About Us
The Members of Foundation
We appreciate the support of all our members
Our Foundation Members
Membership of the Mount Scopus College Foundation is determined by one’s level of financial support.
Donations are cumulative and enable progression through the levels.
Gifts may be may be pledged over a few years.
For example, a donor can become a Member by committing $6,250 per year for four years.
Those who donate $250,000 or more receive the Yvonne and Leon Fink Memorial Award for Commitment to Jewish Education.
- Life Trustees
- Trustees
- Founders
- Benefactors
- Fellows
- Members
- Yvonne and Leon Fink Memorial Award
- Corporate Supporters
Life Trustees
- Anonymous
- ANZ Bank
- Helen and Maurice z"l Alter Family
- Arnold Bloch Leibler
- Baron and Tashi Families
- Eva and Marc Besen Family
- Fink Karp Ivany Family
- Gandel Family
- Rosie Lew AM and Solomon Lew Family
- Helen and Bori Liberman Family
- Justin Liberman and Lisa Farber
- Pratt Family
- Gita and George z"l Smorgon Family
- Loti Smorgon AO z"l and Victor Smorgon AC z"l Family
Trustees
- Anonymous
- Lyndi and Rodney Adler
- Bassat Family
- Paula Hansky OAM and Jack z"l Hansky AM Family
- In memory of Sarah z"l and Peter z"l Komesaroff
- Lee Liberman Family
- Sonia Marejn z"l and Don Marejn z"l in memory of the Marejn and Szmukler Families
- Narodowski Family in memory of Sam z"l and Nina z"l Narodowski
- David Smorgon OAM Family
- Smorgon Family
- Mira z"l and George z"l Szalmuk Family
- The Slezak Trusts
- Werdiger Family
Founders
- Anonymous
- Birch Family
- Julie Borensztajn and Joey Borensztajn AM
- Lauren Fink and Bruce Fink OAM
- Fraid and Fried Family
- Masha and David Gold
- Sara Gold
- Goldman Sachs JBWere
- Edith and Sol z"l Greiman
- Stera and Joseph Gutnick
- Nicole and Silviu Itescu
- Issy Jacob and Tom Jacob OAM
- Suzanne and Michael Karp
- Dinah and Henry z"l Krongold and Family
- Janette Lanzer and Henry Lanzer AM and Family
- Liberman Family
- Lustig and Moar Family
- Miri and Moshe Meydan
- Dina z"l and Mark z"l Munzer
- Dorothea Nossbaum, Marion & David Slonim, Debbie & Robbie Nossbaum, Leonie Nossbaum & Sam Siegel
- Ruth and Larry Picker
- Pomeroy Family
- Roslyn Rogers OAM and Richard Rogers Family
- Sharron and Stephen Singer
- Small Family
- Susie and Eric z"l Stock Family
Benefactors
- Anonymous
- Baker Family
- Benkel Hoppe Family
- Eugenia Blashki z"l Family
- Bloom Charitable Trust
- Elaine Bloch-Jaffe
- Gerda and Joseph Brender
- Joe and Pam Bursztyn
- Carol Casper in memory of Michael Casper z"l
- Freda and George Castan
- Mimi and David z"l Cohen
- Susie and Ephraim z"l Ehrmann
- Diana z"l and Zyga z"l Elton
- Sandra and William Fayman
- Yvonne Fink z"l
- Kaye and Barry Fink
- The Leo and Mina Fink Fund
- Eva and Tab Fried
- Judy and Mark Gandur
- Edward Gelbard
- Sylvia Gelman AM MBE z"l
- Zita Gersh and Joe Gersh AM
- Linda and David Goldberg
- Goldschlager Family
- Vivien and Phil Green
- Amy and Dion Hershan
- Leonie and Morris Joel
- Rodney and Suzanne Kagan
- Kave and Wagen Family
- Sharon and Steven Klein
- Gideon Kline and Family
- Kras Family
- Kras Payes Weinman Families
- Ziva & Shaya Kramer and Family
- Ruth and Michael Kurc
- Graham and Michele Lasky
- Jenny Levin and Noel Levin OAM
- Janette and Harvey Lewis
- Sue and PhiI Lewis
- Lubansky Family
