Nitzotzot Spring 2024 (Alumni Edition)

Our Alumni: Who Are They? Here is a Taste...

This edition of Nitzotzot highlights several of our alumni, illuminating the paths they have chosen, their achievements, and the marks they are leaving on Jewish communities and the world at large.

Children who graduate from JCDS grow into the adults we aspire for them to be in our mission statement: informed by Jewish values and culture, they make a difference in their communities and in the world, and they live the JCDS Habits of Mind and Heart. JCDS grads, as you are about to read, don’t just talk the talk; they walk the walk.

Many similar themes and thoughts emerged from conversations with a cross section of recent graduates and those of decades past. JCDS alumni know themselves. They possess self-assurance and humility that engender comfort and ease when among diverse people in their workplaces and social lives. They have grit and kindness and are resilient adults who, each in their own unique way, exhibit compassion and a deep caring for others.

We hope that reading this issue will give you a better feel for what it means to grow up in a school that is fully intentional in its mission. We are a small but mighty institution where character development and moral and ethical conduct are as important as academic achievement, and where children are known and valued for who they are as individuals. As our students grow and matriculate, the turbulence of their adolescence is softened by their belief in themselves and our belief in them. We are very proud of the adults whose paths we help forge.

Please enjoy this Alumni Edition of Nitzotzot, as well as the “then” and “now” photographs accompanying each article.

Coming Home Again: Returning to JCDS

Chera Garlick, JCDS Class of 2008

In 2004, when my parents, Lauren and Jonathan, and my brother, Jesse, and I moved from Long Island to Boston, we were seeking a vibrant Jewish community to nourish our family’s spiritual lives. The first day I walked through the doors of JCDS, I felt as if I had uncovered a treasure. I remember my sense of awe that a school as magical as JCDS could exist.

As a fifth grader, I discovered that deeper joy in learning was possible. I was amazed that compassion for each other was a part of the curriculum, and that Judaism was continuously woven into our learning. Each day, I felt more whole as a young person learning about my identity in the world. School days became brighter and more colorful. I felt valued as the adults in the building greeted me and took the time to know me. My friends and I saw and celebrated one another for who we were. Each morning I looked forward to coming to school which had become an extension of my home. Walking through the halls, sometimes in just our socks, I felt a safety that encouraged me to explore who I could continue to become.

Returning to JCDS in 2019 as a Middle School learning specialist has given me the opportunity to help nurture the exceptional and curious young learners in our community. Seeing the transformative growth of my students is made more meaningful for me because, just like them, I was once that student who grew and blossomed here, in the very same classrooms, seeing posters about Derekh Eretz on the walls. I learned to love and value who I was within a community that truly cherished me for just that; who I was.

JCDS is a place that allowed my family to immerse ourselves in the values of a thriving Jewish community. Looking back on my early days here twenty years ago, I understand the impact this had on me, and I am so grateful to continue uncovering the expansive blessings of being in the JCDS community.

Naftali Falk-Judson, JCDS Class of 2015

Iam now in my thirteenth year at JCDS; nine as a student, one as a classroom aide, two working in the after school program, and now my first year as a teacher. I’ve been lucky to get to experience the school in a way that most people don’t. I’m grateful to have a hand in shaping something that meant, and still means, so much to me.

When I returned to JCDS, I had no expectation of staying. I needed a job during the pandemic. I liked kids. I didn’t want to work at a CVS. It took about two weeks for me to change that expectation.

I had the pleasure of working as an aide in the second grade classroom, helping out Naomi, in her first year, and Michal, who had actually been my teacher in third grade. It was strange, certainly. It still is; to be working at a place where I have so many memories of growing up, to be working with the people who taught me and who remember me as a child. Walking the halls of the school is a constant doubled experience, the active day to day of teaching overlaid with a thousand memories of working in class with my friends, playing at recess, running in the halls.

Part of this doubling comes from just how much has remained the same since I graduated. There have been plenty of changes, of course. The makerspace is beyond anything I could have imagined as a kid. The learning services team is such an excellent resource for current and future students, and there are plenty of new teachers. But JCDS at its core remains the same. The openness that teachers have with their students, the care that everyone in the building puts into what they’re doing, the feeling, as one walks from classroom to classroom, that childhood is happening here in its purest and most Jewish form, all of that remains.

When asked to write this piece, I was stumped. How to distill so much time into such little space? I’m not sure, so I’ll just say I couldn’t have picked a better place to spend my childhood. I could not be happier to be back teaching, and more than seventeen years since my first day in Gan Nitzan, I am as excited today - as I was back then - to walk through the front door each morning.

Letter from Shira Deener, Head of School

There is a wonderful story that inspires me whenever it comes to my mind.

