Ms. Cassandra Batson addressed the Class of 2029 at their 8th Grade Siyyum on June 12, 2025. Read her speech below:

Good evening, parents, families, friends, faculty, staff and most importantly, Class of 2029. It is wonderful to see all of you here tonight.

Before I address the Class of 2029, I want to express my greatest appreciation to several different groups of people. Parents and families, thank you for your partnership and for trusting us with your students as they navigated middle school. Faculty and staff, thank you for your endless dedication to our students and their learning. Thank you for not only loving what you do, but for bringing love into your teaching and our students’ learning. Special shout out to Mr. Sullivan for spearheading the planning of this Siyyum, Mr. Prince for coordinating all the musical numbers, and Ms. Polit for juggling all of the logistics and behind the scenes work. I also want to acknowledge that we could not do the work that we do in the middle school without working closely with the Lower School and High School. That is why it is so special that Ms. Prigal and Dr. Vardi are both here tonight. Thank you both for being here. Next, Rabbi Raskin, Ms. Carly Litwok, and the Har Shalom Team, thank you for hosting us this evening and making this Siyyum extra special. Last but not least, Rabbi Ozur Bass. While I have been on leave, Rabbi Ozur Bass has been acting principal. She has gone above and beyond to ensure that things continue to run smoothly and has done it with so much grace, patience, and enthusiasm.

Now, the students, Class of 2029. Tonight is about you. We are here to celebrate a moment that is not only an ending but also, a beginning. Students, you are closing the door on middle school and stepping into the next chapter of your lives—high school. I feel honored to have had the privilege of being part of your middle school journey and have truly enjoyed seeing the growth that you have made as individuals and as a grade.

Rabbi Ozur Bass and I reflected on your journey through middle school and thought long and hard about what Siyyum gift we wanted to give you. We have decided to gift you a keychain and a sticker. The keychain you receive will be one of two puzzle pieces, it will either say “because I knew you,” or “I have been changed for good.” And the sticker says: defy gravity. When we thought of what made you, the Class of 2029 special, the Wicked film came to mind. You may be thinking that Wicked seems like an odd choice. Sure, it’s a story about witches and has nothing to do with Judaism or middle school directly. Though, I’d argue that the scenes with the flying monkeys felt a little too familiar and are not much different from the gym during indoor breaks on a rainy day. But in all seriousness, Wicked came to mind because the story emphasizes the significance of finding one’s identity, standing up for what’s right, and recognizing that the people around us shape who we become. These are all lessons that you have learned and lived.

As a grade, you have been one of the most vocal, determined, and passionate we have seen. Starting in the sixth grade, you each grappled with the theme of identity as you continued to build and explore your Jewish identity and who you wanted to be. When you reached the seventh grade, this expanded to having you recognize and understand what your role and responsibility is to your peers and the greater JDS k'hillah. As seventh graders, you were the first class to participate in the JDS proposal projects. A project that truly makes you think about the community and the impact you as an individual can make. Each of you presented us with ideas not just because it was an assignment, but because you truly wanted to make a difference. You embraced Torah Lishmah, a love of learning to do research in order to propose meaningful and feasible ideas and changes to JDS. Some of these ideas were implemented including small changes to the 2024-2025 Middle School bell schedule and tiered pricing for school lunches. 

Lastly, as eighth graders, you have come together as a cohesive grade in a way that was not yet solidified as sixth and seventh graders. In Wicked, Elphaba—the “Wicked Witch”—is misunderstood. She’s different, bold, and unafraid to speak her mind. At first, people judge her. Sound familiar? I’m sure that each of you have felt out of place or unsure of who you are at some point in these last three years. But just like Elphaba, you have grown stronger. You have come to recognize the strengths in one another’s differences. As for Glinda- sparkly, popular, and full of surprises. She learns that there’s more to life than what others expect of her. And I think you have learned that lesson too. Whether it was trying out for a team you were not sure you would make, speaking up in class when you were nervous, or helping someone who needed a friend—you have discovered the power of doing what’s right, not just what is easy. 
Throughout these years, you have each had your own journey—your own “musical”. Some of you were more like Glinda—outgoing, bubbly, confident. Others, more like Elphaba—quiet, thoughtful, determined. But no matter how different your stories were the last three years, you have all grown into stronger, wiser, more compassionate people.

