WHAT I'VE LEARNT

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A father of two small Nimrod children aged 4 and 7, Nimrod lives in Israel he is a Major reservist in the IDF. On 7 October at approximately 6am he received a phone call from his Commander to immediately drive to Jerusalem and collect his uniform and weapons, as they had heard murmurs that something was happening but unsure what exactly. Unaware of the gravity of what was unfolding during the 30 minute drive, Nimrod kept receiving messages that something was happening in the South. He demanded to his Commander that instead of going to Jerusalem he would divert to the South towards the Gaza border and see what he could do to help. Against his Commander’s demands, he drove south – armed only with a small pistol, to volunteer to see what he could do to help.  

It was during this hour drive that along the highway towards the Gaza border he saw the takeover that Hamas had created, and saw a dead Israeli soldier on the road, so he took his machine gun and kept on travelling – all against his Commander’s orders, now he thought that it could be a fair fight, and he was willing to take on the terrorists.  

As he headed towards the Kibbutz he knew that his life was in danger and this could result in his own death. He stopped driving, pulled over to stand under a tree, took out his phone and recorded a short video to send to his kids to say goodbye. When he finished he continued along the road he witnessed hundreds of dead bodies splayed all over the road, some were slaughtered, mutilated, raped, some where children, women and innocent civilians, together with other Soldiers they engaged in a battle with 30 Hamas terrorists who were on their way to enter Kibbutz Alumim and on the bodies of the terrorists they found very clear instructions as to what to do in the civilians in the Kibbutz which included murder, rape, behead, kidnap men, women and children. By taking on these terrorists, Nimrod predicts that a further approximately 500 lives were saved.  

While he walked through the Kibbutz to help save the families who had been hiding in their safe room for over 18 hours, he witnessed and filmed what he can only describe as reminiscent of the vision from the Holocaust.

He has shared his story internationally here are some clips. Here are some examples:

1. Fox News, 2. ABC News UK, 3. CBN News, 4. Sky News, 5. The Australian, 6. The Jerusalem Post  

Here is some of the footage he shot on October 7 – including the video he took to say goodbye to his kids before he went into combat.

Nimrod has spent the last two months in battle, but his Commander insisted he takes 2 weeks of rest before he goes back into combat next week, but he insisted on travelling the world to tell his story and to help fight anti-Semitism. He has just returned from Berlin, London, Sydney and Melbourne where he addressed over 1500 people including government officials. Now's he's back, ready to go back into combat, and would like to share his story with you and your audience.

Nimrod can share what he is doing as part of his NGO that he started called ISRAEL-is – a social and educational program to stop anti-Semitism globally and educate the world about Israel. He is launching a new program that is interactive called Be The Witness, a VR program allowing people to be part of the atrocities of October 7, and experience it for themselves through the lense of education.

Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/

Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk

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URGENT: U.S. Citizen taken hostage to Gaza in dire medical need. (Updated Wed Oct 13, 8am IST) 

Hersh Goldberg-Polin was wounded and violently abducted at the Nova Music Festival in Southern Israel on October 7 by Gazan terrorists. He needs urgent medical attention.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin was among the thousands of young people attacked by terrorists from Gaza at the Nova Music Festival near Kibbutz Reim in Southern Israel.

Eyewitness accounts confirm that Hersh was taken hostage along with several others around 9:00 am Saturday morning by the armed terrorists, after his arm was blown off. He and the other hostages were forced onto a pick-up truck and believed to be taken from Israel into Gaza. He is in need of urgent medical attention.

Hersh moved to Jerusalem at age 7 with his parents, Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, and his two sisters, Leebie and Orly. He is an avid soccer fan – championing the Hapoel Jerusalem team, loves to travel and attend music festivals.

Hersh travels to the US annually to visit his grandparents and family. His parents, both Chicago natives, instilled in him a love of American sports and culture. He was able to recite every US president by the age of seven.

At 8:11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct.7, 2023, Hersh messaged his parents “I love you,” and then, “I’m sorry.” That was his final communication.

We are hopeful that he is alive and can be located. We just want him returned home safely, along with all other hostages.

Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/

Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk

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Josh Piterman

In 2023 Josh Piterman  returned to the stage in London to star as Jean Valjean in the West End production of Les Misérables. His West End debut, actually came as he took on the most coveted role as The Phantom in the brilliant original production of The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s theatre in 2019, a role he was delighted to reprise in 2022 in the Opera Australia production both at the Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne.

