JEWISH TELEGRAPH

 

TOUR GUIDE: Amy Goldman leads Australian teens on an Israel educational tour of Barta'a in Wadi Ara

 

FOR the past five-and - a - half years Manchester-born Amy Goldman has lived in Sydney, Australia.

Amy, who was joined there by her younger sister Caroline, works for the New South Wales Board of Jewish Education in the area of informal education and high school programmes.

For the last six weeks she has been in Israel leading a group of 16 teens from New South Wales, participating in the Academy BJE Discover Israel Programme.

"The students are all 15 and chosen from public schools across Sydney," explained Amy, the daughter of Maxine and Ian Goldman, of Cheadle, and granddaughter of Laz and Renee Goldman, of Sale.

"The aim of the programme during the six weeks in Israel is that the students learn and live their history.

"While based at the Alexander Muss High School in Hod HaSharon, they are travelling all over the country - a highly enriching experience for all of them and myself included.

Amy and her charges attended seminar at the Givat Haviva Institute's Jewish-Arab Centre for Peace where their programme was led by Jewish Telegraph correspondent Lydia Aisenberg.

She also took them on a tour of the Jewish and Arab communities in the Wadi Ara region.

"When we return to Australia these youngsters will be participating in voluntary projects within the Jewish community," said Amy, a Huddersfield University design graduate who worked in theatres, art galleries and museums as a freelance artist and designer before moving to Australia.

"They will be taking part in Jewish life through cultural, communal and social events and activities

Her work experience in Britain included being involved in projects with various minority communities.

"As soon as I arrived in Sydney I began working for the Board of Jewish Education in informal education throughout the state of New South Wales," she added.

"I have been connecting with Jewish high-school students who do not attend Jewish schools and it has been a very rewarding experience.

"Hopefully when I move to Perth shortly I will be able to continue working in informal Jewish education in that city as well."