April 29, 2025 by
In early April, students from Pre-K to Middle School celebrated Pesach in creative and often interdisciplinary ways. Check out our roundup below:
February 21, 2017 by
In this week’s parasha, Moshe informs the people of numerous ethical and ritual laws and seals the brit (covenant) between the Bnei Yisrael and Hashem. One of the numerous laws in the parasha states (22:20): “Do not wrong a stranger nor oppress him for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Hermann Cohen (1842-1919), […]
February 16, 2017 by
Yitro, Moshe’s father-in-law, suggests a system for establishing lower courts to settle disputes; Hashem articulates the Aseret HaDibrot (Ten Commandments) to the Bnei Yisrael amidst fire, smoke, and sounds of the shofar. We often translate Aseret HaDibrot, as I did above, as “The Ten Commandments.” However, they are not really Ten Commandments, because Dibrot means […]
February 7, 2017 by
After the Bnei Yisrael cross the Reed sea in safety while Paro’s army drowns, they sing praises to Hashem; in response to their complaints about a lack of food and water, Hashem gives them manna; they are then attacked by Amalek. The TaNaKH contains ten songs. When we look at each song, without even reading […]
February 3, 2017 by
It is with great sadness that we recognize the passing of our longtime friend and supporter, Dr. Robert Schattner. From the school’s return to Washington, DC, to its expansion to two campuses, Dr. Schattner’s extraordinary generosity ensured the school’s growth and success through the years. His warmth and charm, often on full display at Veterans […]
February 2, 2017 by
In the fall, as part of the exploration of communities and cultures around the world, the Fourth Graders began learning about people seeking political asylum. This unit of study provides our children with some insight into regimes and governments around the world. One of its goals is to create empathy for and an understanding of […]
February 2, 2017 by
Last week, First Graders exhibited their expertise and creativity at their first Bayit Patuach (Open House) of the year, showcasing models of historic structures built from recycled materials, curated writing portfolios, multimedia representations of animal habitats, and clay sculptures of various plant species. Throughout the first semester, First Grade students explored the theme “Encounters with […]
February 1, 2017 by
This week’s parasha tells the story of the last three plagues, the preparations that the Bnei Yisrael needed to make in order to leave Mitzrayim, and the actual exodus itself. The first mitzvah mentioned in Sefer Shmot, and in fact, the first mitzvah given to the nation, appears in this parasha [12:2]: “This month shall […]
January 25, 2017 by
Fourth Graders delved into their study of Biblical characters using biblical exegesis, character analysis, mixed media art, and poetry. At JPDS-NC, Third and Fourth graders study Torah with a focus on the Avot (Patriarchs) and Imahot (Matriarchs) as the founders of the Jewish people. Fourth Graders spent the first semester focusing on the characters of […]
January 25, 2017 by
In this parasha, God brings the first seven plagues upon the Egyptians through Moshe and Aharon, but Pharaoh repeatedly refuses to allow the Bnei Yisrael to leave. Twice in this parasha (6:12 and 30) Moshe says, “I am of uncircumcised lips.” In last week’s parasha, Moshe declared (4:10), “…for I am slow of speech and […]
January 19, 2017 by
Students in Pre-Kindergarten explored the concept of Identity over the course of the first semester. They began by defining identity as “who you really are.” While acknowledging that we are all constantly changing and growing, our study began by having the children look at the things that currently identify or represent them. We augmented our […]
