By Shira Deener, Head of School.
Last Saturday night, we had the joy of gathering in community for our annual fundraising and friend-raising gathering, A Taste of What Matters. This community celebration calls upon that which is central to JCDS – community, Ahavat Israel, joyful music, and connected relationships.
Jennifer Wallace, author of the book Never Enough, reminds us that amongst all the matterings that we worry about in school (and there are about a gazillion) is that we must always remember that our students are at the top of that very long list. When a child knows that they matter, they are secure in the knowledge that they have strong, meaningful connections within a loving family and a caring, connected community – that they are not alone. Mattering expresses the deep need we all have to feel seen, heard, cared for, and understood by those around us. It’s not a psychological term we are very familiar with, but it is perhaps one of the most significant contributing factors to a child’s sense of worth, self-esteem, belonging, and happiness – all conditions necessary for deep learning to take place.
JCDS is a shining light in the business of Mattering! You needn’t look too far and you’ll find evidence of this throughout the school all the time. It comes in the form of teachers noticing and celebrating the unique qualities of each of our students. Where else would an acceptable skit for our annual talent show include a second grader proudly showing off his skill of percolating a cup of coffee to a crowd of cheering onlookers? Or in what other gymnasium on planet Earth would you find a student Klezmer band proudly playing Am Yisrael Chai when a team member scores a basket? Have any of you witnessed our students, ages 5-14, standing in front of the entire school, announcing highlights from the week, debating elements of the weekly parsha, and performing solos? Where 4th graders proudly layn their newly learned trope at Kabbalat Shabbat in front of their schoolmates, teachers, and parents? And how totally JCDS it is, as it has been since the days we opened our doors, to see Nitzanim enwrapped in the arms of Middle Schoolers during all-school celebrations! Mathletes are celebrated equally as robustly as our athletes.
Children who grow up in this milieu know that they matter.
There is another example that I want to share with you – the words of a father of a post-October 7th displaced family after they returned to Israel from Boston and the JCDS community this past winter. He writes:
Then we got to JCDS.
It’s hard to explain in words the feeling we had from the first moment we arrived, and actually even before that. The school staff did everything so Mika, Gili, and Liv would feel comfortable and like every other student. We received studying equipment, food and bottles. The kids participated in class activities and made some friends. It was almost three weeks of priceless normality.
Thanks to the volunteers who accompanied us and thanks to all the school’s professional staff who surrounded us, gave us a feeling of warmth and security, and even gave me an office to continue working on my own.
This is a wonderful school, there is a strong and warm Jewish community here. Keep praying for the State of Israel.
At JCDS, with open hearts and open minds, we open worlds.
We have an indelible and strong culture of mattering. It may sound simple, but it takes tremendous commitment, caring, and relationship-building to ensure that our students experience this essential element of school.
Our dedicated teaching, administrative, and learning support staff are essential to each family’s experience and so we work hard at providing high-quality professional development and a culture of caring and support.
I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the joy and neshama of our school than with the soulful, uplifting music of Jacob’s Ladder. This unique band plays Bluegrass – a musical genre made up of a variety of musical traditions such as country music, blues, and jazz, and combines it with Jewish niggunim and prayer from both Ashkenazi and Sephardi influences, to form what is now known as “Jewgrass.” Using a potpourri of instruments such as mandolin, fiddle, violin, guitar, and bass, all these distinct musical traditions blend together to make beautiful harmonies and uplifting music.
Jacob’s Ladder’s music is a perfect metaphor for the pluralistic community of JCDS, where all of our different notes and styles and beliefs merge into one challenging but beautiful tapestry of deep learning and community building – where together we are continuously creating new songs to add to our rich, vibrant, and resilient Jewish tradition.
If you weren’t able to join us last week, there are many more opportunities to experience JCDS. We hope that you will save the date for next year’s celebration on Saturday, March 8, 2025. We can’t wait to celebrate our special community with you in the year ahead!
טעימה ממה שחשוב באמת
A Taste of What Matters
Music | Food | Community
View a preview of the event photos by Allegro Photography
and check out the event website HERE.
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