June 20, 2025 by
From May 1-11, Grade 8 students completed their capstone trip to Israel. Their days were action packed, with opportunities for meaningful learning and reflection in nature, museums and monuments, neighborhoods and towns, cultural sites, archaeological digs, and more. Each student connected with the content of this trip in their own way, and the group received […]
June 17, 2025 by
“Throughout my experience in Colombia with Cadena I learned how to be a better team player and how to make the best of hard situations. Additionally, I learned that no matter what, it is always possible to communicate and relate to the people and places around you.” – Shira S-E, Class of 2025 “Cadena provided […]
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:
September 1, 2016 by
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 […]
August 31, 2016 by
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!
August 30, 2016 by
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, […]
August 25, 2016 by
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 […]
August 24, 2016 by
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, […]
August 17, 2016 by
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 […]
August 10, 2016 by
In this parasha, Moshe recounts to the Bnei Yisrael different episodes from the 40 years in the wilderness; he gives them encouragement as they look ahead to their upcoming conquest of the land of Cana’an. One of the episodes Moshe recounts is the defeat of Og, King of the Bashan. The original story occurs in […]
August 4, 2016 by
I am thrilled and excited to join the staff of a place as amazing as JPDS-NC. Athletics is a true passion of mine and I look forward to continuing and growing the athletics program at JPDS. I grew up in Silver Spring and graduated from the Berman Hebrew Academy. After graduation and a year of study in […]
August 3, 2016 by
In Parashat Matot, Moshe describes the laws of oaths; the Bnei Yisrael battle the Midianites; and the tribes of Reuven and Gad request to dwell outside of the Land of Israel. In Masei, the final parasha in the book of Bemidbar (Numbers), the Bnei Yisrael stand on the banks of the Jordan River, ready to […]
July 28, 2016 by
Earlier this month, NPR highlighted a segment about a new book about cultivating a growth mindset in children, Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children. On this same theme, last year Sixth Grade teacher Lisa Schopf invited her students to think about the habits of mind they have gained at JPDS-NC, and challenged them to write self-reflective […]