- Michael Ludski and Teska Carson
- Simon T. Morris and Kelly Sunshine Family
- Peterfreund and Moss Families
- Lai and Nir Pizmony Family
- Paul and Toni Platus
- Frances Prince and Steven Kolt
- Greg Rosshandler
- Keith S Nathan and Family and the Estate of Jill E Nathan z"l
- Helen and David Moses
- Ruth Parasol and Sam Parasol OAM
- Baba z”l and Andor z”l Schwartz
- Shafir Family
- Marilyn and Jeff Simon
- Suzanne and Kevin Slomoi
- Jack and Robert Smorgon Families Foundation
- Jennifer and Tony Smorgon
- Karen Stock-Schnall and Danny Schnall
- Shirley and Theo Sweet
- Helen z"l and Alan Synman OAM Family
- Max z"l and Zosia z"l Sztarkman in memory of Steven Sztarkman z"l
- Weinman Family
- Jill and Morry Wroby
Fellows
- Anonymous
- Danny Almagor OAM and Berry Liberman
- Baer Gutman Family in memory of Gunther Baer z"l
- Guy and Tali Biran
- Amanda Briskin and Andrew Rettig
- Rodney and Vanessa Brott
- Ann and Mark Bryce
- Helen and Bernard Carp
- Leon and Marlen Carp
- Lorraine Bloom and David and Michael z"l Casper Family
- Carol Casper and Lynn Trayer in memory of Betty z"l and Maurice z"l Akkerman
- Sally and David Casper
- Eve Casper z"l
- Anna and Jack Chrapot Family
- Chrapot Lewis Family
- Rochelle and Anthony Davis
- Laura and Mark Davis
- Gavin and Melissa Davis
- Jamie & Robyn Davis
- Rosie Davis Family
- Deloitte
- Lisa and Simon De Winter
- Romy and Gavin Donner
- Debbie and Norman Faifer
- Yvonne and Ian Fayman
- Alan Finkel AC and Elizabeth Finkel AM
- Shirley and Sol z"l Freedman
- Agnes and Joel Freeman
- Esther Frenkiel OAM and David Frenkiel
- Fulop and Korn Families
- Goldin Chaitman Family
- Miriam and Henry z"l Greenfield
- Joanna and Ron Fulop
- Andy and Shane Gild
- Joanne and Mark Hansky
- Heine Family
- Dora z"l and Felix z"l Hiller
- Shelley Kline and Adam Joel
- Joske Frey Family
- Solly z"l and Judy Joss Charitable Trust
- Brett Kaye
- Lisa and Richard Kennett
- Kew Hebrew Congregation
- Roxie and Eric King-Smith
- Stephen and Susan Kleid
- David Kobritz Family
- Lambert Family
- Naomi and Jason Lenga
- Eddie Kornhauser z"l
- Clara z"l and Jack z"l Lanzer
- Naomi and Isi z"l Leibler
- Majtlis Family
- Ashley and Liora Miller
- Lisa and Levi Mochkin
- Debby and Harry Mrocki
- Ben Orbach
- Sandra and Ian Raizon
- Susie Rockman z"l
- Rogers Charitable Foundation
- Rita z"l and William z"l Rogers
- Rose Partners
- Rhonda and Michael Rothschild
- Cheryl and Earle Sacher
- Elyse and Sam Schachna
- Bettina and Andrew Schwartz
- Ann and Arnold Singer
- SJB Architects
- Mila z"l and Mordie z"l Slonim
- Garry and Nitsa Stock and the Garry Stock Family
- Sharon and Adrian Stone
- Leonie and Peter Szabo
- Debbie and Stephen Szental
- Idit and Rodney Teperman
- Miriam Tisher and Frank Tisher OAM
- Sandra and Elliot Verblun
- Caroline and Alan Wein
Members
- Anonymous
- Debra and Roger Adams
- Michal and Avri Alfasi
- Brandon Alter
- Jeremy Alter
- Michael Alter
- Rachel Alter
- Jeffrey Appel OAM and Sue Appel Family
- Raphael Arndt and Kerryn Lowe
- Ashe Morgan
- Mandi and Joe Azoulay
- Baum Carrick Family in memory of Lionel Carrick z"l
- Janine and Stephen Baum Family
- Miriam and Theodore z"l Berman
- Jenny and Nathan Better
- Esther Belleli and Michael Hofman
- Sian and Gary Berman
- Gary and Hayley Blieden
- Sue and Phillip Boltin
