By Shira Deener, Head of School Here at JCDS, we strive to create a community where our students and families can show up as their complete selves with their own unique identities and life experiences. That is how we measure the strength of our community, and nowhere is that more clear than when we see … More School Sparks: Even the Worst of Times Brings the Best of Times
February 4, 2021. By Shira Deener, Head of School. The start of February marks the beginning of Black History Month, a time to highlight Black history and to reaffirm our commitment to include Black voices and narratives across all disciplines of study. This week, Kitat Arava (second grade) General Studies teacher, Naomi Greenfield, created a … More School Sparks: Black History is American History
January 28, 2021. By Shira Deener, Head of School. Woven through the books of Tanakh, in the telling of the stories of kings and prophets, and then out of the Biblical canon and into the Talmud, trees have always held powerful symbolism in Jewish text. From the Garden of Eden in בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית (Book of Genesis) … More School Sparks: Tu Bishvat
January 21, 2021. By Shira Deener, Head of School. Prayer is a rich Jewish tradition, marking the passing of each day and providing the rhythm and soundtrack to the Jewish year. Jewish tradition teaches that there are three foundational types of prayer: prayer of praise, prayer to show gratitude, and prayer to request that which … More School Sparks: Prayer
January 14, 2021. By Shira Deener, Head of School. In this challenging and complex moment in our world, we believe that it is our responsibility to help students make sense of current events in age-appropriate ways. Guiding students as they examine the issues that are at play in our national and international community has always … More School Sparks: Power
December 17, 2020. By Danielle Smith, fourth grade General Studies, and Inbal Elkayam, 4th grade Hebrew and Judaics. Kitat Alon (fourth grade) dives deep into t’fillah “Baruch she’amar”. Students discussed the meaning behind the t’fillah “Baruch she’amar,” the primary line translated as “G-d spoke and the world came into being.” In small groups, Alonim discussed … More School Sparks: How Can Our Own Words Create or Make Change?
December 10, 2020. By Shira Deener, Head of School. Chanukah conjures up fond memories of plump sufganiyot (jelly donuts) with raspberry jelly centers, crispy latkes dripping excess oil on thick piles of paper towels, and games of dreidel with my children that never seem to have an obvious endpoint. Where did this favorite holiday game originate? Our … More School Sparks: A Chanukah Message
Dear Friends and Fellow Parents,We hope you are well and that you and your kids are getting as much out of JCDS as our family is this fall. Some of you know us as Miriam’s (3rd grade) and Reuben’s (1st grade) parents. We are writing to ask you to reflect and act on what you … More A Message to Parents from Deb Gaffin and Richard Bennett
by Erin Lashway, Development Associate In this age of social distancing, JCDS has needed to be creative about the ways students can have fun and be active together. While the pandemic impacted signature experiences like the annual 8th grade New York trip, the current reality has given rise to new ways of building community. Thanks … More School Sparks: The Power of Ping-Pong
By Shira Deener, Head of School We began the day after the election gathered as a whole school community. This rare treat included both Babinyan and Mekuvan students on Zoom, sitting 6 feet apart, masked, but together as a community. The day after the election warranted pulling the brakes on our usual schedules. Given this moment … More School Sparks: The Day After
