Our Stories

Torah Talk for Parashat Ki Teitzei

September 13, 2016 by Sharon Freundel (Community)

In this parasha, Moshe enumerates many laws that relate to topics of family relationships, interpersonal ethics, and forbidden mixtures. Twice in this parasha, the Torah lists a reward of long life for fulfilling a particular commandment. It is unusual for the Torah to cite a specific reward for completing a commandment, and this same reward […]


Economist Leora Klapper Teaches Sixth Graders about Financial Literacy

September 8, 2016 by Lael S (’17) (Students)

Last Friday, sixth graders at JPDS-NC were visited by Leora Klapper, an economist at the World Bank and a parent at our school. Ms. Klapper spoke to our class about how to set a budget and manage money so that we can play a role in financing our class trip to New York City this […]


Major Academic and Institutional Initiatives: Highlights for the 2016-17 School Year

September 7, 2016 by Naomi Reem (Faculty and Staff)

I had the opportunity to visit some classrooms during Shabbat Lunch last Friday, as the first week of school was wrapping up. It was heart-warming to see our students, new and returning, engaged in learning and conversation with each other! As the academic year starts to unfold, I am proud to share with you the highlights […]


Torah Talk for Parashat Shoftim

September 6, 2016 by Sharon Freundel (Community)

In this parasha, Moshe reviews the justice system for the Bnei Yisrael. Moshe talks about the limits future kings should have on their possessions and explains that the Kohanim [priests] and Levi’im [Levites] should not be paid and should survive on donations from the people. Finally, Moshe explains the laws of warfare. The system of […]


Lifelong Learning at JPDS-NC

September 1, 2016 by Arielle Derby (Faculty and Staff)

Every August, I find myself counting the days until the start of the academic year when the building fills with the sound of children’s greetings, laughter, and excitement, and the school begins to hum with the energy and whirring minds of the teachers. As in years past, we began preparing for your children not by […]


First Days of School Video!

August 31, 2016 by Ronit Greenstein (Faculty and Staff)

Welcome to the new school year! We were so happy to see our friends and teachers at Meet the Teachers Day and on the First Day of School. Watch our “First Days of School” video to see the smiling faces filling our hallways and classrooms. We look forward to a great 2016-17 school year!


Torah Talk for Parashat Re’eh

August 30, 2016 by Sharon Freundel (Community)

In this parasha, Moshe instructs Bnei Yisrael (the Israelites) regarding idolatry, false prophets, pure and impure foods, tithes, freeing slaves, and pilgrimage festivals. The section about false prophets (13:2-6) raises questions in the Talmud (Tractate Sanhedrin 90a): Is there such a thing as a human being who is able to cause miracles to happen? And, […]


Joy in Learning

August 25, 2016 by Lisa Schopf (Faculty and Staff)

Experience and research show that engaging students to follow their curiosity, to experience the joy in learning, and to enjoy the satisfaction of mastery ignites innate motivation and drives intellectual growth. Across the educational spectrum, this observation is often presented as a dichotomy: educators who emphasize joy and curiosity as the vehicles for driving enduring […]


Torah Talk for Parashat Eikev

August 24, 2016 by Sharon Freundel (Community)

In this parasha, Moshe continues his speech to the Bnei Yisrael, reminding them to keep Hashem’s commandments when they enter the land of Israel. Chapter 8, verses 3-10 describe a literal or metaphorical partnership between Hashem and the Jewish people and the dichotomy between our physical and spiritual existences. These verses open with the principle, […]


Torah Talk for Parashat Va’etchanan

August 17, 2016 by Sharon Freundel (Community)

In this parasha, Moshe stresses to the Bnei Yisrael the importance of keeping Hashem’s commandments when they enter the land of Israel; Moshe repeats the Aseret HaDibrot (Ten Commandments) and utters the Sh’ma and V’ahavta passages. Two poignant stories, one from the ancient world and one from the last century, revolve around the recitation of […]