Robbie Blau – President, Moriah College

Lighting the way

Good evening. It is with immense pride that I present my first report as President of Moriah College.

While for the College, this has been a very fulfilling year, we cannot ignore that beyond the school gates, the world is still filled with darkness and uncertainty. 58 hostages are still held in Gaza, and in our beautiful city of Sydney, we are witnessing unprecedented levels of antisemitism.

The darkness of October 7 and its aftermath have underlined our responsibility to light the way for our children so that when their Judaism or support for Israel is questioned, they can draw on a proud, strong, and deep-rooted identity. And when our community is tested, we can remain resilient and ensure its continuity. The statistics are clear: in communities where the strength of Jewish education slips, the cohesion and vibrancy of the community diminishes soon after.

Moriah is a place to unite and draw strength from one another. For example, after October 7, I was inspired by the many emails of support from parents saying that their children actually wanted to walk through the Moriah gates because this is where they feel safe.

I personally felt the welcoming embrace of the Moriah Family when we immigrated, and together with the Board and leadership, I am committed to ensuring Moriah continues to light the way for our children and community, as it has done for more than 80 years. The hard work of prior generations means we can focus on evolution, not revolution, in the way the College operates.

The assembly to commemorate October 7 was a day I will never forget. I doubt that any school or other organisation in the world honoured that sombre day more fittingly. It once again highlighted that unique Moriah spirit, not always easily described, but clear to all of us who are part of this incredible institution.

For me, this is deeply personal. I believe with all my heart that our future depends on the next generation. We must raise our children to lead with confidence and compassion, grounded in who they are. Now more than ever, it’s vital that our children grow up with pride in their Jewish identity, their values, and their heritage, with a deep love and commitment to Israel.

It starts with College leadership. The Board’s focus is on empowering our Principal, Mira Hasofer and her team. Since becoming the first alumni Principal, Mira has infused the school with bright energy and a clear direction. Our strategic plan has both rigour and ruach. Clear KPIs will be in place to ensure we continuously improve and achieveexcellence in delivering a world-class secular and Jewish education, where every student feels they belong.

At Moriah, excellence is a mindset that must be embedded in everything we do. In our academic programs, in the way we nurture Jewish identity, in the unwavering commitment of our teachers, and in the values that we instill— so that students emerge as capable, deeply connected members of our Jewish and wider Australian community. The strategy includes:

1. The relentless pursuit of academic excellence across all disciplines.
2. A renewed emphasis on the delivery of Hebrew and Jewish Studies to strengthen our students’ knowledge, identity, and connection to our shared heritage.
3. And setting the College up for the future so that as many students as possible can receive a Moriah education.

Our outstanding leaders are delivering on the strategy. I’m delighted that Ryan Gill has joined us as Head of High School and Sarah Zinkin as Head of Learning and Teaching. In Primary School, Lynda Fisher continues to bring best practice to the College, and the ELC, led by Dalia Ottensooser and campus coordinators, has enrolment levels bursting at the seams.  I thank Mira and our College Executive, Roberta Goot, Rabbi Gad Krebs, Ryan Gill, Lynda Fisher, Lance Rabbie, Lauren Koseff, and Karen Hirst, for their leadership and passion. Each of you consistently gives of yourself above and beyond what is expected, we are eternally grateful.

How have we delivered, and helped light the way for our students in the past year?

Let’s start with our constant focus on achieving excellence in academic outcomes. Moriah remains at the forefront of secular education, with the vast majority of our HSC students gaining entry into their preferred university courses.

• We are personalising education so that each student achieves the best result that they possibly can. This means tracking individual student progress, supporting goal setting, and embedding frequent, individualised feedback mechanisms.Our High School leadership is meeting one-on-one with each student from Years 10, 11 and 12 as part of a ‘review and reflect’ process to achieve this. 

Ultimately, it’s the Moriah educators and staff who are the source of light for our students.

• The Board is committed to retaining and attracting the highest quality educators. That includes deploying creative initiatives and incentives to build an environment where educators want to be.
• For example, we have taken steps to actively promote staff wellbeing through: 
• The Thrive at Moriah Wellbeing Program which includes an employer assistance program and monthly pushouts to staff;
• Fitness passport which allows discounts at gyms across NSW; and
• Coaching and Mentoring for the team

The entire team of Moriah College teaching and support staff is extraordinary, and we are incredibly grateful for their individual and collective contributions. Their passion, care and commitment give our students the support, guidance and opportunities to succeed.