Josh is a superlative musical theatre performer and classical crossover artist who has been working consistently on Australian and UK stages for more than 15 years. His past credits include being a part of international pop opera group The Ten Tenors, Tony in the 2010 Australian production of West Side Story, Bustopher Jones/Gus/Growltiger in the 2015/16 Australian season of Cats (a role that won him the Green Room Award for best supporting actor in a Musical), Corny Collins in the UK tour of Hairspray and Gerry Goffin in the 2017/18 Australian tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. 

The initial, 12 month COVID deferral of the 2021 Phantom of the Opera season allowed Josh to perform at a staggering array of events including; Performance of a Lifetime with the MSO at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the Australia Day Live Concert outside the Sydney Opera House, the National Anthem at the MCG Boxing Day Test, and he wowed audiences with his performance of Music of the Night at The Australian Open Tennis Finals. Josh also performed numerous solo concerts, events and fundraisers in just about every Australian state in that time.

Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/

Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330

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TinyIvy 

Lamek Odero Program leader for sun books Kenya and Mary Rosenzweig from Tiny Ivy here to discuss their collaboration with the World Literacy Foundation 

As the literacy crisis is universal the World literacy Foundation joins forces with Tiny Ivy and Sun Books in Kenya to unite in educating those less fortunate 

The key is to share resources to assist in tackling the illiteracy epidemic which is endemic globally 

The collaboration between TinyIvy and World Literacy Foundation, Example developing courntry which is Kenya and how this collaboration is making significant impact  Unique aspect TinyIvy, technology is use to improve literacy rates. 

* 3billion people do not have internet connection to technology.

Schools in Kenya and his region don't have internet, electricity It is incredible how young people love, 30 years ago to be introduced the program and  it is so effective,  kid love it  

Lameck is putting together the results of regular assessments, and he says that all the schools using TIPS® are showing remarkable improvement, so that's exciting! The commitment of the teachers in Africa is awesome. They are truly dedicated to improving the quality of education for their students. A KenyaConnect school in Wamunyu is beginning their summer program using TIPS in the next few weeks, and that will be an important program to watch. All great things to share.

 
Christmas time is approaching and invite listeners to support Lameck project by visiting our website  https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/

I’m thrilled to have Program leader of Sun books Kenya and Mary Silversweig  from Tiny Ivy here to discuss their collaboration with the World Literacy Foundation .

Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/

Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk

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As the Middle East war rages and innocents on both sides are caught in an unspeakable tragedy  I’m grateful to speak to a beautiful family who have been utterly devastated by the Oct 7 horrors. 

A Father's agony: it’s so Heartbreaking 

On Saturday morning, Yoni Asher was sent a photo of his two young daughters playing in a family safe room before losing contact with his wife; He later found a video showing they had been taken to Gaza, turning his life into a nightmare; ‘We've had no new information about them since’

My wife and the girls, four-and-a-half-year-old Raz and two-and-a-half-year-old Aviv, went to visit Doron's mother and her partner at Kibbutz Nir Oz for the celebration of Simchat Torah. I didn't go with them,” he said.

After losing contact with her and receiving no response to his calls, Asher located his wife's phone at 11:30am, discovering she was in the Gaza Strip’s Khan Yunis.

He subsequently found a video on Telegram showing the terrorists loading Doron and the girls onto a cart, covering Doron's hair and taking them into Gaza. "Since then, we've had no new information about them," he says in pain. 

Ravid Katz, 51, was also taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, when they attacked Kibbutz Nir Oz where Katz lives with his family and other relatives.

On that Saturday, Ravid made sure his wife and four-month-old baby were safe with neighbors in their sealed room and went to fight the terrorists with the kibbutz security team.

Ravid’s wife and baby survived the assault, after hiding for hours.

His mother, Efrat Katz, 70, was killed and her partner, Gadi Moshe Mozes, is also captive in Gaza.

 Ravid’s sister Doron Katz Asher and her two daughters were taken hostage separately.

The family was unable to locate any sign of Ravid for many days, but received word that he is in Gaza.

 Our common humanity and the story of the hostages pervades the global consciousness — you feel the ache of it in every conversation. Shops and restaurants may be open, but there’s little enjoyment to be had knowing that there’s a young Israeli woman who gave birth in Hamas captivity.

Colonel Elad Goren told me he hasn’t had a good day in the job since the war, not while he walks past posters of the missing in the middle of Tel Aviv everyday. 

There are yellow these ribbons are for them. They’ll fly in the wind until they’re returned.

