A night of hope at our Foundation Circle Members’ Cocktail Party

Our Moriah Foundation Circle is growing, and we are so grateful.

Over 80 parents joined us for our annual Foundation Circle Cocktail Party with visiting guest speaker, Liz Hirsh Naftali to hear firsthand of her fight for the release of her great-niece, 3-year year-old Abigail, the youngest Israeli hostage brutally kidnapped on October 7th. We had a strong show of support from long-standing Circle Members, new families joining the Circle for the first time, and those who wanted to learn more.

What it means to live as a Jew
In welcoming our parents, Foundation President Judy Lowy OAM shared what is foremost on all our minds.

“It is unbelievable that as we gather here tonight, there are still 58 hostages in captivity, only 24 thought to be alive, and our heroic IDF are still continuing to defend our borders on multiple fronts.

Jewish people understand that to thrive as a people, we must not be victims, we must live as proud Jews.

We must invest in the Jewish education of our children, the next precious link in the chain of our Jewish people, ensuring they understand who they are, where they have come from, and what it means to live as a Jew. Being Jewish is not enough, we need to live our lives as Jews.

The Foundation exists to invest in our most precious assets – our children, and we could not do it without the support of our donors.”

Liz is the great-aunt of Abigail Mor Edan, the three-year-old who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7 from her Kfar Aza community and held hostage in Gaza for fifty-one days.

Liz was at the forefront of the international effort to bring her niece home and now travels around the world, sharing her deeply personal story now documented in her book “Saving Abigail” and continues the fight to free all the remaining hostages.

Wake up every day and ask, “what more can I do?”
Liz shared a powerful message of hope and determination. “There is hope. We need to be more resilient. Our leaders need to know the truth. I have one lens and it’s to how to bring home the hostages. We need to keep putting pressure on anyone we can. It has been 585 days and they need to come home. Humanity does not move forward until the hostages are home. Not enough has been done. Do more.” 

Celebrating the power and value of Moriah
Foundation Circle Co-Chair, Lauren Placks thanked our Circle Members for their huge impact.

“Let’s not underestimate what we can achieve together. Your support for the work of the Foundation helps make real, lasting change. You’re helping us dream bigger – for buildings that can inspire, for projects that spark curiosity, and for resources that support our children to thrive. Not only are we supporting this important new project to modernise our new High School, but we need to keep supporting our Moriah families who rely on the Foundation for bursaries and fee assistance.”

Year 8 student Tia shared a few words about how Moriah has shaped her deep sense of belonging and Jewish identity. “I feel so lucky to be part of a generation of Moriah students who are not just dreaming big, but being given the tools to bring those dreams to life. Thank you – for helping create a future where we can become the best versions of ourselves as students, as Jews, and as proud Australians.”

How do I become a Foundation Circle Member?
The Foundation Circle reached a record 112 member families in 2024, as so many parents stepped up to support the Rise Up Capital Appeal to fund the building of our new High School facilities!

Circle membership is open to all Moriah parents from ELC to Year 12 who support The Foundation with an annual, tax-deductible contribution starting at just $1,200 per year (or $100 per month). Currently, all Foundation Circle contributions are going towards our Capital Appeal or Bursary Program.