- Jeannine and Bennie z"l Borenstein
- Romy and Noah Borensztajn
- Lisa and Michael Borowick
- Lyn and Jack Borowski
- Tom and Nuritt Borsky
- Lisa and Andrew Breckler Family
- Marion and Mick Brott
- David and Carolyn Brykman
- Rebecca and Michael Burd
- Robin Caras
- Michelle and Andrew Casper
- Louise and Russell Casper
- The Cher Family Foundation
- Caulfield Hebrew Congregation
- Ilana and Philip Chester
- Cohen Lipshut Family
- Godfrey Cohen z"l Charitable Trust
- Heather Cohen and Trevor Cohen AM
- Leora and Alon Cohen
- Linda and Selwyn Cohen
- Lisa and Brendon Davis
- Yvonne and Ian Davis
- Kim and Peter De Winter
- Jasmine and Robert Dindas
- Gavin and Samantha Dunhill
- Lilian and David Efron
- Eizenberg Zablud Family in memory of Leah z"l and Les z"l Eizenberg
- Barbara and Marvin Fayman
- Raie z"l and Joseph z"l Feiglin
- Elissa and Dan Feldman
- Simon and Tammy Feldman
- Beata and Vann Fisher
- Dov and Lani Fixler
- Janina Fleiszig and Alicia Mercer in memory of Maria z"l and Aleksander z"l Ranoschy
- Harry z"l Flicker
- Miriam and Tom Foulkes
- Jenny and John Fox
- Kathy Franks and Keith Nathan
- Annabelle and Brett Frenkiel
- Karen and Adam Frenkiel
- Jakob Friedmann z"l
- Barbara Frydenberg and Mark Frydenberg AM
- Ruth and Gary Frydman
- Sylvia and Danny Gluck
- Rachel and Alan z"l Goldberg
- Deena and Rodney Goldbloom
- Sharona and Alexander Goodman
- Grant Thornton
- Gross Waddell
- Ros and Danny Gunn
- Bella and Simon Gurevich
- Ed and Ada Gurgiel
- Judy and Jack Gutman
- Tanya and Leonard Hamersfeld
- Renay and Danny Hammerschlag
- Sue Hampel OAM and Alex Hampel
- Fella and Richard z'"l Harbig
- Susan and Bruce Harrison
- Shelley Smulevich and Bill Hatzis
- Yves Hazan and Jessica Hollander
- Hehir Bequest- Trustee Jack Goldberg
- Chyrisse and Eric Heine
- Ruth and Gary Hershan
- Ingrid and Gary Herz
- Annette Hines and Jack Hines OAM
- Janovic Kleid Family
- Rachel and Peter Irons
- Susie Ivany OAM and Paul Ivany
- Kathy and Les z"l Janovic
- Karen and Jack z"l Joel Family
- Carolyn and Henry z"l Jolson
- Avril and Phillip Jones
- Karen and Sam Joske
- Karen and Peter Kacser
- Lani and Jordan Karp
- Romy and Steven Katz
- Michelle and Alan Kaye
- Monica and Geoffrey Kempler
- Pauline and Peter King
- Louis and Malvin Klein Families
- Kliger Wood Real Estate
- Ella and Ben Kohn
- Judi and Melvyn Korman
- Ilan and Tory Kraus
- L & M Krongold Charitable Trust
- Ashley and Leigh Krongold
- Renia and Sam Kurtz
- Miriam and Michael Lasky
- Eva and Fred z"l Lawrence
- Mark and Sandra Lawrence
- Rosanna and Mark Leibler
- Taryn and Joshua Levin
- Estelle and Barry Levy
- Lisa and David Levy
- Lisa and Brett Lewis
- Lucy and Jason Lewis
- Naomi and Ryan Lewis
- Adam and Amanda Lindell
- Sharon and Greg Lowe
- Lowe Lippmann Chartered Accountants
- June and Simon z"l Lubansky
- Sharlene and Richard Lustig
- Lux Group
- Tracy and Stephane Majman
- Belinda and Sam Margis
- Elaine and David Marriner
- Harry Meed z"l
- Melbourne Hebrew Congregation
- Rochelle and Alan Mendel
- Bianca and Jonathan Michaels
- Ruth and Benny z"l Milder
- Amanda Miller OAM and Quentin Miller
- Kate and Dean Mohr
- Ilana and Lenny Moses
- Mount Scopus Memorial College Parents Association
- Natasha and Warren Mymin
- Yaffa and Jack Olenski
- David and Rochelle Parasol