Guy, is the cousin of Ravid Katz and Doron Asher Katz

Guy speaks about the trauma his family has faced how they’re coping more than a month later 

Firstly let me say hearts all over the world are aching for your family we are all with you 

So welcome to the WhatIveLearntPodcast a special edition shining light on this tragedy 

It is with our shared humanity that we shine the light and hope to help bring them home now 

Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/

Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330

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A Brilliant Life book by Rachelle Unreich

I’ve known Rachelle as a fellow journalist for many years sometimes working together and I’ve always respected and admired her - so as she embarks on this very personal story I’m thrilled to have her join me on the WhatIveLearntPodcast podcast 

In her new book “A Brilliant Life” Journalist Rachelle Unreich interviewed her mother Mira—a Holocaust survivor—in her final months of terminal cancer, and discovered stories of human goodness and love, which would impact her own life for the better.

• Mira’s incredible survival through WWII and the Holocaust is because of ‘human goodness’. Mira used to say that in the Holocaust ‘I learned about the goodness of people.’ Her survival is due to people of all races, religions, ages, and circumstances helping her live to the next day. It’s a lesson Rachelle holds dear.

• The historical background: In the late hours of 30 April 1945, Mira

Blumenstock was liberated and the camp gates opened. It was also her 18th birthday. She’d survived four death camps, including Auschwitz, and a death march. But there was a mystery to Mira’s survival. Seventy years would pass. A life lived joyfully in France and Australia would start to wind down. After Mira was diagnosed with cancer, her daughter, Rachelle, a journalist, would interview her to distract Mira from her illness. What she discovered about her mother is astonishing.

• The incredible bond of mothers and daughters: This story traces both Mira’s relationship with her mother Genya as well as Rachelle’s with Mira. Genya guided Mira through the Holocaust, while Mira helped Rachelle through tough experiences like a near-death motor accident. It reminds us that one of the most powerful forces of the universe is a mother’s love.

• The mysterious ways of the universe: All her life, strange, inexplicable, mysterious occurrences took place around Mira and her family. A Brilliant Life looks at the role that fate, destiny and chance plays in one’s life.

• Caring for a parent at the end of their life: Rachelle explores the inverse relationship of a mother and child

at the end of life when the child becomes the carer.

• Rachelle was bereft after Mira’s passing. During the Melbourne lockdown, her job

opportunities look dwindling, and feeling unsure she would ever write a book - Rachelle began to write Mira's story in what would become A Brilliant Life.

• The weight on the next generation of Holocaust survivors: Australia has the highest number of

Holocaust survivors per capita outside of Israel. 

So 

With the world spinning on its axis and  antisemitism on the rise again, weaving Holocaust stories into our present is so important for many among Rachelle’s generation. So many echoes of the past have been heard within the present, and it's more important than ever that we learn from history. 

Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/

Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330

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Afghanistan World Literacy Foundation youth ambassador 

 About N. (Maryam)

She is a young leader from Afghanistan. I have a working background as Senior Human Rights & Gender Officer with the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) in north east region. She worked there until mid July 2022. When working with SCA, she had the chance to connect with students and teachers in rural areas of north eastern of the country, including students with disabilities. Throughout my work, I realized how education affects the life of individuals and communities; in culture, social behavior, domestic violence, and families’ economic situation. Especially the vulnerable people such as young girls, minorities, and people with disabilities. Even medium educated communities' cultures and behaviors are far different from the low educated and uneducated communities. Communities with medium or high number of children (girls, boys) at school are more open, looking happier, and have moderate religious thoughts rather than low educated communities. You can find lower types of hard traditional practices such as, forces marriage and early marriages in those communities too. I observed it and felt it when field visiting different parts of the country.

I have a bachelor in economics with a first class honors degree (2015- 2018). I had the honor of offering a free English course to the young girls and boys who had passion in learning the English language when I was a student at university.

Beside my work at SCA, I established my own coffee shop in 2020 in my city Taloqan, Takhar, which had a small library for children and adults. (the books were collected by a voluntary campaign). 

BBC made a report about her coffee shop which you can find its link here: https://youtu.be/J0IrPA97EKY.

I enjoy loving history books and novels. I love Persian poetry. I sometimes write my daily life too. I really love to write a book someday. 

As the world spirals the value of literacy education and words is poignant 

Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/

Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330

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Hi, Welcome to the What I’ve Learnt podcast

From food to fashion and art to music we’ve got you covered. We wanted to highlight some amazing moments of the podcast from July to September.

