January 8, 2021 by
As part of MILTON’s middle school program, students participate in Immersive Learning Weeks in which they engage in deep-dive explorations of subjects that can spark their passions, deepen their understanding of the world, and expand their perspectives. This week, we ran a Virtual Immersive Learning Week, offering a wide range of experiences. Students learned with […]
December 18, 2020 by
One of the core Talmudic debates of Hanukkah – emblematic of the productive argumentation between Hillel and Shammai that shapes our tradition – is the question of how one should light the hanukkiah. Do we begin with eight candles to represent the resources that diminish over the holiday OR do we begin with one candle […]
December 16, 2020 by
Milton’s annual Share the Nachas Day looked a little different this year than in years past. To keep our grandparents, special friends, teachers, and students safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, our Share the Nachas Day went virtual for the very first time. Grandparents and special friends from across the country came together for an adult […]
December 11, 2020 by
Middle School Director Lisa Schopf was a guest author on the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge (JEIC) blog, writing about our Scholars Forum program. Using a multidisciplinary lens, the program challenges students to explore contemporary issues and use their learning to inform, advocate, influence, and change. Students have delved into topics such as the role of […]
November 23, 2020 by
Milton was featured in a special issue of the Prizmah journal that examines how schools are adapting to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. The article highlights one of the ways that Milton reinvented our program through these exigencies – our production of Virtual Fiddler on the Roof. Kol Hakavod to Sarah Gershman, Sarah Rubin […]
November 19, 2020
Seventh grader Eliana W. raised $18,000 in support of Innovation Africa (IA) for her bat mitzvah project. IA uses Israeli solar technologies to bring electricity to destitute schools and hospitals in Africa. Eliana is supporting a school in Uganda with over 1200 students, many of whom are orphans. She needed to raise $18000 to bring […]
June 16, 2017 by
Today, I had the honor of presiding over the graduation of the Class of 2017. We are sending them off prepared academically, socially, and spiritually – and primed for their next adventure. We know they will do great things in middle school, high school, and beyond – and have a real impact on the world. […]
June 16, 2017 by
Washington Jewish Week covered our Groundbreaking and Renaming Ceremony, and our in-school celebration with students and staff. Read the article here >
June 15, 2017 by
It can be challenging to maintain a high level of motivation in a classroom of sixth graders in the final months leading up to graduation and summer vacation. We knew that we needed to identify a culminating Hebrew project that would be engaging, dynamic, and a way for the students to express themselves in a […]
June 14, 2017 by
In this parasha, Moshe sends scouts to explore the Land of Israel; ten of them convince the people that it will be too difficult to conquer the land; Hashem responds to their lack of confidence by punishing Bnei Yisrael with 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. The people are given the commandments of meal […]
June 8, 2017 by
This week, parents, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the school gathered to celebrate the school’s renaming and to break ground for a significant renovation and expansion of the Kay and Robert Schattner Center North Campus. With much excitement, we announced that JPDS-NC is now the Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School of the Nation’s Capital. We […]
June 6, 2017 by
In this parasha, the Bnei Yisrael receive instructions regarding Pesach; they journey forth from Sinai and complain to God on several occasions, provoking God’s anger; Miriam and Aaron speak against Moshe. The text describes the cloud which covered the mishkan (Tabernacle) by day and the appearance of fire which covered it by night. It also […]
June 2, 2017 by
Kindergarten students engaged in an in-depth, multi-disciplinary project to create a South Campus Community Theater. Throughout, they honed skills including research, writing, design thinking, math, science, art, and design, along with deepening their knowledge of Jewish holidays. The students’ work was guided by the theme of community as they explored essential and guiding questions like, […]
June 2, 2017 by
On May 19, First Graders and their families celebrated Chagigat HaSiddur (Celebration of the Prayerbook), a special tradition that has been a part of JPDS-NC for many years. The students sang and recited all the tefilot (prayers) that they learned over the past year. At this milestone celebration, each student was also honored by receiving […]
June 2, 2017 by
Washington Jewish Week covered the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Lecture with Senator John McCain. Read the article here >
June 2, 2017 by
The Academy of the Hebrew Language, an Israeli educational institution that creates new Hebrew words, is looking to create a unique Hebrew name for fidget spinners. The Zaytim first grade class accepted the challenge and worked to brainstorm four possible names – which they submitted to the Academy! Their suggestions were: “itzbubon – אִיצְבּוּבוֹן” (a combination […]
