Head of School Blog

Dear CJDS Community,

With Thanksgiving around the corner, it is natural to consider what we appreciate in our lives. A recent study from Harvard University uncovered that demonstrating gratitude can actually make you feel happier!

At CJDS we always think about what we can do better, how we can aim higher, and contribute to the world. After reading about this research on practicing gratitude, I am inspired to list ways in which we are grateful: ...

Dear CJDS Community,

It is always a thoughtful process when we choose a theme each year. We ask ourselves, will it catch on? How much will it integrate with all that we do at CJDS? So far this year, we've seen our theme V’ahavta L’areycha Kamocha

(love your neighbor as yourself) resonating quite nicely. Rabbi Akiva, who believed this to be the most important mitzvah of the Torah, experienced the power of love through his relationship with his wife, Rachel. Rabbi Akiva was a shepherd who became a renown Torah scholar late in life thanks to Rachel's support. After many years, Akiva returned home to his wife. When he arrived, Rabbi Akiva’s students surrounded him and blocked Rachel’s access to Akiva. Rabbi Akiva stopped all his students in that moment and chastised them: “Don’t you know this is my wife! Everything I have is due to her and everything you have is due to her...”

I want to share an experience I had at CJDS. The story of this experience, though, began at the beginning of the week on a Monday. Every year I like to teach a mini unit to our Grade 8 students, which gives me an opportunity to teach and learn with them before they graduate. This year, we explored a mini unit about Israel and read chapters from a book entitled Letters to my Palestinian Neighbor by Yossi Klein Halevi. Yossi, who is a well known journalist, writer, and thought leader, made Aliyah from New York many years ago, served in the Israeli army and currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. After reading and discussing the chapters in his book and some of the big ideas presented, we arranged a Skype call with him and our students. Students engaged in an exploration of Zionism and the creation of the modern State of Israel. They asked questions about what inspired him to write the book and if his own Judaism was challenged by what he experienced visiting Palestinian communities, as well as if he thought Judaism was a right or a responsibility. I was very proud of the engagement level of our students and was equally impressed with Yossi's ability to relate to our students. If you know a CJDS Grade 8 student or if one is a member of your family, please ask them to share their reflections.

While I was sitting with our students during the call, I looked around the room and realized that I've known most of them since Junior Kindergarten or Kindergarten. It sunk in just how quickly the years have gone by, and I couldn’t help but think about how much poise they had asking the questions and responding to ones from Yossi. They seemed so ready to go to high school...

From time to time we share areas of ongoing professional development and new ways of thinking in education with you. Last year we started an educational process with our teachers to learn about changing attitudes, perspectives and adaptive language regarding gender orientation.

As a multi-denominational Jewish Day School, we acknowledge Jews with many different backgrounds, practices, and beliefs. This embrace of diversity has always extended beyond the Jewish lens and into the lives of our students and families. CJDS is a self-reflective community, committed to the mindset of growth and development, as individuals and as a team. In the last few years, it has become increasingly evident that a generation that sees the world with self-identity and gender identity in non-binary terms continues to emerge even in the elementary and early childhood years.

We began our journey of learning in this realm with a professional development workshop led by Rabbi D’ror Chankin-Gould from Anshe Emet Synagogue, who worked with our faculty and staff on inclusion, not just from a Jewish perspective but in all areas of learning and identity. As a result of that workshop, and in collaboration with the Response Center, we adapted inclusive language for all genders, both in and out of our classrooms....

Dear CJDS Community, 

As we welcome in the first Shabbat in March, our Grade Eight students are returning from their amazing trip to Israel. “Tzaytchem L’shalom U’ Voachem L’shalom” – Our students went in peace, and our students are coming home in peace. These words are traditionally offered to travelers who are going on a trip to Israel.

Why do we use that language? After all if family or friends were travelling to Italy, we might say, “Travel safe” and recite the traveler’s prayer, we might say, “Have a great time,” or we might say, “I wish I was going with you, but go in peace and come back in peace” giving the traveler a clue that this place, this vacation, this trip will be different from all other trips. “Ma nishtana” . . . . what makes this trip so different?

The language of the salutation conveys an underlying message that throughout the trip, the place you are going, you may see some unrest, that peace isn’t a given, it’s something to wish for, something for which to hope and pray....