You have learned not just Hebrew and chemistry, but how to collaborate, to lead, and to keep going when things are hard. You, the Class of 2029 have demonstrated that real courage is found in speaking up for others, and real strength comes from being true to yourself and what you believe in even when it is difficult.

One of the most powerful messages in Wicked is this line: “Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.” The people in this room—your friends, your teachers, your families—have helped shape the people you are today. And you’ve shaped them too. You have challenged us, inspired us, and reminded us—especially as educators—why we do what we do. Thank you.

Elphaba sings, “It’s time to try defying gravity.” And that’s exactly what we believe you are ready to do. You are ready to soar and to take on new challenges. High school will ask even more of you—but you have already proven you are capable of rising to the occasion.

Class of 2029, you may not always realize it yet, but you have left your mark here on the JDS Middle School and in my heart. And as you go forward, I hope you will continue to be bold enough to be different, brave enough to be kind, and confident enough to be yourself.

We are so proud of you. We will miss you. You have changed Our Middle School—for good.

Congratulations.

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Head of School, Rabbi Mitch Malkus addressed the Class of 2029 at their 8th Grade Siyyum on June 12, 2025. Read his remarks below:

Welcome 8th Grade Students, Parents, Families, Faculty, and Friends.

Mazal tov! What an extraordinary moment this is for you, our 8th grade students, and for the community that surrounds you with pride, love, and admiration.

To the parents — thank you. Thank you for choosing a Jewish day school education, for entrusting your children to us, and for being our partners in raising the next generation of Jewish leaders, thinkers, and menschen. Your investment, of time, resources, and heart, is what makes today possible.

To our remarkable faculty and staff — your dedication, wisdom, and care have helped shape these students not only into learners, but into whole people. You have prepared them for academic success, yes, but more than that, for lives of purpose.

And to Cassandra Batson and Janet Ozur Bass, whose steady leadership, warmth, and vision have defined our Middle School. Thank you for creating a community where students feel known, supported, and deeply valued.

Class of 2029: this is your moment. You’ve reached the summit of Middle School. You’ve grown, achieved, questioned, struggled, and emerged stronger, wiser, more you. And as you stand here, poised for high school, I want to offer you a charge, a sacred calling.

Hold fast to your values. Let them be your compass.

We live in uncertain times. The world can feel chaotic, where truth can seem slippery, where the volume of disagreement is often louder than the wisdom of understanding, and where antisemitism and hatred have once again found space to grow.

But what you have learned at JDS stands in bold contrast to that noise. You have learned the power of kindness. The strength of empathy. The sacredness of every person. You have learned to listen before reacting, to ask questions with humility, and to disagree with respect. These aren’t just good habits; they are deeply Jewish values and profoundly needed in the world.

The Torah commands us, “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof”/“Justice, justice shall you pursue” (Deut. 16:20). Our rabbis taught that the repetition of the word justice teaches us that even the pursuit of justice must be just, that the way we stand up for what we believe matters just as much as what we believe.

And from American wisdom, we hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who reminded us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” only if we help bend it.

That is your charge. Stand up. For each other. For truth. For kindness. For your people. For the dignity of all. Do it with the tools you’ve learned at JDS: your mind, your heart, your voice.

You’ve already shown us what this looks like—in how you’ve led Knesset meetings, built Model Congress arguments, performed in Zimriyah, supported one another through difficult moments, and learned Torah with curiosity and care.

Pirkei Avot teaches:  

ליתן דין וחשבון דע מאין באת ולאן אתה הולך ולפני מי אתה עתיד

"Know where you come from, and where you are going, and before whom you will give an accounting” (Pirkei Avot 3:1).

You come from a rich tradition, a loving family, a school that believes in you. You are going toward a future you will help shape. And you will answer not just to others, but to yourself, and to the values you’ve made your own.

So carry those values forward. Into high school, into your friendships, into the wider world. Be courageous. Be proud. Be kind.

We are so proud of you. Mazal tov on your siyyum—and may the next chapter be one of growth, meaning, and great joy.

Mazal tov.