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CARMEL SCHOOL RECEIVES PERMANENT PREMISES STATUS FOR ELSA HIGH |
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Carmel School in Hong Kong has been awarded a permanent grant of its premises in Shau Kei Wan, by the Hong Kong government. The premises are currently occupied by Carmel’s secondary school section, Elsa High School, on a shared basis with Kellett School.  The results of the allocation mean that Carmel and Elsa will be able to occupy the whole of the premises in Shau Kei Wan on a permanent basis. This will be used for expansion in line with the school’s overall development plan, and compliments the school’s two other facilities in the Mid-Levels district of Hong Kong.
The permanent allocation has been excitedly received by the Hong Kong Jewish community. It marks a significant milestone in a remarkable journey for a school that was founded in 1991, with only a handful of students. Since then Carmel has grown to over 330 students, encompassing a pre-school section, Ganeynu, all the way through to its first graduating grade 12 cohort in Elsa High School this year. Due to land scarcity for all schools in Hong Kong, obtaining suitable premises has always been one of the major strategic objectives facing Carmel and other Hong Kong schools and a major obstacle to continuity and development. It wasn’t until the arrival of the current Principal, Mrs. Rachel Friedmann, in 2009 that Carmel established a high school and was able to offer a through-train of education. Named after Elsa Strauss (the grandmother of community member Sylvie Davidson) and with the support of the Strauss Foundation, Elsa High opened its doors in August 2009 with a Jewish and an International stream. The Board of Carmel secured a temporary grant from the Hong Kong government for the premises on a co-location basis with Kellett School. At the time of the hand-over, the premises were in a severely dilapidated state, having been vacant for many years. The renovation exercise was completed with breathtaking speed, and with the financial support of the Ohel Leah Synagogue Trust, community members and other supporters, into state-of-the art premises. Including a 500-seat auditorium/ sports centre, an all weather astro-turf playing field, science labs, a visual arts centre, a music suite and library facility, which encompasses a dedicated resource centre for the Hong Kong Holocaust Tolerance Centre. Please login or register to see the full article |
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Chinese postgraduate students arrive in Israel |
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On 19 April, Sino-Israel Global Network and Academic Leadership (SIGNAL), welcomed three Chinese postgraduate students from the China University of Petroleum (CUP).  Beijing-based CUP is the top petroleum science and engineering-focused university and the single most influential energy university in the country. As part of an ongoing cooperation between SIGNAL and CUP that began in May 2012, the post-grads are spending almost a month researching about Israel, its history and its people.
They are being hosted by Ben Gurion University’s Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism at the University’s campus in Sde Boker. This cooperation heralds the beginning of a long term plan for ongoing China-Israel academic collaboration. The visit follows CUP professor Bai Yingqian’scompletion of SIGNAL’s full semester Israel Studies Program Faculty Training Seminar at Bar Ilan University. Like Professor Bai, the post grads were sent on the recommendation of the CUP administration that seeks to strengthen Israel-China ties. Please login or register to see the full article |
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Single Jewish girls heading to Hong Kong |
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A group of single Jewish girls will be visiting Hong Kong between 6-10 June as part of Australia’s j-junction introduction programme. They will be spending four days and nights socialising and sightseeing in Hong Kong, accompanied by Michelle Lewis, the Australian manager and chief matchmaker of j-junction. “Like any group ofswitched-on young women they will be doing their share of shopping,” Lewis says, “but they are making the trip especially to meet single Jewish men. By liaising with the local Jewish community in Hong Kong and their affiliates throughout Asia, there are several social events being organised to bring these people together.” In Australia, j-junction isthe leading community based matchmaking organisation, operating throughout the country. Please login or register to see the full article |
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Resident jailed for trading organ transplants |
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The Jerusalem District Court has sentenced Israeli resident Sami Shem Tov, 69, who was convicted on 13 charges of brokering organ transplants, to three years imprisonment.  Using connections in his workplace at the Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital, Shem Tov set up early medical examinations for his clients and donors and then sent them to the Philippines and Ecuador for the transplant procedure itself.
Shem Tov used to “cheat those involved and endanger them while taking advantage of their financial, mental and health concerns for money,” said the court ruling. In August 2010, Shem Tov was convicted of a series of organ trade charges for his activity between 2006 and 2010. Shem Tov had acted as a middleman between recipients and potential organ donors, who he found by posting newspaper ads. Taking advantage of their inexperience, Shem Tov kept donors in the dark as to the risks involved. For his services, Shem Tov illegally received large sums, giving only a fraction of it to the donors themselves. Last year, he pleaded guilty to charges of exploitation, attempted exploitation, fraudulently obtaining benefits and extortion, as part of a plea bargain. Please login or register to see the full article |
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