The second pillar of the strategic plan is about renewing our focus on Hebrew and Jewish studies. Jewish continuity hinges on developing our children’s Jewish identity, literacy, and values. Language skills open the door to connect with our heritage, so teaching Hebrew in a relevant, practical way is a high, grassroots priority. This strategy will progressively be cascaded through each level of the school.

Our Jewish Life and Learning team is delivering phenomenal, immersive experiences for our students and please G-d we are planning to send two groups of students on the Israel Study Tour (IST) this year.  Scholars in Entrepreneurship.

In Sefer Devarim, the Torah speaks of a powerful vision — that the success of the Jewish people will be a source of awe and inspiration to the nations of the world.

But it’s important for us to understand — our success was never the end goal. The purpose of our blessings and achievements has always been to reflect God’s values to the world. To inspire others. To lead people towards a higher moral path, a divine vision, a life guided by Hashem.

At Moriah College, we share a similar mission. Our aim is not simply to produce great results or impressive statistics. We are not an end in ourselves. We are a means — a powerful, purposeful vehicle through which our students can reach their potential.

Our real goal is to shape the next generation of Jewish leaders, visionaries, and changemakers — here in Australia, in Israel, and across the globe.

We are building a future in which our students don’t just succeed, but inspire. A future in which their light, like that of our people throughout history, shines brightly for the world to see.

A third strategic priority is to set the College and students up for a bright future.

This begins with enrolment and engagement.

• In the past year, we welcomed 1,558 students from ELC to Year 12, including 219 new students across the school. Our Early Learning Centres continue to experience exceptional demand, with waitlists underscoring their excellence. Every time I attend a shabbat at the ELC, I walk out understanding exactly what our mission to provide Jewish education is all about!!

• However, we need to overcome challenges. For example, affordability remains an issue, and we need to increase conversion rates in the leap from ELC to       Year K.   We are actively developing multi-faceted strategies to address these issues.

One of our core values as a College is a commitment to extend the light of a Moriah education to as many Jewish children as possible. With the generous support of The Moriah Foundation and the JCA, we continue to provide fee assistance of just over $4 million annually toward approximately 250 students, which is almost 1 in 5 members of the student body.

• I would like to express my sincere thanks to The Moriah Foundation, its Director Ryan Kassel and his team, its board of directors, and to the Foundation President Judy Lowy OAM for her stellar leadership and her continued commitment to building Moriah’s Foundation.

• A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has to date supported our ‘Rise Up’ Capital Appeal campaign. Whilst the initial phases of the campaign have been extremely successful, we still have a way to go and I encourage anybody who has not yet contributed, or wishes to increase their support, to do so. We remain on track to build our new High School and intend to break ground during the second half of this year. Of course, this campaign is about more than just bricks and mortar. It’s about creating a vibrant, leading-edge environment and facilities for our children and team.

• Beyond the generous financial support, your involvement as parents, grandparents, and friends lights up a supportive environment for our students. We can take guidance from the energetic example set by our outstanding Parents & Friends Association. Thank you, Chantal and team, for all the work that you do – often behind the scenes – to bring our community together and make everyone feel like they belong. 

Finally, I want to turn attention to the Board itself:

Prudent financial management and governance continue to be a priority.

• Lance Rabbie has expertly stepped into the role of Chief Financial Officer and Director of Operations, supported by a highly professional team.
• In addition, the Board’s Corporate Governance Committee has continued to review and update the College’s policies to ensure that they are current, compliant, and in line with best practice.
• I wish to acknowledge and thank Gaile Timperley and her Deloitte team for carrying out their role as auditors. Their level of professionalism and vigilance is noted and greatly appreciated.

Always top of mind is the security of our community.

• Following a rigorous review of our security arrangements using guidelines from the CSG, the review committee unanimously agreed to transition to a new security provider; SSX Security. This occurred seamlessly in April.  

• We also received an ECAJ security grant for $750,000 for the upgrading of Security CCTV, Access Control, and Intruder Detection Systems and Security Lighting at all three Moriah Campuses, and Non-Armed Guarding Services for the two external Moriah Early Learning Centres.  

