Ma Koreh   /What’s Happening?

Weekly CJDS Newsletter

Greetings!

During Hanukkah, we think of leadership and miracles, and as last week’s guest D'var Kesher author, Katie Feldstein wrote, we also think about what we are proud to display. Earlier this week, I shared with our faculty and current CJDS families the following news about a leadership transition that will be taking place next year. And it is a story of continuity and strength that we are so proud to place in our window.

On behalf of the CJDS Board of Trustees, I am pleased to announce a long-term plan for the future leadership of the school. Beginning July 2019, Ms. Rachel Arcus-Goldberg will be succeeding Dr. Tali Zelkowicz as Head of School. After three years of stellar leadership, Tali will be taking the first steps of an eventual transition to a full-time position at The Wexner Foundation. She will continue her association with CJDS as a Strategic Advisor during the 2019-2020 school year, working on campus 2 days a week.

Starting next year, Tali will divide her time between CJDS and the Wexner Foundation. In addition to her role as CJDS Strategic Advisor, she will be returning to her work in educational scholarship as a member of the education team at the Wexner Foundation. 

We are grateful for how Tali has re-energized CJDS as Head of School. She has helped to build upon an extraordinary faculty and staff, and in the spring of her first year recruited Rachel as her senior leadership partner.

Tali shares, “As a researcher, I had studied Jewish day schools for over a decade, but I yearned to apply theory to practice. I discovered immediately that CJDS is a long-time field leader in curriculum and teaching innovation. It has been an honor to lead our incredible school on a growing and thriving path. Owing to Rachel’s intelligence, insight, and deep knowledge as an educator with years of practical experience, I know that CJDS will continue to blossom under her leadership. Working with Rachel has been exhilarating. Together we will take CJDS from strength to strength.”

Over the past two years, Rachel has demonstrated her commitment to academic excellence well beyond the purview of her Principal portfolio. She has informed vision and professionalized systems of practice in the areas of admissions, recruitment, faculty compensation, in addition to faculty supervision, evaluation, and development. She has raised the profile of the school in the community by helping to create award winning promotional materials, and her passion for community building. 

Drawing upon Master’s degrees in Education, Social Work, and Jewish Studies, and her professional successes in New York and Boston, Rachel is eager and honored to continue to serve as a transformative leader here in Columbus. Upon being appointed unanimously to Head of School by the Board of Trustees, Rachel said, “I am deeply motivated by the mission of our school to contribute creatively to Jewish and global life. This kind of education is more important today than ever. It is with great pride and excitement that I take on this role in the 22nd year of the school. I look forward to deepening my relationships with CJDS alumni, parents, and new and longtime supporters.”

In the coming months there will be opportunities to hear from Rachel and Tali about their vision for ongoing collaboration, including hiring our next principal. Rachel and Tali will be fully focused on their current responsibilities as Principal and Head of School, respectively, for the remainder of this academic year.

We are fortunate to have secured the blessings of continuity in this transition as we move from one strong leader to another who knows and loves our community and has become part of our fabric.

In partnership with you,

Ruth Rubin

President, CJDS Board of Trustees

[email protected]

We warmly invite you to join us for Kabbalat Shabbat tomorrow as our 6th graders lead us in to shabbat. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.

DECEMBER

Friday, December 14: All School Kabbalat Shabbat (6th Grade Leading) 1:40 p.m.-2:20 p.m.

Monday, December 24 - Friday January 4 Winter Break NO SCHOOL

JANUARY

Classes Resume Monday, January 7, 2019

Friday, January 18: All School Kabbalat Shabbat 1:40 p.m.-2:20 p.m.

Monday, January 21: (Tu B’Shevat) Martin Luther King Jr. Day NO SCHOOL

Thursday, January 24: 2nd Grade Siddur Ceremony 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

Sunday, January 27: Tu B'Shevat PJ Library Birthday of the Trees with CJDS & CTA at the Franklin Park Conservatory 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

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.

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.

HAKARAT HATOV

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

To Dr. D. for helping the 5th and 6th grade Hebrew classes create their modern hanukkiyot.

To Mr. AG , for being so available to help with tech issues.

To Susan Couden for guiding the 6th graders on an art journey that brought their Jewish Heroes to life.

To the 6th grade teachers ( Sheri Gittins and Eran Rosenberg) - you did a wonderful job preparing your students for the CJDS living museum.

To Annelyn Baron for supporting the volunteers for the CJDS Hot Lunch program.

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 wish our CJDS dear 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.

Lunch & Recess Clubs

After School Clubs

(Click on the images below for more information, associated fees and registration forms.)