Head of School Blog
Finding the balance
The traditional school model that most of us grew up in was developed in part to prepare workers for the new kinds of jobs being created as a result of the industrial revolution. It is known as the “factory model,” and it is not hard to see how it helps students practice the skills they’d […]
Movement for Learning and Health
For many adults, the activities we spend the most time engaged in (typing, sitting, driving, cellphone, etc) are inactive and place our bodies in postures that strain our necks, backs, and sometimes our whole bodies. This can have a significant negative impact on physical health and wellbeing for some of us, and not only does […]
Welcome Back, Kehila!
If there is one idea about human nature on which both science and religion agree, it is that social connections are integral to our health and well-being, and that family, friends, and community relationships are central features of the human experience.
Graduation 2018
We are so proud of the accomplishments and growth of our learners during this past year, and wish each of our professionals, parents, and students a restorative and joyful summer break. We are excited to plan and prepare for an even more exciting and rigorous year to come, and look forward to continuing Gesher’s journey towards increased excellence together in August.
I was honored to deliver the charge to our graduating Class of 2018 this past Monday evening, and am pleased to share it with our broader community in this forum.
Encounter
Last night I was proud to be among those attending the annual meeting of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, an agency with which Gesher is fortunate to partner. Along with a number of meaningful awards and remarks, we heard an analysis of some of the challenges and opportunities facing the American Jewish community right now, and the focus was on ways in which to deal with an increased polarization between ends of a political and philosophical spectrum. The challenge was framed as a widening gap between Jews who are “particularist” and those who are “universalist” in their world views and approaches to Judaism.
As the leader of a community organization with an explicitly pluralistic purpose, I am particularly interested in this kind of issue, and because my institution has an educational mission, I believe that we are uniquely positioned and prepared to address this type of challenge. In fact, we spend every day educating the future leadership of the Jewish community with the necessary skills and knowledge to step up and navigate our community’s path with strength and moral fortitude.