- Michelle and Aviv Palti
- Patkin Family
- Chuby and Issy z"l Picker
- Clare and Mark Pomeroy
- Lisa Pomeroy
- Antony and Lisa Prince
- Leon and Johnny Pruzanski in memory of Keila z"l and Tewel z"l Pruzanski
- Trish Ramler and Paul Ramler AM
- Julius and Diana Rath
- Tracey and Allan Rich
- Riva and Arnold Rosenbaum
- Lance Rosenberg
- Irvin P Rockman CBE z"l
- Pauline and Lionel Rosenberg
- Riva Rosenbaum and Ann Smorgon
- Roslyn and Bruce Rosengarten
- Suzy and Steven Rose
- Gitta and Michael z"l Roth
- Hannah and Michael Leon Roth
- Rae Rothfield z"l in memory of Walter Rothfield z"l
- In memory of Judith z"l and Henry z"l Rotstein
- Shirley and Louis Rutman
- In memory of Ben Same z"l
- Lynne Samuel and Graeme Samuel AC
- Jacqui and Richard Scheinberg
- David and Lauren Shafer
- Lana and Dean Sheezel
- Philippa and Alan Sheppet in memory of Reba Solomon z"l
- Leanne and Clive Sher
- Karina Shpigel and Jeremy Banky
- Lisa and Benjamin Simon
- Lousje Skala AO and Steven Skala AO
- David and Tammie Slade
- Slonim Families
- Dena and Edwin Slonim in memory of Shira Slonim z"l
- Ann and Rodney Smorgon
- Michelle and Daniel Slonim
- Roslyn z"l Smorgon and David Smorgon OAM
- Sokolski Family
- Debbie and Michael Sojka
- Soloveychik Family
- in memory of Henry Sput z"l
- Sylvia and Peter Stach in memory of Debbie Stach z"l
- Rechelle Rousso and Aaron Steg
- Brenda and Lionel Steinberg
- Hayley and Tristan Sternson
- Bernice and Mannie Stub
- Romi and Dion Stub
- Danielle and Ari Suss
- Miriam Suss OAM and Michael Suss
- Suzy and Mark Suss
- Joanne and Niv Tadmore
- Lindy and Eddie Tamir
- George Tauber z"l Family
- Lisa and Leo z"l Tenenbaum
- Jonathan and Tammy Tisher
- Michelle and Danny Ungar
- Sharon and Peter Unger
- Julia and Raymond Vidor
- Judy Wasser-Chazan z"l Family
- Karen Wayne OAM and Victor Wayne
- Ann and Michael Webb
- Tami and Bradley Wein
- Louis Weingarten
- Ilana and Dean Weinman
- Sara Weis z"l
- Lynne and Mark Woolfson
- Paule and Morry z"l Wrobel
- Miriam and Philip Zajac
- Alex and Aaron Zajonc
- Jade and Joshua Zajonc
Yvonne and Leon Fink Memorial Award
- Anonymous
- Lyndi and Rodney Adler
- Helen and Maurice Alter Family
- ANZ
- Baron Family
- Bassat Family
- Eva and Marc Besen Family
- Birch Family
- Julie and Joey Borensztajn
- Lauren and Bruce Fink
- Fink Karp Ivany Family
- Gandel Family
- Fried and Fraid Families
- Goldman Sachs JBWere
- Stera and Joseph Gutnick
- Paula and Jack Hansky Family
- Dinah and Henry Krongold Family
- Suzanne and Michael Karp
- Issy and Tom Jacob
- Nicole and Silviu Itescu
- Janette and Henry Lanzer
- Rosie and Solomon Lew Family
- Helen and Bori Liberman Family
- Lee Liberman Family
- Lustig and Moar Family
- Sonia and Don Marejn
- Dina and Mark Munzer Family
- Narodowski Family
- Ruth and Larry Picker
- Pomeroy Family
- Pratt Family
- Roslyn and Richard Rogers Family
- Small Family
- Gita and George Smorgon Family
- Loti and Victor Smorgon
- Smorgon Family
- Susie and Eric Stock Family
- Mira and George Szalmuk Family
- The Slezak Trusts
- Sylvia and Roy Tashi
- Werdiger Family
To honour Yvonne and Leon Fink’s longstanding and dedicated involvement, supporters who reach the $250,000 level receive the prestigious Yvonne and Leon Fink Memorial Award for Commitment to Jewish Education.