It is of an old man who had a habit of walking the beach every morning as he sought inspiration for his writing. One morning he noticed the sand was littered with starfish as far as the eye could see; the storm had washed thousands up on the beach. Far off in the distance, he noticed a young boy walking along the beach who every so often would bend down and pick up an object and throw it far into the sea. When the boy came close to the man, the man asked him what he was doing. The young boy explained that he was throwing starfish back into the ocean. He shared that the tide had washed them up onto the beach, and they couldn’t find their way back into the ocean on their own. The old man replied, “there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid it really won’t make a difference if you throw a few back in,” to which the young boy picked up another, smiled at the old man, and threw it far into the water. “Looks like I made a difference to that one.” (adapted from “The Star Thrower” by Loren Eiseley)

This is what teaching and working in a school is all about. One by one, we aim to make a meaningful difference in the lives of each individual student. From the time they are young, as young as Gan Nitzan for many, they are in the care of their loving teachers. We accompany them on their journey of childhood into young adulthood fueling their love of learning and igniting a spark for life long discovery.

But then what becomes of our students? We only have them in our care from the very early days of their formal education. Are there traces of the JCDS influence that our graduates carry with them long into their young adult lives? What is the result of having grown up in a sea of innovation, a child centered education with critical thinking skills, joyful Judaism, and authentic functional Hebrew as part of daily life? How do we know our model works? Can we even trace a link, faint as it may be, from years gone by, between our graduates’ lives and their time spent with us?

As JCDS approaches its 30th year, an anniversary that Judaism claims is about leadership, humility, and open

heartedness, we enter a moment of truth when certain realities take hold. This 30th anniversary provides us with an opportunity to take stock of how the educational and moral foundations we cultivate in our students become a natural part of their adult selves. I know for my own children, their time at JCDS helped shape their world view, their respect for difference and an openness towards people, and a deep sense of Ahavat Israel. Their willingness to step out of their comfort zone and push themselves to do better, try harder, and reach for their next challenge, comes from having grown up in the JCDS environment.

We plan to do more and more spotlights of our alumni in all future Nitzotzot, as it is in their personal stories and life choices that we take great pride and joy seeing traces of the JCDS influence. Enjoy!

Letter from Rachel Fish, Board President

As a parent of a JCDS alum currently in high school, I asked him if he would share with me what JCDS provided that he relies on today. Without hesitation, he responded, “That’s easy, how to ask questions and to value questioning.” The process of formulating questions, the innate curiosity of seeking more than the answers provided on the surface, the willingness to struggle beyond binaries and seeing the world in a more complex and nuanced manner - that is the value of living in a state of questions. To feel confident to ask the question unabashedly and turn the answer over and over seeking more - that is the value of teaching our children how to question.

We are blessed to be part of a tradition that elevates questions and provides models within our sacred texts who demonstrate their own questioning. We see Abraham question G-d in Genesis 18 over what to do with the city of Sodom. We see Moses question G-d about whether he is the right choice as the leader of the Israelites, and Moses questions G-d’s choices and actions as he leads the Israelites throughout the wilderness retold in the Book of Exodus.

Far too often, the meaning-making institutions of our society are being robbed of the questions that need to be asked, explored, and attempted to answer. A culture of censorship and silencing, whether self imposed or through peer pressures, permeate too many educational environments. Rather than question and challenge what may be said by a peer, a scholar, a teacher, or an administrator, individuals are often subsumed by the herd mentality. On display we see hesitation, fear, and discomfort. A reticence to raise hands and ask: “Why? How come? According to whom? When? For what purpose?”

It is during this moment in American society that I celebrate JCDS as an educational environment where we hold tightly to questioning. Our teachers and leaders model for our children how to lean into their questions rather than shirk from them.

As my board chair term nears to completion, I find that it is precisely my son’s reflection of JCDS that moved me to say “yes” to this role and sustained me in it for the past four years. I value being part of a community that encourages questioning for the sake of curiosity, or to improve the institution, or to offer a fresh and innovative approach. All of these have been welcome in our community - whether at the board table, JCDS staff meetings, between educators, or from the students themselves. For that I am grateful as a parent, a member of the JCDS community, as a trustee, and as Board Chair.

Julia Caine Morcos, JCDS Class of 2004

While speaking with Julia about her work, she emphatically repeated, “I really love being a dentist!” And when pushed a little further, she modestly said that she always wanted to be in healthcare and definitely knew she wanted to help people. “And now,” said she, “I get to change kids’ lives daily by making them unafraid of going to the dentist. It is just so awesome.”

Following several milestones in her life: graduating from Columbia University’s School of Dentistry, moving with her husband to London for two years, and returning to the States where they settled in California in 2023, Julia opened Storybook Smiles, a private dentistry practice in San Jose. Although serving the greater population of the area, most of her patients are Medicaid recipients, a group whom, Julia revealed,“ few dentists accept.” She went on to explain that the majority of these kids “have not had positive experiences at the dentist, and I want to show them that we are not scary and we won’t hurt them.” Hearing Julia describe how she goes about assuaging children’s fears was heartening. “Well,” she explained joyfully, “I tell, show, and do. First I tell the patient exactly what is going to happen and what I am about to do, then I show them all the instruments I will use. Sometimes, I even tap their fingernails with a certain instrument and demonstrate that like their nails, their teeth are also really hard, which can get them giggling, and I then do the procedure, explaining every step along the way. By that time, most of the kids are relaxed and just fine.” Julia also described teaching oral hygiene and best practices with many of her patients’ parents.

