Items

This is a picture taken of a zoom call, where several adults and students are conversing with one another.

2021-02-25

Jewish Melbourne

As a Yiddish teacher the plague year was marked by a shift to online teaching. Of course this involved inconveniences and accomodations but mostly I was so grateful to have a job that meant I got to stay in contact with people throughout 2020. In classes I worked hard to support students in a difficult time, but also found myself energised and reassured by the regular social contact they provided. I've chose two pictures of my classes - one, a kids class featuring members of my family and the other, a screenshot from one of my long running classes at the Kadimah. The kids class was often fairly chaotic on zoom, marked by kids disappearing, scribbling on the screen or more interested in making faces in the camera than anything else. But it still represented a weekly engagement with Yiddishkayt for these kids, who all live in the North of Melbourne and attend state schools. The image I chose of one of my adults class is from a night when there was a blackout in my street - all the lights went off and my connection cut out. I realised though that I could teach using my phone for internet - it just meant sitting in the dark! I remember a strong feeling of "the show must go on" in a time when so much else was uncertain it was important to me that every Monday evening was the same - Yiddish class with my longtime students. Throughout lockdown students have been so patient and understanding of everything that has had to change and even now as I am extremely over teaching online I am honestly so grateful for what they've given me - meaninful, interesting, engaging work and social contact! We should all be so lucky.

2020-08-17

Jewish Melbourne: Jewish Care provides educational assistance for students

"Jewish Care is here to assist and support the education of our children in any way we can during the COVID-19 crisis by providing remote academic assistance for students or assistance for families. We have a team of committed volunteers who have a range of skills they are offering, including: - Primary and secondary subject tutorial - Listening to children’s readers via a remote visual platform - Musical instrument practice - Assistance for parents in supporting their child’s learning Financial assistance for families may also be available. To find out how we may be able to help you during this difficult time, please contact the Jewish Care COVID-19 Helpline on 8517 5555, which is operating Monday–Friday from 9:00am – 5:00pm. Jewish Care is here for you. You are not alone."

2020-09-11

Jewish Melbourne: Mt Scopus pre-Rosh Hashanah video

This is a short video of students blowing to shofar, to encourage the community to "‪Get excited because there’s only one week till..... ROSH HA’SHANA!!!"

2020-09-18

Jewish Melbourne: Mt Scopus students celebrate Rosh Hashanah online

This is a photo album of screenshots of students celebrating Rosh Hashanah together on zoom

2020-10-07

Jewish Melbourne: Mt Scopus primary students virtual Sukkot

"Our Primary Students have also been learning about Chag #Sukkot From a virtual Sukkah to LEGO demonstrations, this year’s #Sukkot5781 has certainly had a point of difference! #JewishIdentity #Gettingthroughthistogether"

2020-09-24

Jewish Melbourne: Mt Scopus ScopusTorah@Home - Yom Kippur 5781

"What does Purim have to do with Yom Kippur? In this week’s ScopusTorah@Home Mrs Adina Bankier-Karp will explain why channeling our inner Esther is key this Yom Kippur. #JewishIdentity #Gettingthroughthistogether"

2020-09-20

Jewish Melbourne: Mt Scopus Rosh HaShana 5781 Greeting from Rabbi Kennard

"Rabbi Kennard passed on his Rosh HaShana greetings to staff, students and the whole #ScopusFamily at the conclusion of the virtual Student Leadership Induction Ceremony on Tuesday 15 September, 2020."

2020

Meme - Transition to Online Learning

HIST30060 This is a meme saved several months ago (approximately some time during late Semester One) about the transition to online University. What social media platform it came from, and who the original author is remains a mystery. I have chosen to upload this meme because I believe it serves as an example (albeit a satirical one) of how the transition to online Uni has effected students. As a person who struggles with learning difficulties even during the best of times, this meme was a relatable representation of how I felt about University this year, and how challenging the transition to online classes was.

2020-10-17

A Pandemic Through Bad Memes

HIST30060, this is a personal text reflection on my experience in the pandemic complemented by internet memes

2020-10-28

My Sister Graduated Year 12 During a Pandemic

My younger sister went through Year 12 (the last year of high school in Australia) in 2020. When she showed me her yearbook, most of the graduation quotes were either TikTok references, sarcastic remarks about being at home for most of their final year of school, or genuine amazement that they made it through a notoriously crazy year in an actually crazy year. Due to the tight restrictions in Victoria for most of 2020, this Year 12 cohort did not get to go to formal, dress up for sports carnivals, have an in-person graduation, or even enjoy the basic senior-year pleasure of having a microwave in the exclusive Year 12 common room. One of her friends summed it up quite well in her graduation yearbook statement – “that was nothing like High School Musical.”

