Mya Esfandiary (Bachelor of Nursing), Cherie Howard (Diploma of Nursing) and Esha McCarthy (Diploma of Nursing), received the awards at a special dinner last week.

They were presented by Bachrach Naumburger Group Managing Director Rodney Naumburger and co-owner Nurit Bachrach, who are the children of company founders Max Naumburger and Hans Bachrach.

At the dinner, Bachrach Naumburger Group General Manager Steve Gooley said how proud the company was to announce the inaugural scholarships.

He spoke of Max’ and Hans’ early days, escaping Nazi Germany as 16-year-olds in 1938, making their way to England and then eventually traveling by sea on the ship Dunera to land in Australia.

Neither saw their families again.

Upon their arrival they were interned at Hay as prisoners of war and picked fruit at orchards in Hay, Shepparton, and Orange.

Later, they went into partnership and started making toys, rat traps and then started a successful costume jewellery business.

Max went to Sydney and Hans went to Melbourne.

“While travelling up and down the coast, Max stopped at Coffs Harbour one time,” Mr Gooley said.

“He would say that between Sydney and the Gold Coast there were 12 punts to cross waterways and rivers, and it would take him three to four days to drive.

“[So] it was here in the late 50’s that a real estate business started.

“Both men were leaders in their Jewish communities, and both dedicated a lot of their time and money to the promotion of education.

“Max was a founder of the Moriah College in Sydney. Hans would regularly fly educators and guest speakers from around the world to his schools and universities in Melbourne.

“These scholarships have gone through a rigorous criterion.

“I am sure that both men would be very proud to be assisting young ambitious people who want to further their education and who have chosen a career in caring for others.”

By Mike HELY