This week our Year 9 students were presented with a wonderful opportunity to hear from a broad panel of politicians from across the political spectrum. They learnt from the panellists’ insights but also from their capacity to model collegiality and respect despite their differing worldviews.

Within the Year 9 Nitzan program, our students are empowered to participate in experiential learning each Wednesday. On Nitzan days, the students develop their skills in a range of engaging activities. They enjoy Kickstarter mornings which activates the body in fitness or mindfulness before they enjoy a communal breakfast prepared by their classmates.

They learn a range of “life hacks” that they may not encounter across the rest of their schooling. Skills such as repairing a flat tyre, unblocking a toilet, sewing on a button or making a barista-class coffee help them to feel like capable contributors to their homes.

They develop independence through their exploration of parts of Melbourne that they will not have experienced before. They volunteer for worthwhile organisations contributing meaningfully to their community.

This term, the Nitzan focus is ‘Artivism’. Our students are learning about important causes and are being challenged to respond creatively in a way that aligns with their passions. As part of this experience, they were privileged to meet with the panel of politicians so that they could understand what drove them to serve their communities and what the causes are that they are most passionate about.

They heard how Rachel Westaway MP, the State Liberal member for Prahran, became engaged in politics when she was shocked by the emergence of far-right politics in Australia. Following her February victory in the Prahran by-election, MP Westaway recently went on a March of the Living visit to Poland and Israel and reflected on how deeply this experience had moved her.

Our students learned that David Southwick MP, the State Liberal member for Caulfield, first became interested in politics due to witnessing firsthand the historic arrest of hardware proprietor, Frank Penhalluriack, for breaking the laws around Sunday trading. David Southwick spoke of his active campaigning against antisemitism and how vital it has been to stand up for equal treatment for all citizens.

Independent Federal member for Kooyong, Dr Monique Ryan MP, spoke of how she decided to run for Parliament when her son spoke of his fears of climate change and she realised that for the first time, she could not think of anything to say that might assuage his concerns. She characterised her role as an independent as striving to keep those in power honest.

Federal Labor member for Macnamara, Josh Burns MP, talked about how his grandparents had to leave school in Year 9 because they could not afford to continue. He spoke of Australia as a land of opportunity for all and how he has developed a special passion for striving to improve social housing to improve the plight of the least fortunate.

Our students asked exceptional and insightful questions surrounding their solutions for climate change, their work to counter antisemitism and for the female panellists, what it was like to experience politics as a woman.

To answer, Dr Ryan paraphrased the statement about Ginger Rogers, who was compared to her exceptional dance partner, Fred Astaire. It was said that Rogers had to do exactly what he did, only backwards and in high heels!

It occurred to me that our students were presented with a magnificent opportunity to hear closely from a range of individuals who represent different segments of the political spectrum. While they disagree on the best approaches to lead Australia on many issues, they conducted themselves with mutual respect and courtesy. It was a wonderful model to see their accord but also their respectful disagreements – this is so often lacking in the binary world that we live in.

Shabbat Shalom,
Marc Light