We sincerely thank all the recipients of the Yvonne and Leon Fink Memorial Award for Commitment to Jewish Education, which was created to recognise our supporters as they reach Founder level.
Photo of inaugural awardees with Yvonne Fink March 1997
Corporate Supporters
Life Trustee
ANZ
Arnold Bloch Leibler
We Gratefully Acknowledge our Corporate Supporters
Member Highlight
Miri and Moshe Meydan
In 1982, Miri and Moshe with their two young children, Yaniv and Eido, emigrated from Israel.
One of the most important considerations in making this life-changing decision was to ensure their children would grow up in a community that supported Israel, respected their Jewish heritage and provided a quality education. For this transition they believed Mount Scopus College was the obvious school of choice for their children and this provided a sense of comfort as their new journey began.
Fast forward over thirty years and now Miri and Moshe have two grandchildren, Eli and Noah, at Mount Scopus. Like the generation before, selecting Mount Scopus was an obvious choice for their parents who share the same common values and principles of their parents and so many others.
Miri and Moshe and their family strongly believe in supporting Scopus so that it may continue to provide a remarkable educational, cultural and community experience – not only for the next generation of their own family, but for other families in less fortunate situations. This has become an important priority for their family.
They say “supporting the Foundation is the ideal way of making quality education a reality in the long term for many generations to come”.
We warmly thank them for appreciating the value of Scopus for our community. We welcome them to the level of Founder and look forward to dedicating the Miri and Moshe Meydan Family Plaza in honour of their generosity.
Member Highlight
Pomeroy Family
The Pomeroy /Mount Scopus connection is now over 55 years old, beginning when Dug Pomeroy was enrolled in 1961 to graduate in 1969.
The connection was reinforced with Dug and Jill Pomeroy’s children, Lisa OC ‘95 and Mark OC’ 98, attending the school. Mark, with Clare, now continues the tradition with the third generation of Pomeroys - Zac is in upper kinder and Toby will start in 2018.
It may appear that tradition is the motivating force behind the long association with the school, however it is much more than that.
They believe that the College provides a broad and excellent education with solid social values as well as an overall grounding in Jewish heritage. As a family they have most willingly supported and been involved with the Foundation from its inception, knowing that annually the Foundation responsibly provides assistance to children who otherwise could not afford to receive a Scopus education and funds numerous building programs that the School undertakes in order to keep up with the latest standards in educational facilities.
Dug believes the Foundation, in many ways, is the ‘Fountain of Youth’ for the school and says their family is proud to be associated with it.
We thank the Pomeroy Family for their longstanding and ongoing commitment and celebrate their support at Founder level and as recipients of the Yvonne and Leon Fink Memorial Award for Commitment to Jewish Education.
Member Highlight
Eugenia Blashki z"l Family
Bonnie and Adrian Blashki
Adrian OC’70 and Bonnie enjoy looking both backwards and forwards at their Scopus connections.
Adrian’s parents, the late Eugenia and Arnold Blashki MBE, came from long established Australian Jewish families. They were very much involved in the earlier days of Scopus with Eugenia, especially, being a powerful force. They quickly became Foundation members at its inception with Eugenia’s great love for music influencing the direction of their gifts to the development of music and performing arts programs. She honoured her own parents, Sima and Jacob Taft, by dedicating a music studio and was always involved and interested in the College’s progress in this area.
Adrian and Bonnie have continued supporting the Foundation, as part of the Eugenia Blashki Family, and have honoured Eugenia in turn by dedicating a music classroom.
Their three children Courtney, Devon and Erin are also proud Scopus graduates and the family have recently celebrated Devon’s marriage to Rachael, who was a fellow student in his year at school. They say they have a lot to thank Scopus for!
We thank them for their ongoing support and interest and for being such great Scopus ambassadors. We honour them as Benefactors and look forward to their further generational involvement.
