Jewish school leaders gather at Kesser Torah in show of solidarity
The Australian Council of Jewish Schools has held its annual Presidents and Principals conference at Kesser Torah College in Sydney, using the gathering to show support for a school community deeply affected by the Bondi terrorist attack.
The two-day conference was held on Sunday and Monday, 24 and 25 May, bringing together leaders from Jewish day schools across Australia.
Rabbi Chaiton, principal of Kesser Torah College
ACJS represents 15 Jewish day schools in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane, with a combined enrolment of 9700 students from preschool to Year 12.
Justice Stephen Rothman, one of the ACJS co-chairs, said Kesser Torah College had been deliberately chosen as this year’s venue.
“Kesser Torah College was especially chosen this year as the conference venue to show solidarity with the Kesser Torah community which has recently suffered greatly from the Bondi terrorist attack,” he said.
The conference opened with a session led by Kesser Torah College principal Rabbi Yaakov Chaiton, titled “Reflections on Bondi”.
On Monday morning, delegates took part in a memorial walk at the Bondi site, accompanied by Rabbi Dadon, a senior educator at Kesser Torah who attended the Chanukah by the Sea event.
Victorian-based ACJS co-chair Alan Goldstone said the conference gave Jewish schools a chance to express support in person.
“The conference allowed the Jewish day schools to physically express their sympathy for the loss of life and for the trauma experienced by the Chabad Bondi community, many of whom are staff members and students at Kesser Torah,” he said.
The conference also examined several major issues facing Jewish education, including antisemitism, security, middle-income affordability, enrolment retention and enrolment attraction.
The antisemitism session featured a panel discussion with Michele Goldman, chief executive of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies; Tahli Blicblau, chief executive of the Dor Foundation; Simone Abel, head of legal at the Executive Council of Australian Jewry; and Rabbi Zalman Kastel, dean of Together for Humanity.
The security session included an interactive discussion with representatives of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and the Community Security Group.
Other sessions featured presentations from presidents and principals on initiatives being undertaken at their schools.
The keynote speaker at the conference dinner was Justice Michael Lee.
Video messages were also received from Julian Leeser, the Opposition education spokesman, and Dr Hillel Newman, Israel’s ambassador to Australia. Federal Education Minister Jason Clare sent a message of goodwill.
ACJS said the annual conferences were designed to encourage collaboration between Jewish schools, allowing them to support each other and share lessons and experiences.
The organisation said Australian Jewish day schools remained committed to providing students with strong Jewish and general education grounded in Jewish values.
