Blog

On the 19th of September, Danielle Jaku-Greenfield returned to University of Sydney grounds, to Mandelbaum House. To the same place where she studied a unit at the Law school, to the same place where her parents both studied, and to the same place her beloved grandfather Eddie is honored annually at Mandelbaum House. The third…

We had the pleasure of welcoming Gina Cass-Gottlieb, Chair of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), as our guest of honour at our formal dinner. The night began with a respectful Acknowledgement of Country by Kai. Several residents contributed to a memorable night including Alex’s incredible performance of The Prelude to Bach’s Cello Suite…

With the turn of the calendar comes the anticipation of our much-loved formal dinners. This month we had the honor of hosting Chancellor David Thodey AO FTSE as our guest speaker. We were also joined by Chairman Paul Baram, Deputy Chair Emeritus Professor Bettina Cass and USYD AUJS president Isaac Wine. The evening was a…

Mandelbaum residents had the honour of listening to Professor Simon Bronitt, Dean of the prestigious University of Sydney Law School at a recent formal dinner. Professor Bronitt’s presentation titled “Responding to the research integrity crisis in universities: Stains on the White Lab Coat Collar” was not restricted to legal study, but to the entirety of…

This week we celebrate Reconciliation Week in Australia, a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. Our six Indigenous residents recently organised our first Mandelbaum Yarn. Initiated by Logan Culley (a proud Darkinjung man), we…

For our March formal dinner, we had the honour of meeting and listening to Jude Stern. Jude leads the strategic knowledge agenda for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.  The evening started with an Acknowledgement of Country and the use of clapping sticks by residents Logan and Maher. We experienced a fantastic performance…

As I stepped into our familiar lounge, now beautifully decorated (it went through its Cinderella moment), I found myself on the brink of an adventure- my very first formal dinner. Our guest of honor, Dr. Siupeli Haukoloa-Paea, was armed with wit, an arsenal of fun stories, and an energy level that lit up the room.…

Mandelbaum House is proud to announce Oliver Ergas as the recipient of the 2023 Eddie Jaku OAM Mensch Award. This prestigious award, presented annually since 2018, is voted for by residents and staff. It honours the resident who exemplifies the qualities of integrity, caring, kindness, and strong community spirit that defined Holocaust survivor and philanthropist…

It’s a new month, and that meant another one of Mandelbaum House’s much-loved formal dinners. This time we were privileged to have the Vice Chancellor Mark Scott AO as our guest speaker. The evening commenced with an Acknowledgement of Country given by one of Mandelbaum House’s Indigenous students and took on new meaning with the…

Our September formal dinner began with resident Ian Yap performing Claire De Lune by Debussy on piano. A very pleasant surprise to find out Ian played the piano, as he took Mandelbaum through as he put it, “A reflective piece allowing for an introspective journey”. After this journey and a wonderful steak prepared by beloved…

On Wednesday night, 2nd of August 2023, Mandelbaum House hosted Associate Professor Narelle Yeo for an event that I now fondly remember. As I was making my way to the formal dinner, I did not know what to expect but it definitely was not sitting next to the guest of honour! She turned towards me…

On the 18th of April, Mandelbaum House welcomed Professor Tony Larkum as a guest speaker at Formal Dinner. The topic of the evening was coral bleaching, a phenomenon that has devastated the world’s coral reefs in recent years. Professor Larkum is a distinguished marine biologist and an expert on coral biology and ecology. His speech…

On 21 March, Dr. Lisa Jackson Pulver unveiled a magnificent Indigenous mural on the roof terrace of Mandelbaum House which was gifted to the college by a family of one of the College’s Aboriginal students. Mandelbaum is home to six Indigenous students, including five who are Gadigal scholarship recipients. The Indigenous artist Jason ‘Bidjipidji’ Lee…

Dr. Sue Morris has a passion for enhancing students’ success and wellbeing, with an emphasis on positive psychology and resilience. Over 25 years of undergraduate teaching at UNSW, she has focused on developing innovative and engaging learning experiences for students, emphasising collaboration and connectedness (with a smattering of humour), as well as providing staff development…

Our September Formal Dinner guest speaker was Romy Wolman, a disability advocate and the Founder/Executive Director of One&All, an inclusive, holistic, and creative hub for mixed abilities and mental health. As she spoke, we learned about how her daughter Milla, born with cerebral palsy, inspired her to found Single Sock Solution, an all-abilities weaving initiative…

This year Mandelbaum House celebrates its 25th birthday. Hundreds of students from Melbourne to Mozambique have found “a home away from home” at Mandelbaum. As a means to keep alumni connected, Gina Abramowitz (2016 resident, Alumni President) and Sophia Kwiet (2015 resident, Mandelbaum board member) have recently partnered to revive Mandelbaum’s alumni community. Grateful for…

