Karen Davids

Awards for 2017: Community Service & Citizenship and Rabbi Brian Fox Scholarship

Year entered Emanuel: 2005 ATAR: 96.15

Emanuel School has taught me to pursue my true passions and in the process, motivate others to do the same.

Karen is a positive student who is always ready for a challenge. She is passionate about tikkun olam and would like to be remembered by fellow students and teachers as “an inspiring student who motivated others to take positive and meaningful action for social justice and the environment”. The School’s Israel program, Chavayah, was a highlight of Karen’s time at Emanuel and she feels that the experience helped to strengthen her connections with Israel.

Karen believes that her teachers would describe her as being determined and that she makes a continuous effort to strive for positive global change. Her personal motto “The activist is not the person who says the river is dirty. The activist is the person who cleans up the river,” supports this passion. She is particularly proud of her time as Environment Madricha as it provided her with the opportunity to help her fellow students to reflect on how they too can make a difference through social and environmental action and education.

Karen’s cohort admires and supports her views. A fellow student said: “Karen is someone whose enthusiasm and drive to heal the world are admirable.” She co-ordinated the viewing of a social and environmental documentary, Cowspiracy, which was very well supported by the Emanuel community. Karen is hoping to be accepted for an internship at an environmental organisation in 2018.