Member Highlight
Elaine Bloch-Jaffe
Elaine Bloch-Jaffe began her association with us six decades ago as a graduate kindergarten teacher at the Kew Campus of Mount Scopus College. At that time, in 1952, Abe Feiglin was Principal and Elaine was recently married to a young lawyer named Arnold Bloch. Elaine was no stranger to communal life, having travelled from her birthplace of Manchester to Australia in 1938 when her father Rabbi Freedman was invited to take up the pulpit of Melbourne Hebrew Congregation.
The Blochs became parents when their eldest, Susan [Boltin], began school in 1960. Four other children followed.
By 1965 Arnold was President of the College and Elaine a regular hostess for visiting VIPS, shlichim and speakers. “So I was there through [Bursar] Cyril Ashton and [Foundation Executive Director] Jim Myers,” Elaine relates “and didn’t we have some amazing events? I
remember lots of auctions. At one I bought a car! At another, one prize was twelve first class tickets to the USA. A donor bought it and gave a ticket each to everyone on his table!” Whether it was collecting goods for the Annual Bazaar or “roneo-ing” the weekly newspaper,
Elaine was involved. “We were considered very advanced to have a roneo machine but we still had to collate each issue,” she recalls. Arnold Bloch was made a Life Governor of Mount Scopus in recognition of his work, and Beit Aharon, the Arnold Bloch shule at Gandel Besen
House, is named for him.
After Arnold’s untimely death at only 56, Elaine was invited more and more into the spotlight, taking on speaking engagements beginning with a speech at her eldest granddaughter’s Batmitzvah. Two of her children and several grandchildren have settled in Israel but there
have been Mount Scopus graduates in each generation, and with 40 great-grandchildren to date, the dynasty is going strong.
Elaine was a ‘foundation’ Foundation member from the very beginning and remains a staunch supporter of the College. Plenty of women might be slowing down at this stage of life but Elaine is convinced “it doesn’t matter what your age is, there is always some way you
can contribute.”
Member Highlight
Helen and David Moses
David Moses was born in Carlton and began as a pupil at Mount Scopus in its earliest days at Caulfield synagogue and then St Kilda Road, transferring to the brand new Burwood campus in 1955, and graduating in 1962.
He remembers great times including being taught in a temporary block in Secondary while new buildings were going up around him, and the particular fun (for the students) where Burwood Highway made a deep dip (near modern day Deakin) and the school bus was unable to pass over an overflowing Gardiner’s Creek, necessitating that everyone got out and walked the rest of the way!
Upon meeting Helen at the dances sponsored by ’Club 97’ and beginning to raise a family, there was no discussion. Their children were educated at Mount Scopus and now three grandchildren have continued the family tradition.
For this family, as for so many of us, the College has enabled them to forge lifetime friendships. David commented that “Mount Scopus Memorial College is in my blood; it is part of my DNA; it will always be close to my heart.”
Helen and David joined the Foundation in 2014 and this year became Benefactors. When David addressed the Grandparents and Special Friends Day last year he asked us “to reflect on the incredible & miraculous growth of the College - this is of course by no small means due to incredible efforts in terms of time & particularly financial support & bequests from many notable individuals, families & institutions- all of whom have had the foresight to appreciate the need & benefit of nurturing our present & future generations to achieve excellence in academic studies to provide a pathway to their future as well as implanting a strong sense of Yiddishkeit, love for Medinat Yisrael, valued citizens of this wonderful country & moral community awareness & responsibility.”
Member Highlight
Karen Stock-Schnall and Danny Schnall
The Stock family were fortunate to have fled Vienna in the period immediately preceding the outbreak of the Second World War. Their influence upon the growth of the Melbourne Jewish community has been profound and their association with Mount Scopus has now entered its fifth generation.
Karen Stock Schnall (OC73) and her husband Danny Schnall (OC70) recently renewed their commitment to the Foundation.
Karen recalls her earliest involvement with the school when she accompanied her grandfather Sigmund, who chaired one of the College’s earliest Building Committees, to the College grounds. Sigmund’s son, Garry, would go on to become President of the College. Karen too has held many significant roles from leading the Presentation Ball Committee in 1997 to being President of the Parents’ Association and Vice President of the College. Karen is a Life Governor and maintains an active interest in the College.