The impact of COVID is harsh and widespread; suddenly millions of people are in lock down and improvising living life in one spot. What does this mean for students in residence? Mandelbaum House strode ahead to meet the moment with delicious free meals, movie nights and a wildly popular Minecraft server, in addition to following…

Shavuot is a significant festival in the Jewish tradition. This year our residents decided to focus on the universal virtues and values that each of the holiday’s customs can teach us. Of course, we didn’t give up on a fun afternoon of cheesecake baking that launched our celebrations! Inspired by the tradition of Tikkun Shavuot,…

On Tuesday the 11th of May, Mandelbaum residents were honoured with the presence of Professor Dr Stephen Garton, Vice-Chancellor and principal of the University of Sydney. We were also delighted to welcome back our chairman Associate Professor David Levy, on his first formal dinner with us since the pandemic began. The evening began with a…

Mandelbaum House’s second formal dinner for the year was special this time for two reasons: first the date, and second, the guest speaker. Taking place on the 14th of April, the evening was themed in celebration of the Tamil and Sinhalese New Year, with an Indian feast and residents from Indian and Sri Lankan backgrounds…

Associate Professor Dr Lilon Bandler, is the Principal Research Fellow for the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education Network, the chair of the National Patient Blood Management Advisory Committee, a Board member of the Far West Local Health District, and a GP with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. She was also the guest speaker at Mandelbaum…

Congratulations to our 2021 Resident Assistants (RAs) Andrea Xia, Kacy Zhou and Thomas Winship for their appointments as the Mandelbaum House RAs in 2021. Each have held leadership roles at Mandelbaum over the past few years, and are now ready to assist new residents navigate the transition into university and college life. Our RAs are…

Fitting your entire life into just a handful of suitcases is no easy feat: Should I bring my posters? What about a pillow? Can I buy snacks close by? Don’t worry, we’ve collated responses from current and previous residents to answer your questions, so here are our top five things to bring to Mandelbaum House,…

At our first formal dinner for the year, on the 27th of February, Mandelbaum House warmly welcomed the special guest speaker Michael Stone, CEO of the Holistic Services Group, to share his story that took him around the world in pursuit of his passions as he endeavored to create a more meaningful life which has…

Living at Mandelbaum House got me closer to all kinds of sports: basketball Oztag, football (soccer), volleyball, badminton and many more. It was a celebration every time we participated—winning or losing didn’t matter as long as we were together meeting new people from all over the globe and learning about a new culture or even…

“How’s Eddie?” is one of the questions I most frequently receive when catching up with Mandelbaum alumni. There is always something interesting to relay about our special friend Eddie, be it the story he shared with us of a recent school excursion he guided at the Sydney Jewish Museum or new accolades he has received,…

On 17 October 2019 Mandelbaum House welcomed Dr. Rob Silberstein as a guest lecturer to our monthly formal dinner. Dr. Silberstein has faced many obstacles that the majority of us have not even considered when embarking on our anticipated careers. As he shared the challenges he had faced, he told us that one of the…

On Wednesday the 4th of September, Deputy-Vice Chancellor Education AO Pip Pattison joined Mandelbaum House as our special guest for formal dinner. Having completed her PhD in Psychology, Pip has used her expertise as a quantitative psychologist as well as an educator in contribution to major educational transformations within the best universities in Australia. After…

If you don’t ask, you will never find out about the potentially wonderful reward!” was one of the many insightful takeaways from a night of whimsical, comical, and endearing recounts. As we dive into award-winning journalist Fiona Harari’s repository of fascinating stories, we seem to discover the unexpected in seemingly mundane lives. As Fiona shares…

At our mid-semester formal dinner on 1 May 2019, Mandelbaum House hosted my favourite guest: Eddie Jaku, the self-proclaimed ‘World’s happiest man’. Eddie is a Holocaust survivor who lived in Germany throughout World War II. I have heard him speak several times over the years, first at the Jewish Museum when I was a young boy.…

A month into classes, students at the University of Sydney have adapted to early mornings, all-nighters and caffeine jitters. With deadlines and mid-semester exams looming, Mandelbaum residents took a night off on March 27 to welcome David Vitek to Mandelbaum House for our second formal dinner of Semester One 2019. David Vitek, started his career…

Mandelbaum House residents were excited to welcome Professor Lisa Jackson Pulver AM and her husband Mark to the first formal dinner of the new year. A Wiradjuri Jewish woman, she was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday 2011 Honours list. Professor Jackson Pulver was the first Aboriginal person…

“From macromolecules to the Israeli right wing” was Professor Shindler’s recount of his political endeavours. Following a degree in Chemistry, Professor Shindler pursued his passion in the field of Political Studies, and the rest is history. An emeritus professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies in the University of London, Professor Colin Shindler…