2020-07-16

Ten Days of Self-Isolation

The following is a reflection on my experience in COVID-19 testing and self-isolation, after returning to my home country Bahrain from Australia, where I am a student. Upon arriving in Bahrain International Airport, travellers are taken aboard buses into a giant white tent-structure. Here, my temperature was taken. Then, I was escorted to one of the desks (mostly staffed by young volunteers) where I give my personal details, including where I intend to spend my 10 days of self-isolation (the Government of Bahrain had only recently reduced the requirement from 14 days). After that, I had the COVID-19 PCR test taken (quick but unpleasant nose swab). The results are published via the “Be Aware” app within 24 hours. It was, thankfully, negative. I was also given an electronic bracelet that acts as a tracker, to ensure that I am where I say I would be. I am driven from the airport by my brother, it was decided that he would pick me up because he had recently caught the virus himself, and so, supposedly he would have developed some immunity. Spending 10 days in one’s bedroom was as boring as one might expect. My main source of entertainment would be, as it turned out, Ancient Rome. I was still taking a university subject, which was moved online the week prior due to renewed restrictions in Melbourne after COVID-19 infections spiked in the State of Victoria. I did however have to get up at 3:00 in the morning to attend classes! I did, moreover, end up gaining about 2 kilograms of weight in those 10 days. The whole experience of travel and self-isolation in the age of COVID-19 is just one example of how simple aspects of our lives (travel, privacy, education, exercise, social life etc.) were changed so drastically by the pandemic. Everything would somehow be more complicated. This reflection was submitted as part of the HIST30060 Making History project at the University of Melbourne.

2020-07-15

Travel in the Age of Covid-19

If you would like to know why I was travelling, please see this journal: https://covid-19archive.org/s/archive/item/30217 Travelling at the best of times can induce stress and anxiety. In the times of Covid-19, it is a whole different experience. I am dropped off at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport. The departure screen, usually filled with flight information, now only has a handful of flights on display. Incoming flights into Melbourne have been suspended entirely. My destination is Bahrain via Dubai International Airport. Emirates Airlines EK409 is flying at about a third of its capacity (the Melbourne-Dubai route is, at normal times, a very popular one and flights are usually almost full). The extra room is welcome, allowing many travellers to lay down and enjoy a little comfort in these uncomfortable times. Masks as well as gloves are required throughout the flight. A hygiene kit is provided. I sleep for most of the flight. When I arrive in Dubai, sitting in the terminal building waiting for my connection (which is in 10 hours because of reduced flights frequency), and as a way of passing the time, I join one of my online University classes. Three months later, in October 2020, when this journal was written, travel is still a very complicated affair. This is the worst crisis to hit the industry since the attacks of September the 11th 2001. I will not take travel for granted ever again. This reflection was submitted as part of the HIST30060 Making History project at the University of Melbourne.

2020-04-30

(HIST30060) Zoom University

(HIST30060) As a result of Victoria going into lockdown, classes at University of Melbourne went online, with lectures and tutorials being delivered via Zoom. Through both semesters, many technical and other issues have occurred as we've all learned how to use Zoom and gotten used to online learning. This post reflects what I'm sure many people experienced while on a Zoom call; for me, it was my mother walking in on my countless times, forgetting when I would have class, while she also worked at home, and both of us wearing something nice and presentable on top with our athletic/leisure wear out of shot.

Picture of an empty part of the University of Melbourne campus in Australia during the pandemic.

2020-03-16

Virtual Campus

I first heard my university would be transitioning to online teaching through the uni magazine's Facebook page on the 16th of March, an email from the uni following soon after. This felt appropriate for a time when decisions were being made in a seemingly hectic fashion and there was still so much speculation about how worried we needed to be and what measures needed to be taken. There had been 14 new cases of COVID-19 in Victoria on that date and the total number of cases in the state was 71. The photograph is of the deserted University of Melbourne campus in September when we were into our second semester of online teaching and Victoria was in it's second wave of the pandemic. It was eerie to see this area of the campus, usually filled with students socialising on the grass, so empty. (HIST30060)

2020-07-07

Learning Auslan during Covid-19, via Zoom

HIST30060

2020-03-13

Plans Drastically Changed

I was on exchange in Edinburgh in the first half of 2020, and due to return to Melbourne at the end of June. As borders began to close and Australian government travel advice changed, it became apparent that I'd have to return home some months early. This text exchange with my mother is the first time I flagged my intention to leave early, and captures the rapid pace at which events and plans were changing. HIST30060

2020-06-12T15:19

A Small COVID19 Letter

As a new-coming highschool student, I was really expecting to have a good fresh year and new beginnings. While we all got new beginnings, it was definitely not good ones. Instead of enjoying my first year of highschool in a normal daily setting, I was strapped to eyeing my laptop from my bed at all times, checking notifications for new work to be completed and having video conferences with my teachers. As it was all so rushed and sudden, for me it was quite an overwhelming experience. At some points I really began to stress from all the overdue and uncompleted work. It seems many people in the world think that we are all suddenly care-free with nothing to do because of this virus, but for cases like mine, that isn't true at all. The message I've put in the letter is to not take things too carelessly, because that's what I think many people in the world are doing right now. It's an important message because you never know what might happen if you don't take a little caution to things.

A text from the Australia Government stating, "Coronavirus Aus Gov msg: To stop the spread, stay 1.5m away from others, follow rules on social gatherings, wash hands, stay home when sick. aus.gov.au."

2020-03-25

Australian Government formal COVID-19 mass text alert

The Australian Government sent out a very curt mass text on the 25th of March to warn Australian citizens to follow COVID-19 guidelines. I chose this item because the timing and brevity was viewed by many as 'too little, too late'. It's a reflection of the fact that it took our government a week or two to absorb and act on the seriousness of the situation - not long before this message came out, the Prime Minister had still been encouraging people to attend football matches in high-capacity stadiums. Though the government eventually recognised the risk, and acted more decisively than some other countries, a large chunk of credit must go to Australians with the foresight to begin acting in advance of government instruction. By the time I received this message, my workplace had already been shut down to a work-from-home situation for a full two weeks, and the University of Tasmania's campuses had been shut down for five days. (HUM404)

2020-03-27

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