• Special thanks to our security team, in particular Geoff Schapiro, Security Lead and Dinel Ben-David. They have stepped up in a massive way.
• Also thanks the Communal Security Group (CSG) for their tireless work in keeping Moriah and our community safe.
• A huge thank you to members of the Parent Safety Group (PSG) for assisting in keeping our children safe.

It’s been an honour to lead a renewed Board with fresh ideas and proactive subcommittees.

• I thank all my fellow directors, Dani Sher, Michael Gottlieb, Rina Michael, Teri Esra, Warren Jacobson, Mark Leigh, Gary Pinshaw, Jacqui Scheinberg and Danny Sekers and David Taub as well as each member of the sub-committees, for their unwavering commitment and for the spirit of collaboration that has defined our time together. I extend a particularly heartfelt thank you to my deputy president, Michael, and honorary secretary Rina.

• I’d also like to thank Robert Goot AO SC, Chair of the Trustees, and to all our Life Patrons and Trustees for their ongoing support, for their guidance, and for their undoubted love for Moriah.

• I would like to take a moment to express my deep gratitude to someone whose role is often behind the scenes, yet absolutely vital to the success of any organisation — our Treasurer. Dani, thank you for taking on a role that is by no means easy. Managing finances requires not just precision, but integrity, foresight, and sometimes, the courage to make tough decisions. You’ve handled these responsibilities with unwavering dedication and transparency that have brought trust and stability. It’s because of your diligence that the College has been able to plan confidently, grow responsibly, and stay true to its goals. Thank you.

• And a heartfelt thanks to Daisy Sultana, our exceptional Executive Officer to the Board of Directors for her incredible support. Daisy’s dedication, insight, and grace under pressure make her truly indispensable – we are so fortunate to have her.

• Finally, I want to thank my wife, Lauren, and children David, Matthew, Sarah and Micaela for their unconditional support and patience, in what is, at times, a very demanding role. I am immensely grateful for your love and understanding.

So, in closing… with a focus on excellence, we’ll continue to light the way for our students. And we’ll support our leaders, educators, and staff to implement the strategic plan, backed by metrics. The true measure of success will be seen in the confident, capable, and proud Jewish children we send out into the world— each with a bright internal light of their own, that allows them to meaningfully connect with, and contribute to, our community, to Australia, and to Israel.

We pray for the return of the remaining 58 hostages, for the safety and security of the IDF, a full recovery to all those injured, and much comfort and strength to the families of all those who have fallen in battle or were murdered simply for being Jewish and living in our ancestral homeland.  

Am Yisrael Chai!

Acknowledging Robert Simons’ 60 Years of Association with the College – Annual General Meetings – 20/5/2025

Tonight, we honour Robert Simons – a man whose name is woven into the fabric of Moriah College – for an extraordinary 60 years of dedication and service.

Robert’s journey began in 1965 when he joined the College Board, continuing the proud legacy of his grandfather, father, and uncle – all deeply involved in shaping the Moriah we know today. His commitment to Jewish education, despite not having had a Jewish High School experience himself, speaks volumes of his vision and values.

As President from 1984 to 1989, Robert oversaw some of the most transformative years in our history. He led with precision, humility, and extraordinary tenacity – from building critical infrastructure and securing major naming commitments, to overseeing the tender and transition of the Dover Heights site and laying the groundwork for our current High School campus.

His fingerprints are everywhere – the Moshe Triguboff Auditorium, the Hugo Lowy Synagogue, the Simons Family Foyer – all stand as enduring tributes to his leadership.

Robert was instrumental in key appointments, like that of Principal Lionel Link, and navigated complex negotiations with care and conviction. His passion for Israel helped establish the Year 10 Israel Study Tour – now a cornerstone of our Jewish life program since its inception in 1974.

Even after stepping down as President, Robert has remained a Life Patron, Trustee, mentor, and role model. Through six decades, he has been a guiding force – always with his heart set firmly on the future of Moriah.

Robert, your legacy is not only in the buildings and programs you helped create, but in the lives you’ve shaped – including your own children and grandchildren.

On a personal note, I have always sought and valued Robert’s advice and guidance. You are a man of few words around the boardroom table. When you do share a view, though, I always know that I will learn something, and you will impart an immensely valuable insight.

Tonight, we honour your vision, your service, and your passion.

Thank you for everything you have already done and will continue to do for Moriah College – we wish you good health and strength bis 120!