Mark Schneider presented his million dollar budgets, his university life-changing decisions, how his team made a Pygmy Blue-tongue Lizard reserve and how his love for speaking changed his career from an engineering student to a renewables and environment consultant. Mark was accompanied to this monthly college formal dinner by his wife Ariane, who helped him…

Dr. Sue Morris strides across the room, engaging us with her quick wit and lively lecturing style as she regales the tale of Liam. A hypothetical individual who illustrates the concept of suboptimal thinking, Liam has texted his date after what he thinks was a great night, but receives no response.  Assuming the worst —…

‘Location! Location! Location!’ is a mantra repeated so often when finding a new place to live. Mandelbaum House goes above and beyond in meeting these expectations as we are in a prime location of Darlington which sits between Redfern station (giving our residents easy access to the entire city of Sydney), the University of Sydney’s…

Two time Archibald Prize Finalist Loribelle Spirovski graces Mandelbaum House with her presence for our second last formal dinner of the semester. Earlier this year, Spirovski displayed a Solo show of her art at Guy Hepner Gallery in New York City, but she says “I still find myself just as shy, anxious and insecure” as…

On the night of the 11th of April, a very special person joined Mandelbaum House for Formal Dinner. This special person is Eddie Jaku, a man filled with wisdom, with a very important story to tell: Eddie survived the Holocaust, a mass genocide where six million Jews were brutally persecuted and murdered by Nazi Germany…

Last week saw the beginning of classes at the University of Sydney and the return of early mornings and all-nighters for about 60,000 students. In the midst of the whirlwind that is the new semester, residents at Mandelbaum House welcomed Chancellor Belinda Hutchinson AM for their first formal dinner of the year. Belinda Hutchinson is…

Mandelbaum House had the immense pleasure of hosting world renowned concert pianist Simon Tedeschi and Loribelle Spirovski, Archibald Prize finalist (2017) and fiancé of Tedeschi at our second formal dinner of semester two. Tedeschi took the crowd through his journey into music and how it emerged to be his passion. From being a hand double…

They say home is where the heart is. That special place full of memories, laughs and warmth. Somewhere where we can return and feel comfortable, a place where we belong. I always thought that there can only be one such place; until I moved to Sydney and found my second home. This time last year…

The residents of Mandelbaum House had the privilege of listening to a highly motivational, witty yet genuinely modest speech by “character” Thomas Whalan at the first formal dinner of Semester 2, 2017. Thomas Whalan is renowned by Australia as a four-time Olympic representative in water polo and currently holds the position of director of Water…

On Wednesday 3rd of May, Mandelbaum House hosted its third formal dinner of Semester One 2017. As  residents slowly ushered into the dining area that evening, a sense of anticipation could be felt in the room as we had a very special guest speaker joining us for dinner- the Vice-Chancellor of University of Sydney: Dr…

One of the highlights in the Mandelbaum calendar is the monthly Formal Dinner. We were delighted to welcome back A/Professor Lilon Bandler to be our guest speaker for our first 2017 dinner. The evening began with a fantastic musical performance by  residents Chelsea and Kartik. During the introduction, we learnt that Lilon was a GP…

Are you coming to Sydney for one semester on a Study Abroad or Exchange programme? Make the most of your experience and live with Aussies and other Internationals with the convenience of a friendly community, and a delicious meal plan. Study Abroad student Ariel Hurwitz shares her recent experience: Living at Mandelbaum was basically like…

Everyone has their ‘go to’ starting point when searching for travel accommodation. Some keep it simple and shoot an email to their trusted travel agent. Others go on the hunt, which today goes way beyond the conventional hotels, motels and hostels. A search on Google or Airbnb opens up glorious options such as lighthouses, treehouses,…

The second formal dinner of semester two started off with a beautiful rendition by resident Darron Ho of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep on his Chinese Violin, or Erhu. As guest speaker for the night we were honoured to welcome Kim Ellis, Final Frontier lawyer and scientist, founder of Earth Space Technology and adjunct faculty…

Walking into Mandelbaum House for its latest reunion on Thursday night brought back so many memories for me. I remember arriving as a 19-year-old from California who had never been to Australia, getting out of the taxi from the airport nervously and wondering what awaited me. Fifteen years later, I am living in Sydney and…

Semester 2 at Mandelbaum House started in style with a seamless blend of intellectual conversation, music and banter at our welcome dinner. Having been here for only over a week, I’m fascinated by how quickly Mandelbaum transitioned from being simply a dorm to my home in Sydney. Current residents, Kartik and Yash set the mood…

What’s the difference between a ‘house’ and a ‘home’? A house is a building or structure that someone resides in, whereas a home is a place where a person not only lives but also feels a true sense of belonging. For many university students, this sense of belonging is increasingly difficulty to find. My initial…