October 26, 2023

Dear Students and Families,

This past Sunday, we had our first Open House of the year. It was magical! Families started the day learning about our guiding principles and dynamic academic program from Dr. Daisy Pellant and Dr. Roy Danovitch, before choosing between a panel of Kehillah parents or a session on Kehillah’s college counseling. 

Perhaps the highlight of the event were the model lessons taught by our world-class faculty, including:

• Why do Bugs Have Six Legs? Size & Scaling in Physics by Tony Grabowski
• The Blended Family of Abraham: Nurturing Interfaith Understanding by Moshe Goodman
• Roll the Dice: Statistics in Action by Dr. Erin Bennet and Jeff Holcomb
• Are you Civilized? By Rich Nybakken
• Levels of Thinking & Analysis in Literature by Dale Pagano
• Do This! Commands in Hebrew & Spanish by Ronit Balal and Teresa Fradejas

I heard from many prospective families throughout the event and afterward that the model lessons were fantastic and demonstrated the inspiring teaching and learning environment at Kehillah.

Throughout the Open House, prospective families also toured our campus, watched experiments in our science labs, visited academic departments, and, most deliciously, ate ice cream. Originally founded by two Kehillah alumni, Hometown Creamery shared its frozen delights with our Open House attendants, offering four scrumptious flavors: Schwarzwälder Eis, Madagascar Vanilla, Chocolate Sorbet, and, most popularly, Pumpkin Cheesecake. 

The Open House ended with a student panel led by Dean of Students, Meg Miraglia, in which senior Shaan Kapoor remarked, “Kehillah students love Kehillah even more than Kehillah loves its students.” Such a statement is emblematic of the positive energy and sense of community we all felt this past Sunday.

If you know of prospective families who are interested in learning more about Kehillah, please invite them to go to Ravenna and add Kehillah to their dashboard or to reach out to me directly at [email protected]. 

Go Rams!

Sincerely,

Dr. Dave Weiner

Director of Admissions & Enrollment Management

Updates and Announcements

Safety Announcement

As you exit the Kehillah parking lot, please be aware of pedestrians crossing the street to the OFJCC. No incidents have occurred but we want to ensure the safety of all students, faculty, and staff.

When coming to campus to pick up your child, please DO NOT TURN LEFT into the parking lot.

Important Events & Dates

Wednesday, November 1, 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Congregation Beth Am

Our very own Dr. Daisy Pellant is presenting “Brainy Parenting,” which will examine how the latest neuroscience and cognitive science research may inform parenting practices All are welcome! If you are not a member of Beth Am, please RSVP ([email protected]) so we know how many to expect.

Friday, November 3, 8:15-9:30 a.m.

Come hear Kaylin Liang and Jordana Bischoff, our very own College Counselors, speak about the college process and how they support students.

Friday, November 3, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Still Light Photography will be on campus for retakes for students and staff who were unable to attend the original Picture Day or are seeking photo retakes. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Karla Chouhan at [email protected]. All staff and students are expected to have their photos taken.

Sunday, November 5

We are delighted to be a Community Sponsor of this year's Z3 Conference. Hosted by the OFJCC, the mission of Z3 is to provide a unique opportunity for people from all backgrounds to come together and contribute to the shaping of a stronger bond between the global Jewish community and Israel. Please consider attending and standing together with our community.

Thursday, November 16

Resources

Please read this letter from Sarah Lesser, Kehillah’s School Counselor, on resources to support wellness and mindfulness in response to the war.