A Shining Moment.

Yesterday, we had our Family Adventure day, and it was terrific. Thanks to so many people, including, but not limited to, Franci Levine-Grater, our Director of Development, Bill Cohen, our Head of School, and Jay Strear, our Vice President, Advancement, for making the day a wonderful one. We had many volunteers who made the day a success, too.

While we will look at the numbers from the event over the next day or two, the real benefit of this type of event is that people spend the day together enjoying and becoming part of, our community. Whether it was enjoying a massive volleyball game, flying on the zip line, or experiencing the foam cannon (the latter really should be rented for a Board meeting), people had a great time and felt part of a great community.

We have our challenges at Kadima, but for one brief shining moment, that was largely forgotten, as we came together and enjoyed a beautiful and wonderful day.

Why We Do This, continued.

This afternoon, I had the unique privilege of attending the Third Grade's presentation to Challenged Athletes Foundation, an organization that promotes athletics for physically challenged adults and children.

The third grade teacher, Ms. Oren, explained that the kids brought in recycled goods and raised approximately $50. They then decided to use this money to raise additional money for charity. So the kids ran a snack shack for three days, and sold a variety of snacks to the school community. They ultimately netted more than $868, which they then presented to a representative from CAF who visited the school. The CAF representative was a boy who, with the help of CAF, has completed triathlons notwithstanding having a prosthetic leg.

This is what Jewish education is about. The kids raised found a cause, raised money for it, and donated their proceeds to it. Prior to the ceremony, our school rabbi discussed with them the importance of doing good and repairing the world, and the kids demonstrated, through their answers and their deeds, that they understood this most fundamental of Jewish lessons.

Kudos to the Third Grade faculty, parents, and kids for their hard work to make the world a better place!

Shabbat Shalom.

Big News.

Last week, Bill Cohen, our Head of School, made two big announcements:

1. We've hired our new General Studies Principal, Kristi Combs. Ms. Combs hails from Tucson, Arizona, and will be moving, along with her husband and two children, to California during the summer. In announcing Kristi's hiring, Bill said:

Kristi is a master educator who has spent many years leading teams of General
Studies teachers in such areas as: Differentiated instruction, Understanding by Design, and cooperative learning. For three years, she served as the Director of Professional Development at a private school in Arizona, and she has a Master of Education in Curriculum Design and Instruction and a Bachelors of Science degree. Most importantly, Kristi is warm, engaging, and has been described as a "star" by those who have worked with her over the past decade.

In the brief time I met Kristi, she struck me as someone with tremendous energy who really understands pedagogy. She recognizes the importance of consistency, accountability and success in education, and will have a hugely beneficial impact to our school.

2. We've also hired our new Judaic Studies Principal, Michal Rozenberg-Yalovsky. In announcing Michal's appoint, Bill said:

Our new Hebrew and Judaic Studies Principal will be Michal
Rozenberg-Yalovsky. Michal grew up in Israel, and moved to Los
Angeles about a decade ago. For the last seven years, Michal has
served as Principal and Program Director at Congregation Or Ami in
Calabasas. During her tenure, Michal created a dynamic Hebrew and
Judaic Studies program which more than doubled in size. In addition,
Michal served as the program Director at Hadassim Junior High School
before moving to the US. Michal has received her Masters Degree in
Education from the American Jewish University, and she also earned a
Master of Arts in Cognitive Psychology from Tel Aviv University.
Michal loves technology, and looks forward to integrating Technology
into our Hebrew and Judaic Studies program. Michal, her husband, and
two children, recently moved to a new home in West Hills.

I'd add that Michal, who was raised in a secular Israeli family, but rediscovered Jewish life in America, possesses the skills to build upon Kadima's already excellent Judaic Studies program and maintain its strong connection to Israel. She is a great fit for our school and its program.

Both Michal and Kristi are tremendous additions to Kadima and we look forward to having them join our team this summer.

Family Adventure, again.

This is another reminder that we need our entire community to support the school by attending our 40th Anniversary Kick Off event on Sunday, May 23, 2010. It is going to be an excellent event and fun for everyone.

Please remember to purchase your tickets; it is a great to have fun and to support Kadima.

Foundations.

Earlier this week a group of us had a discussion about "why Jewish day school?" We often ask ourselves this on a regular basis because we recognize that we must have not only a good answer to this question, but a relevant one, so people will consider sending their kids to our school.

For me, it boils down largely to the fact that Jewish Day School is the best institution for providing a strong and deep foundation for Jewish learning. Having been taught Hebrew, having been taught that Judaism demands study, having been taught the foundations of Jewish thought, spirituality, observance, and tradition, the day school graduate can spend the rest of their lives--if they choose--pursuing a deep, intellectual, and educated commitment to Judaism far easier than someone who did not attend day school. This is not to say that a person who lacks an educational foundation of Judaism cannot live a committed, vibrant and meaningful Jewish life. After all, I didn't attend Jewish day school, and I like to think that I live a committed Jewish life. But it is to say that no matter how committed my Jewish life is, my lack of Hebrew, my gaps in foundational Jewish knowledge, all limit my ability to study Judaism. I could, of course, remedy those gaps, but it is far more difficult to do this as an adult than as a child.

There is, in the end, nothing that can provide the foundational and long lasting Jewish education as well as an effective Jewish day school. Supplemental school can't do it, Jewish camp can't do it, and membership a Jewish youth group can't do it. Each of these programs can do things that Jewish Day School may not, but they cannot provide the deep and rich Jewish education that only a day school can.

Learning About Blogs.

A reader just pointed out that a previous commenter had embedded a link that linked to, well, inappropriate sites. Comment moderation has been enabled, and hopefully that won't happen again.

And thanks to the person who pointed it out.

Right in Front of Us.

This morning a group of us met with a banker to discuss the school's long term finances. As part of our meeting, Bill Cohen, our Head of School, led us all on a tour of the school I never cease to be amazed just how wonderful the school looks, feels and is when I go on a tour of it.

Whether it is seeing the ECEC children--the wee ones--playing in the yard, or seeing Kindergarteners sitting a circle reading, or watching Middle Schoolers jam with their musical instruments in the music lab, what strikes is just how many good things are going on every moment at Kadima. The kids are happy and they are engaged. They are learning and are part of a community.

We really have a wonderful school and a terrific program. And it's all right in front of us.