What a wonderful opening to the school year! Our students gathered as they do each year to participate in an all-school havdalah service and to view the welcome back video in which our faculty was introduced. Later in the day, I witnessed one of my favorite moments of the year… The gan (kindergarten) classes gathered to meet their older buddies, the eighth graders. Before the buddies arrived, the teachers asked the children to share what they know about big buddies. Our newest students quickly figured out that they were older students that would be able to help them. Some younger siblings knew that they would be eighth graders. One of the children said that we chose eighth graders because they are responsible. The adults in the room smiled at each other while the teacher answered, “you are right, sometimes they ARE responsible.”
It is always amazing to me to see how our students transform as they enter into eighth grade. As I watched them engaging with their new kindergarten buddies, presenting them with their first Yavneh Kippah and engaging them in conversation, it was hard to believe that this was the same group that finished seventh grade last year. There was genuine love in the room, and I know that a tear will come to my eye at graduation this year, as this group of Gan students presents these graduates with their final Yavneh kippah and sing them a song to wish them a good journey. This is the basis of our children’s community. It is what I observed on the playground today, as older and younger students were so genuinely happy to play together. And our school community extends beyond the students. Many families are well connected and support one another. Let’s continue to build our community by reaching out to new families and families that we don’t already know and get to know one another. As our school song states: “We’re a Yavneh family!” Shabbat Shalom -Zvi