The Stock family has had a long standing passion for the performing arts. Karen recalls that her parents loved attending performances in the Rose Hall featuring their grandchildren. In 1996, the family’s philanthropy led to the dedication of the Susie and Eric Stock Drama Studio which was ultimately incorporated into the Besen Family Performing Arts Centre. In 2005, Karen dedicated the screen and image as part of the redevelopment of the Slezak Multimedia and Technology Centre in memory of her father.
Karen says that while she is incredibly excited at having grandchildren enrolled at Scopus she recognises the enormous commitment required by families to provide a Jewish day school education for their children. “My mother valued the sense of identity and community which Scopus instilled in us. Danny and I appreciated all that Scopus gave us and we have treasured the experiences of our children through the Scopus journey. But we also recognise the sacrifices which many families make. If we can help alleviate that burden in some small way then we feel we are carrying on to uphold our family’s history and values”
Member Highlight
Rosie Davis Family
Rosie Davis OC ‘69 is thrilled that her three children, Victoria-Lea, Jamie and Bradley together with their partners Tal, Robyn and Nicole, have also chosen Scopus for her grandchildren’s education. Of her seven grandchildren, four are current students with another three to commence over the next few years.
Rosie’s late parents, Jack and Judy Sperling, both Holocaust survivors, instilled in Rosie not only the importance of a Jewish education but also the value of being in a Jewish environment. They truly believed it created a stronger Jewish identity, instilling ‘Yiddishkeit’ and providing the feelings of comfort and confidence.
Rosie recalls that Scopus provided, for both her and her children, a high level of educational programs and critical values combined with longlasting friendships and a powerful sense of community.
These days, Rosie is noticing with great pleasure how her grandchildren are taught and says “it warms my heart to see how they embrace and love all things Jewish. Surely this feeling, underpinned by knowledge, will guarantee them making good choices and perpetuating our traditions. In the world of today, I believe it is vitally important they have a sense of belonging and know who they are. Scopus is giving them that.”
We thank and welcome the Rosie Davis Family for their ongoing support and welcome them this year to the level of Fellow.
Member Highlight
Agnes and Joel Freeman
In the early 1980s, Agnes and Joel Freeman started looking for a school for their young son. Not only was the Kew campus of Scopus conveniently a few hundred metres from their home, but they felt it was also the best Jewish and secular education available for their three children. The teaching of Jewish traditions closely aligned with the Freemans and after Jeremy’s enrolment into kinder, their daughters Larissa and Vanessa soon followed.
Agnes joined the School board, and was actively involved in efforts to sustain the Kew campus.She devoted countless hours to the College including establishing and growing the annual fashion parade into a major event, participating on the Ulpan sub-committee for many years, overseeing the relaunch of the school uniform and was Ball President in 2000. Agnes was appointed a Life Governor of the College in recognition of her dedication.
After graduating, their three children all partnered old collegians of the College keeping the connection to Scopus strong. Now as grandparents, Agnes and Joel take great pleasure watching the next generation of their family enjoy the same values given to their own children. As Joel comments “we are proud and delighted that our 6 grandchildren are (or soon will be) Scopus students. In particular the sense of Jewish continuity and education is of vital importance to us.”
Earlier this year, the Freemans joined the Foundation, because they “felt it was the right time and we are lucky enough to be in a position to do so. It also sets an example within our family for future generations.”
Member Highlight
Caroline and Alan Wein
Caroline, OC’77, (nee Sweet) and Alan firmly believe that not all people come into the world with the same skills and abilities, let alone opportunities. They also believe that education is a foundation stone of Jewish values. That is why they have sent their children to Scopus and encouraged them in turn, to send their children to the College.
Alan says “the Scopus experience offers outstanding secular learning combined with a traditional Jewish education that provides children with the opportunity to make choices and make decisions based upon sound values. These choices are broad today; and they not only lead to the traditional academic motifs of medicine, law and commerce, but now extend to technology, arts and a range of commerce, sciences and other options that encourage children to pursue courses that interest them and align with their talents. Scopus provides this platform in a caring and nurturing environment.”
They understand that sacrifices for parents are great, but say the rewards are overwhelming. “Our family has enjoyed great satisfaction over decades at the school and we hope and expect that our grandchildren will benefit and enjoy the experiences Scopus offers and contribute towards the improvement of our community, country and world in which we live”.
Thank you Caroline and Alan for sustaining your beliefs and your support.
