Visit to the Blue Mountains

The Three Sisters Legend

The Aboriginal dream-time legend has it that three sisters, 'Meehni', 'Wimlah' and 'Gunnedoo' lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe.

These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe yet tribal law forbade them to marry.

The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters causing a major tribal battle.

As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witchdoctor from the Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the battle was over, the witchdoctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to come.

Week 4 Schedule - St. George/Sutherland

Sunday Nov. 7 - Free day and transfer from Illawara


Monday Nov. 8-Tour of The Blue Mountains followed by a presentation to the Rotary Club of Hurstville and St. George area clubs.

Tues. Nov. 9-St. George/Sutherland Hospital and Central Network Mental Health Services

Wed. Nov. 10-Katie to spend the day with the local Police in training. The rest of the group to meet with like minded professionals. In the evening a presentation to the Rotary club of Sutherland and local area clubs

Thurs. Nov. 11- Attend Sheffield Shield Cricket game at Sydney Cricket Grounds

Friday Nov. 12- Boat cruise on Port Hacking followed by a dinner at PDG Peter Williams's home.

Sat. Nov. 13- Possible free day for last minute sites not previously visited

Sun. Nov. 14 - Free morning followed by a farewell lunch at Danny's Seafood Restaurant

Mon. Nov. 15- Visit to Minerva School

Tues. Nov. 16 - Pack .....and transfer to airport

A visit to Symbio Animal Park

Week in Wollongong....."the Gong"

Hi Everyone!

We are in the beautiful Illawarra region this week for another busy vocational week. This region has beautiful beaches and mountain views.

Last night the Team had a full presentation at a joint Rotary meeting hosted by the West Wollongong Rotary Club.

Archive - Thursday October 21st.

On Thursday October 21st, Marshall thought he would try to break the record for most vocational sites visited by one VTT member in one day. With the help of Rabbi Mendel Kastel, he did.
Between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm, he was at 7 - yes 7 different sites: Jewish House, Jewish Care, Reddam House (a school), Moriah College, Sydney Clinic (a treatment centre for adults with Mood Disorder and/or Borderline Personality Disorder), Kesser Torah College and the Rabbinec Council of New South Wales.
In between everything, he was interviewed by the Australian Jewish News.
The scary thing is, that was just a typical day for the Rabbi! He is a dynamo of energy, with his finger in just about every Jewish pie in Sydney and yet throught it all he maintains an inner calm which radiates to everyone he helps. The various hats he wears (in addition to the "kippah" or religious skullcap) include: hospital chaplain (visiting the sick), advocate for housing and financial assistance for the mentally ill, crisis counsellor, manager of a mental health service agency and Rabbi of a congregation.
In the middle of the day, he received a call from the Israeli Embassy. An acutely disturbed youth had just arrived from Israel and needed to be urgently assessed, or else he would be deported. The Rabbi arranged it.
By the end of the day, Marshall was thanking God- and the Rabbi- that there were no more places to go....He learned that the problems of mental health in Jewish youth in Sydney are not much different to those in Toronto, and good ideas about how to bridge cultural divides were mutally shared. Perhaps the only difference was the exchange rate- one Rabbi Kostel is worth about 10 Rabbis anywhere else.

Week 3 Schedule

Wow! We can't believe it is week 3 already. The time is flying by and our schedule keeps us very busy...as a "mature" team we need our beauty sleep and fall into our beds at the end of the day.
Here is our schedule for this week in the Illawara area:
Saturday Oct. 30 -Rest night in the Boat Harbour Motel

Sunday Oct. 31- Transfer to our new Host Families

Monday Nov. 1- Hosted by the Kiama Rotary Club. Tour the Kiama region with a visit to Triplecare Farm a voluntary residential alcohol and drug rehab facility
Evening meeting of the Kiama Rotary Club with Team presentation

Tuesday Nov. 2-Meet with Southern Network Mental Health Group at Wollongong Hospital

Wednesday Nov. 3-Tour of Mental Health Services at Shellharbour Hospital.
Valarie to Tour Global Coffee Headquarters and local cafes.
Evening joint Rotary meeting with full presentation by Team

Thursday Nov. 4-Hosted by the Corrimal Rotary club. Tour of Seacliff Bridge and Bald Hill followed by a trip to Symbio Animal Park

Friday Nov. 5 -Presentation to the Illawara Sunrise Rotary club followed by a tour of the Southern Highlands and possible winery tour. Hosted by the Illawara Rotary Club.

Saturday Nov. 6- Visit Viva La Gong Festival (Wollongong is known as "the Gong" and this is a local festival.

Our hosts in the Illawara area continue to show us true Australian Hospitality and we are very welcome.

Farewell dinner - Ingleburn Rotary Club Hosts