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For so many years we have been sending this final email of the year, “It’s a Wrap!”. This year, as I prepare to retire after 16 truly life-changing years as the Head of School of this magical community, my heart is filled with gratitude and cherished memories. Together, we have built a community rooted in Jewish values, academic excellence, and a profound sense of belonging. It may be a wrap for this school year, and for my leading with you all at King David, but as they always do, new beginnings await for all of us.
As final years go this was a difficult year for our community with the absolute horror of the October 7th attack. Losing our beloved Ben Mizrachi, of blessed memory, was one of the hardest things we have had to endure. The antisemitism that has come at all of us throughout the year, and the constant hate on social media has been difficult to ignore. With all of this pain, we have been resilient, wrapped our arms around each other and cared for each other. Never have the words, Am Israel Chai, had more meaning – our King David Community is strong and I am so proud to have been with all of you during this time – family!
To our parents, thank you for entrusting us with your children’s education and for your unwavering support. We understand that paying for a Jewish education requires sacrifice and commitment. It also requires trust and we are grateful that you have shared your children with us, and by extension, the community. You have told everyone that being Jewish matters and is of high value unto itself.
To our students, your growth, achievements, and resilience have been my greatest joy. You have good hearts and souls. The growth we witness over the five years of high school is remarkable. The gift of teaching is that we are always watching this transformation; such a miracle and one that every parent knows is also not without its challenges. I hope you know how proud I am of our alumni and current students, as is the entire King David staff.
To our dedicated faculty and staff, your commitment and passion have been the backbone of our success. As I shared at our graduation ceremony a few weeks ago, We are especially grateful to our staff – teachers, support staff, coaches, travel chaperones – they are mentors and role models – they provide our graduates with opportunities to demonstrate both learning and growth, they show them patience and help them to overcome challenges, and perhaps most importantly, they provide our students with caring adult relationships. There is nothing more important than the teacher-student relationship as it is the primary educational force and I know how hard our staff work.
And to our extended Jewish community, your partnership and engagement have enriched our school in countless ways. You ensure that every Jewish family can provide a Jewish education for their children. King David is a small school with a big heart where Jewish life is vibrant because all of you provide the leadership and the means. This truly is a precious gift.
I leave with great pride in all we have accomplished together and with confidence that the values and traditions we live by at King David will continue to flourish. May our school remain a beacon of light and learning for generations to come.
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