Ma Koreh   /What’s Happening?

Weekly CJDS Newsletter

Greetings!

One of the favorite parts of my job is showing people our school who are seeing the school for the first time. As I walk the halls and the grounds of CJDS with them, I get to see the school anew through the eyes of these visitors. And I fall in love all over again.

We start in the lobby where we can look through to the butterfly garden, the revitalized pond and to the beautiful sculpture of “Leap” by Alfred Tibor basking in the dappled sunlight. In the garden we see evidence of student connection to the bigger world around them. The bird feeders that are lovingly filled by the Kindergarteners, the tea garden that is tended to by the 3rd Graders and then harvested and dried to be shared with our community, and the compost bin where our students live the ideals that we teach towards environmental and food sustainability. 

Pictured below: "Leap" a sculpture made out of marble and bronze, created by Holocaust survivor and sculptor Alfred Tibor. Leap was donated to the school last year during the Annual CJDS Butterfly Release Ceremony. The sculpture was given to the school by members of Alfred's family, including his daughter - former CJDS faculty member, Eva Tibor.

Down the hall and into the Kindergarten, we walk into the big, bright, classroom bustling with the energy and activity of 5 year-olds at work and play. The students are focused on their fabulous teachers, drinking in everything they say and expanding their knowledge and understanding of themselves and the world. Around the room, evidence of their progress can be seen in the advancement of their writing, their drawing, the depth and complexity of their thoughts on paper.

Next, we pass the Art installation of the initial CJDS students - pictured here, alumni Henry Dolin (2005), reminding us daily from where we have come and why the practice of teaching and learning is so important to the continuity of Jewish identity, thought and education. We witness the power of the dream of community leaders bringing to fruition the reality of a pluralistic Jewish Day School in Columbus. We are a school which, in the tradition of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, strives to create more than students who can memorize and regurgitate information from textbooks, but whole people who embody what they learn and feel and know it in their heads, hands, and hearts.

As we continue, we see students who walk with clear voices and heads up high. Students who are confident and excited to share with visitors everything they know about hydroponic tower gardens, the importance of each animal’s role in the community formed on Noah’s Ark, or how to write stories in an active or passive voice. Students who feel comfortable talking with adults, defending their opinions, asking for what they need and exploring multiple ways to solve a problem. 

Pictured here: Zeke Moses (2022) and Jonah Davis (2022) building a CJDS Tower Garden.

Every time I have the opportunity to look at CJDS through new eyes I think to myself, “Wow, I am so lucky.” I feel lucky to work at a school that I am proud to help lead and represent. I feel lucky to have found a school where my children can grow, learn and become self-actualized, whole people. I feel lucky to have found a school where the faculty are invested in learning and growing in their craft. I feel lucky to have found a school where parents, teachers, students, alumni, and others care about each other and invest in building a strong, vibrant, lasting Jewish community in Columbus and in the world.

If someone asks me “Why CJDS?” my answer is simple. Every day at CJDS is a gift. It is the best gift I have ever given to my children and I am so proud to be part of the leadership of this incredible institution.

Shabbat Shalom,

CURRENT STUDENTS:

Re-enrollment contracts for the 2019-20 school year will be mailed and emailed to all current families in grades K-5 on March 1.

Families who are interested in tuition assistance, please submit your SSS application no later than February 15. Don’t wait until the last minute. You can access it now and get it done early. We have aligned the schedule of deadlines so that families can see financial aid decisions reflected on their contracts.

NEW STUDENTS:

We are currently accepting applications. Interested families can begin the application process now by visiting the "APPLY" tab on our website: www.cjds.org.

FEBRUARY

Friday, February 8: All School Kabbalat Shabbat (3rd/4th Grade Leading) 1:40 p.m. - 2:20 p.m.

Friday, February 15: President’s Weekend NO SCHOOL

Monday, February 18: President’s Day NO SCHOOL

Friday, February 22: All School Kabbalat Shabbat (1st Grade Leading) 1:40 p.m.-2:20 p.m.

Wednesday, February 27: Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 28: Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

MARCH

Monday, March 11: Faculty Work Day NO STUDENTS

Thursday, March 14: 1st Grade H agigat Hasefer 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.

Friday, March 15: All School Kabbalat Shabbat (2nd Grade Leading) 1:40 p.m.-2:20 p.m.

Thursday, March 21: Purim Parade and Megillah Reading 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Friday, March 29: All School Kabbalat Shabbat (Music Theme) 1:30 p.m.-2:20 p.m.

Lunch & Recess Clubs

CJDS's Tzedakah Club is excited to be starting a new project, as we will be creating "Blessing bags" to hand out to those in need throughout our Columbus community.

In an effort to create beautiful, full bags, we are looking for donations of the following items in as large quantities as we are able to collect:

Thank you so much for any and all donations that you are able to make - this will help our children use their hands to make change and experience the feeling of bringing light and warmth to those who are most in need in our community.

AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS

LIFECYCLES In our community, at every point, our families are perpetually entering new stages in their lives. In keeping with the tradition of living Jewishly, CJDS acknowledges, honors, and celebrates these moments: Births, B’nei Mitzvah, graduations, marriages, and in moments of illness, healing and loss.

MAZAL TOV!

To CJDS parent, Dena Rives for being featured in A Residents Guide to Columbus, Ohio for her business, Vibrant Health Alternatives, LLC.

HAKARAT HATOV

The Hebrew term for gratitude is הַכָּרַת הַטוֹב (Hakarat HaTov), which means "recognizing the good."

To the CJDS Journalism Club for another outstanding student newspaper. Click HERE to read their current edition.

To CJDS 2nd grader, Sasha Glushkin for helping a friend look for a lost item.

To the Arcus-Goldberg Family for the delicious cookies they shared with the faculty this week.

MI SH'BERACH When a member of the CJDS family is ill or in need of healing, the entire community lends its support and its prayers for a full and complete recovery. 

We are sending prayers to Yaacov Ramon, grandfather of Noah (2020) and Leo (2024) Bitton, for a smooth and successful surgery.

We wish Dr. Malcolm Robbins, grandfather of Max Glick (2007) and Sam Glick (2013), a speedy recovery.

We wish our dear CJDS friend and community volunteer, Steve Shkolnik, a speedy recovery.

HOT LUNCH

As in the past, we are so grateful to all the help from the community members - grandparents, friends, parents, and others – on whom we rely to serve hot lunch to our students. Our volunteers bring such a warmth and love to our students and we love having all of you! In order to make this sign-up process even more smooth this year, we would love each family (any family member or friend) to sign up for two dates during the whole year to serve lunch. It can be a parent, a grandparent, a special friend - anyone who is interested in spending time with our wonderful students and serving them food.

KESHER

CJDS is proud to have a Parent Organization called Kesher (Hebrew for "connection"). Kesher has a team of grade representatives led by a president.

Kesher is responsible for the CJDS Hot Lunch program, social gatherings outside of school, teacher appreciation, the CJDS Chesed committee and more! To get involved, please be in touch HERE.

Hot Lunch server responsibilities include:

11:15 a.m.: Arrive at CJDS

11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: Set out the plates and assemble lunches

12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m.: Students arrive for lunch at 12:00 p.m. and we help serve the lunch to those who have ordered.

Help with cleaning up and conclude by 1:00 p.m.