CESJDS Links Blog

A guest blog sharing the voices, wisdom, and insights of the CESJDS community.

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Principals Perspective (May 2023) - Rabbi Matthew Bellas
Rabbi Matthew Bellas

As the saying goes in the business world, “Location, location, location!” CESJDS is so fortunate to find itself uniquely geographically positioned to be able to take advantage of nearby resources that enhance so many elements of our rich and rigorous curriculum. Elementary school students across the country study similar subjects, but living in the DMV, especially the greater Washington D.C area, offers our students in-person access to and deeper understanding of sites and stories that most other children are only able to read about in books. This experience is particularly true of our social studies units in grades 2-5, which focus increasingly on particular periods of American history as the children get older.

Read More about Principals Perspective (May 2023) - Rabbi Matthew Bellas
Principals Perspective (May 2023) - Dr. Eliana Lipsky
Dr. Eliana Lipsky

At CESJDS the Portrait of a Graduate is an aspirational document that we hope inspires and guides each of our students as they move through their CESJDS journey. In the Middle School we ask our students to reflect on the Portrait of a Graduate at the end of their 8th Grade Bridges Capstone Trip to the South. Similar to the reflections students do to prepare for Student Led Learning Conferences, it is a moment during which our students take stock of how far they have come on their educational journey before looking ahead to high school. Throughout their middle school journey, we aim to provide and engage our middle school students with numerous opportunities and experiences that inspire them, feel authentic, and are applicable to the real world.

Read More about Principals Perspective (May 2023) - Dr. Eliana Lipsky
Principals Perspective (May 2023) - Dr. Lisa Vardi
Dr. Lisa Vardi

Our Jewish value of k’hillah/community teaches us that connecting to one another in care and support is what we are meant to do each day. Our tradition reminds us that r’fu-ah shleimah refers to the need to heal our whole selves, the interconnected physical, mental, and spiritual. This year, guided by these values and our commitment to promote student wellness and connection, we launched the Center for Health and Wellness.  

Read More about Principals Perspective (May 2023) - Dr. Lisa Vardi
Principals Perspective (April 2023) - Rabbi Matthew Bellas
Rabbi Matthew Bellas

In the second paragraph of the Aleinu prayer, which is found in the concluding section of each of Shaharit, Minhah, and Ma-ariv - our three daily prayer services, we are called במלכות ש-די לתקן עולם/to repair the world in partnership with the sovereignty of God. Going back as far as the Creation narrative, human beings have been charged and entrusted with the caretaking of the world and its creatures and Judaism has always placed a strong emphasis on this responsibility for each individual. In the spirit of our tradition, one of our core values at CESJDS is תקון עולם/repair of the world and we take seriously our educational responsibility not only to learn about it, but also to provide real life opportunities to perform it. I wanted to take this opportunity to share how we bring תקון עולם/repair of the world to life as a Lower School community for all of our students.

Read More about Principals Perspective (April 2023) - Rabbi Matthew Bellas
Principals Perspective (March 2023) - Dr. Lisa Vardi and Guest Writers: Melissa Gartner and Rachel Soifer
Dr. Lisa Vardi

Our Jewish value of k’hillah/community teaches us that connecting to one another in care and support is what we are meant to do each day. Our tradition reminds us that r’fu-ah shleimah refers to the need to heal our whole selves, the interconnected physical, mental, and spiritual. This year, guided by these values and our commitment to promote student wellness and connection, we launched the Center for Health and Wellness.  

Read More about Principals Perspective (March 2023) - Dr. Lisa Vardi and Guest Writers: Melissa Gartner and Rachel Soifer
Principals Perspective (February 2023) - Dr. Eliana Lipsky
Dr. Eliana Lipsky

Our fourth annual Innovation Minimester was exceptional. During this two week intersession our middle school students were challenged to take healthy learning risks that inspired them to step outside of their comfort zone and pursue, or perhaps even discover, a passion of their own. The building was abuzz with creativity, passion, and drive. Innovation Minimester was an intense period where innovation and inspiration flowed between our 30+ seminar leaders, students, and teachers.

Read More about Principals Perspective (February 2023) - Dr. Eliana Lipsky