist your children in building healthy self-security and self-esteem.
• Modelling Coping Strategies: Understand the importance of modelling healthy coping strategies and emotional regulation to empower your children.

Simon Lipschitz will be presenting. Simon is a registered counselor & psychotherapist, and is an accredited Mental Health First Aid Trainer. Simon has worked in the field of mental health for the past 14 years, both in private practice as well as in a community setting. He has extensive experience working with and supporting young people and families.

More information about booking will be shared shortly. We look forward to welcoming Jewish Care & Simon to Masada and the wider North Shore community.

Mrs Natalie Street
Head of Academic Care Y7-12

What an incredible day at Masada College! The campus was transformed into a movie-themed wonderland, bringing the joyous spirit of Purim to life. Students dazzled in creative costumes as they walked down the red carpet, while the school buzzed with excitement. Highlights included interactive Megillah readings, gragger-making, inflatables, hilarious high school lip-sync battles, prefect plays, and more. The Purim fun even extended to our neighbouring public schools, with the distribution of Mishloach Manot for BJE students, lovingly packed by the Junior school students, spreading the joy of Purim beyond the school gates. It was a day filled with laughter, fun and unforgettable memories. Special thanks to the Informal Jewish Life team; Jared Horak, Danya Lewin and Dani Levi and for the staff assisting on the day.

On Thursday 28 March, vibrant splashes of yellow could be seen throughout the entire school, symbolising Masada's united support for Israel and the hostages. A moving tribute took place in the Senior School, accompanied by a lunchtime bake sale and the collective signing of a giant yellow ribbon. In the Junior School, students wrote heartfelt messages of solidarity for Israel. Over 150 yellow bracelets were sold, with all proceeds dedicated to the "Bring Them Home" campaign. We hope and pray for their safe return.

Junior School - Year 5 and 6 (Mrs Goldberg)
During the Hebrew lesson, the students were experimenting with the utilisation of concrete materials to illustrate their comprehension of numbers in Hebrew.

Senior School - Year 7 - 9
During the past few weeks, Hebrew students have been engaged in various activities designed to enrich their learning experience and immerse them in Israeli culture. Year 7 students wrote Hebrew poems, while Year 9 students, who are learning about clothing design, created garments under the guidance of Mrs Steel. Year 8 students prepared an Israeli breakfast with the guidance of Mrs Zeiz. Additionally, Year 9 students with a background in design developed educational activities and games to enhance the learning experience for the Hebrew beginners group.

The children of Masada College Preschool enjoyed the joyous festivities of Purim with boundless enthusiasm and excitement. Amidst the colourful decorations and vibrant atmosphere, one of the highlights was the large obstacle inflatable course. They loved bouncing, climbing, sliding and giggling on the inflatables, their laughter echoing through the air. They eagerly participated in baking and devouring delectable hamantaschen, savouring each sweet bite. We are so grateful to our “Safta squad” for providing the children with this amazing experience and passing on their love of baking with the next generation. They listened to the enthralling Megillah reading in the synagogue and were captivated by the timeless tale. Stepping onto the red carpet in their imaginative costumes, they transformed into heroes, princesses, and characters from far-off lands, each ensemble a testament to their creativity and spirit of celebration. Joy radiated from every corner as the children embraced the magic of Purim, creating cherished memories that would last a lifetime.

The year 5 and 6 students had a Brain incursion on Tuesday 19 March, led by Dr Mark Williams. The incursion was a basic introduction to the human brain and how it works. It involved a series of fun illusions and activities that stimulated the students to think about how important their brain is for everything they do from sports to relationships, to thinking and learning. An important discussion was also had about how they can keep their brains healthy. The students then even had the opportunity to build their own neuron!

Dr Mark Williams is hosting a two day STEM Interactive Neuroscience Camp on 22-23 April. For more information, visit http://brain-camp.com.au/

Congratulations to the exceptional individuals who have been recognised as recipients of the Week 8 Merit Awards!

In Week 7, students in Year 4-6 had the opportunity to showcase their talents and present what they have been learning in ensemble lessons at the Junior Music Assembly. The event began with performances from our Year Four Ensemble Program students, who introduced the audience to their instruments and explained how each produced a sound. Despite having only started on their instruments five weeks prior, Year Four then demonstrated how they were already able to play pieces using five notes as an ensemble with performances of First Flight, Rolling Along and Mary Had a Little Lamb. The next group to perform was the Stage 3 Guitar Ensemble, whose arrangement of Rockin’ in the Am featured student-composed solos. Many students in this group were also new to learning their instruments and bravely performed in front of an audience after only a few weeks learning their instrument. The penultimate performance was given by the Stage 3 String Ensemble whose piece, Desert Nights featured a soundscape invoking a desert setting followed by beautiful melodies. Finally, the Stage 3 Concert Band gave a dramatic performance of The Spook, which featured contrastic ‘spooky’ and ‘joyously happy’ sections and showcased the group’s large percussion section.

The Music Department are incredibly proud of how much our students have been able to achieve in just five weeks of rehearsals and commend every student on their efforts at and in the lead up to the performances. We look forward to seeing what they are able to achieve across the year with time, dedication and regular practice.

Mr Burgess, Ms Peisley & Mr Kaye

Students from ELC to Year 6 celebrated Harmony Day by embracing our amazing cultural diversity! Students created and swapped friendship bracelets. The SRC used the analogy ‘We are like the ingredients of a cake. We are all different. We are all important. Together we can make something amazing’.

Adena Miller and Hannah Toynton (class of 2023) have achieved a remarkable feat by receiving their Gold Duke of Edinburgh awards from Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales. This prestigious accolade is a testament to their dedication, perseverance, and commitment to the award. Their attainment of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh award is remarkable, showcasing their outstanding leadership, resilience, and adventurous spirit. Congratulations to Adena and Hannah for reaching this incredible milestone and inspiring others with their exceptional accomplishments.

Miss Jessie Kirkpatrick
Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator