April 5, 2016 by Sharon Freundel (Community)

In this week’s parasha, God instructs Moshe about the purification rituals for mothers following childbirth; God then describes to Moshe and Aharon the procedures for identifying and responding to those infected with tzara’at (usually translated as leprosy). Commentators, most notably Rashi, maintain that the Torah is written in thematic order so that we can ascertain […]

• Parent-Child Learning

March 31, 2016 by Pamela Wexler (Community)

It’s hard to know exactly what to say when you are honored for doing something you do voluntarily. The customary “you’re welcome” or “our pleasure” doesn’t convey quite the right sentiment because those words suggest we were giving something — and of course, we never felt like we were giving anything — we always felt like we […]

• #ThisIsWhy

March 31, 2016 by Zahava Bensimon (Faculty and Staff)

What do a gift-giving bridge, a clay heart, a ring and an altar all have in common? If you had the chance to step into the JPDS-NC Design Lab in the recent few weeks or overheard the fourth graders talking about their ‘Judaic Studies project’, you might know that each of those objects were parts […]

• Design Thinking
• Project Based Learning
• STEAM

March 30, 2016

We first heard about JPDS-NC before we were even parents. A friend was a JPDS-NC teacher and spoke glowingly about a young, fledgling Jewish school. Frankly, I didn’t believe any school could be as great as she claimed. But a few years after we welcomed our first child, I attended a JPDS-NC Open House and […]

• #DCJewishMiddleSchool
• #ThisIsWhy

March 30, 2016

On the first day of Pre-K, JPDS-NC immediately felt like home. From the stellar teaching teams to the gorgeous South Campus to the daily celebration of our pluralistic mosaic, every aspect of school life is infused with creativity, kindness, and purpose. When our daughter reported that the big kids look out for little kids on […]

• #DCJewishMiddleSchool
• #ThisIsWhy

March 29, 2016 by Lisa Schopf (Faculty and Staff)

Founding Middle School Director and current Sixth Grade teacher Lisa Schopf recently authored an article that was published in ASCD Express, an educational leadership publication that features academic articles highlighting innovative solutions and best practices among professional educators. In her article, “Habits of Mind for Now and Later,” Lisa discusses how she introduced her Sixth Grade students to the […]

• Awards
• Thinking Routines

March 28, 2016 by Sharon Freundel (Community)

After the dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the ordination of the cohanim (priests), two of Aharon’s sons bring a strange fire before God and are consumed by fire; God then instructs Moshe and Aharon regarding which animals, fish, and birds may be eaten by the Bnei Yisrael. An interesting point appears in chapter 11, […]

• Parent-Child Learning

March 24, 2016 by Elana Cohen (Faculty and Staff)

Two JPDS-NC sixth grade students and two alumni students were awarded first-place ribbons and special prizes at the DC STEM Fair. The DC STEM Fair is the premier science event for students in grades 6 to 12 who attend independent and public schools in the nation’s capital. Sixth graders Gabriel B. and Yael N. earned […]

• Awards
• Project Based Learning
• STEM
• Washington D.C.

March 22, 2016 by Sharon Freundel (Community)

In this parasha, Hashem tells Moshe to describe to the cohanim (priests) the rituals for some of the offerings; the cohanim then undergo the process of ordination. As part of the process of ordination, Moshe commands Aharon and his sons as follows (8:33): “You shall not go out from the door of the tent of […]

• Parent-Child Learning

March 16, 2016 by Sharon Freundel (Community)

In this parasha, God commands Moshe regarding various types of korbanot (animal and vegetative offerings): under what circumstances they should be offered, and what they should consist of. An interesting verse appears in Chapter 2, which may shed some light on a popular tradition [verse 13]: “And every meal-offering of yours, you should season with […]

• Parent-Child Learning