This Episode Features

Kevin Murphy Is recognized as one of the world's most respected and sought-after session hairstylists and the owner and creator of KEVIN.MURPHY hair products, Kevin has been at the forefront of fashion, runway, editorial and film for decades within Australia and internationally.

David McAllister AC former principal dancer and former artistic director of the Australian Ballet has launched his second book “Ballet Confidential: A Personal Behind-The-Scenes Guide, in a powerful overview of one of the performing arts' most alluring and mysterious, physically demanding and mentally rigorous art forms. 

Donna Lyon is a Film Producer and founder of Left Write Hook , The program provides survivors of sexual assault a space to release their memories, reclaim their bodies and imagine new lives for themselves. 

Documentary Left Write Hook follows eight female survivors of childhood sexual abuse who participate in a 2-year experimental recovery program that combines the physicality of boxing with the emotional power of expressive writing. 

Through powerful participatory filmmaking, unprecedented access, and full engagement with all of those involved, this feature-length documentary captures an amazing journey of recovery, transformation, and friendship.

Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/

Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330

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Trent Dalton 

Author 

Record-breaking, award-winning and bestselling author Trent Dalton returns with a big-hearted, gritty, magical and moving new novel, Lola in the Mirror.

A girl and her mother are on the lam. They’ve been running for sixteen years, from police and the monster they left in their kitchen with a knife in his throat. 

They’ve found themselves a home inside an orange 1987 Toyota HiAce van with four flat tyres parked in a scrapyard by the edge of the Brisbane River.

Lola in the Mirror is a big, blackly funny, violent, heartbreaking and beautiful novel of love, fate, life and death, and all the things we see when we look in the mirror.

TRENT DALTON ON LOLA IN THE MIRROR AND WHY HE WROTE IT:

‘There is this incredibly personal and intimate and sometimes terrifying thing that each one of us does every day ... I’m talking about looking into the mirror. That deeply confronting moment when it’s all quiet and still and you look deep inside yourself and see all your irretrievable past, all of your tricky present and all your possible futures. I wanted to write a book that felt like that.

It’s an extremely current story about a country neck-deep in a national housing crisis. It’s the story of my city, Brisbane, in the lead-up to hosting an Olympic Games in a state where homelessness has risen by three times the national average. It’s the story of the seventeen years I spent writing social affairs journalism across this country. 

Trent Dalton is a dual Walkley Award winning journalist, who also happens to be an exquisite novelist. 2018's Boy Swallows Universe took out the awards season – and the hearts of readers – All Our Shimmering Skies has been hugely successful as has Love Stories an ode to love 

“This latest book Lola in The Mirror is filled with stories told to me by people sleeping rough across my city, the people living in the nooks and the crannies and the cracks of life. It’s the product of sitting on a street corner for three months, watching people and asking them about love and loss and belonging – my book Love Stories was in fact a research project for this new novel. Lola in the Mirror is a love story, first. But it’s also a story of art, crime, mystery and, most of all, life.’

 His books have sold over 1.2 million copies in Australia alone. Boy Swallows Universe has been adapted to a smash-hit theatrical production..soon to be a series .. more on that later 

Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/

Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330

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Beyond words, the Literacy Podcast aims to bring together experts and change-makers to discuss crucial issues in creating a literate world, such as access, equity, and the role of technology in learning.

 Guests will offer valuable perspectives on how to ensure high-quality literacy education for all.

This episode features

 Yasmine Sherif, the Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW) – the United Nation’s global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises – she is spearheading a global movement that delivers education to those left furthest behind in crisis settings.


Julia Kay, the Co-founders of Great Wrap, are reimagining today's materials to solve tomorrow's problems.

Their former careers in winemaking and architecture, respectively, led them  to Great Wrap when they recognised the sheer impact plastic waste was having on the land. There was a materials revolution around us, and everything was changing rapidly — yet plastic stayed the same. 

Benjamin Snyers and Stefan Hougaerts are co founders of My Name Is Ink a philanthropic initiative that will redistribute 100% of the profits to the World Literacy Foundation fighting illiteracy around the world.

 As a collective of creatives, we strongly believe that reading and writing are essential tools for human beings to better themselves and realize their true potential. Our ambition is to create a world where the access to reading and writing is not a privilege but a fundamental right.

The project will visually represent your contribution and thank you for bringing awareness to literacy by creating an image of your sentence, a piece of art for you to own, that certifies your participation in the experience and links you to the community of My Name Is Ink. Choose your words wisely as they will influence the whole story and represent the part you played in this amazing experience.

Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/

Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk

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