Looking back on her JCDS years, Julia recalled that “We were always taught to care for others,” and with a sheepish smile added, “I guess that’s exactly what I am doing now!” Happily ensconced in her profession, Julia’s dedication to, skill in, and love of dentistry is surpassed only by her compassion and desire to improve the health and lives of her young patients and their families.

For further information about Storybook Smiles, visit Julia’s website, storybooksmilesdental.com

Rachel Jackson, JCDS Class of 2006

Ever immersed in Judaism, Rachel has always done things her own way, with her own flair, her own style, and in her own time. Recalling her years growing up at JCDS, she was quick to tell of “developing robust values,” realizing “what kind of Jewish life I wanted to live without worrying about how others were practicing. At JCDS, my appreciation for the beauty of Judaism grew.” Rachel also declared that pluralism remains central to her life, which, when learning about this fascinating young artist, becomes crystal clear.

Following high school, Rachel spent two years “immersed in Talmud” at the Migdal Oz seminary in Israel. Upon returning to the States, she studied visual arts and humanities at the University of Chicago before returning home to Boston where she completed a certificate in bookbinding at the North Bennet Street School.

“As a Soferet Sta”m,” Rachel explains on her Binah Design website, “I am part of a long tradition of Jewish scribes which, until the early 2000s, was a tradition primarily relegated to men. However, in recent years, there has been a small but growing cohort of female scribes—including myself—who fully embrace the Halachic (ritual laws) of sofrut and are committed to opening it up to a wider range of practitioners and communities.”

In addition to being “a full-time scribe,” Rachel also speaks of herself as “a bookbinder, designer, artist, and optimistic feminist,” who has been making things ever since she can remember. “My first commission was the design of a Bar Mitzvah invitation when I was 11, before my own Bat Mitzvah! Since then, I have pursued my love of making things by hand, intertwined with Jewish tradition.” Among her inspired accomplishments as a scribe, Rachel has written and illuminated two English-language megillot that “abide by all the rules of sofrut and are the only two known kosher English megillot in existence.”

Mother, artist, and soferet, Rachel is also now teaching classes focused on “providing accessible opportunities for traditionally marginalized communities to access the texts

and profession of sofrut, including the first class accessible to deaf and hard of hearing participants.”

Living pluralism at its best, Rachel and her husband, Rabbi Jackson Mercer, run Base BSTN, a community rooted in Cambridge, “for those seeking and searching for deeper relationships with community and tradition, with an eye towards creativity and accessibility.” They, in their work, are “committed to being a home for any individuals, families, and communities to cultivate a curiosity for learning, an eagerness for growth and change, and the warmth of meaningful connections.”

For further information about Rachel’s artistry, visit her website, binahdesign.com

Shaul Armony, JCDS Class of 2009

Captivated by food and culinary arts, Shaul has loved being in the kitchen since he was a youngster. In fact, as a JCDS seventh grader realizing his family’s good fortune and “wanting to do more for others,” he committed, for his Bar Mitzvah project, to cook a meal for his family of five - one night a week - on a budget five dollars. While these dinners were short on nutritional value, and as Shaul’s mom disclosed, “after instant ramen soup, we were all happy for the next day’s meal with Israeli salad,” the family appreciated Shaul’s selfless intentions and had “no complaints!” Having determined with his parents that $30-35 dollars would typically be spent on groceries per meal, the money saved weekly was donated to Heifer International, an organization that “partners with smallholder farmers –especially women farmers – to improve their families’ food security and increase their incomes.”

From teenagehood to present day, Shaul has been involved in some aspect of the food industry, thus it is no surprise that following graduation from Columbia University – and after serving in the IDF – he returned to NYC and worked his way up the ranks of the restaurant business. Now, Culinary Operations Director for Laser Wolf, K’far, and Jaffa, three nationally renowned restaurants located in the Hoxton Hotel in Williamsburg, he manages several dozen employees. Having personally experienced all of their positions first-hand, from prep team member, to porter, to dishwasher, Shaul “understands where the workers are coming from,” and, as he said, “always has their backs.”

Beyond ensuring that all personnel are doing their jobs well and that each kitchen is operating with optimum efficiency, Shaul, in his very quiet demeanor, discussed how “important it is to learn from, and help each of these employees.” He went on to explain that “all of them are immigrants, and only about 10% speak English,” adding “that because so much of what I do is listening and offering guidance, like talking with them about housing and health insurance,

or hearing about their families and even their financial difficulties, I learned, and now speak, Spanish.”

As a member of an immigrant family himself, Shaul reiterated time and again that “what really matters is caring for each and every member of the staff,” and “giving respect” to all in his kitchen, knowing that “everyone has a story.”

For further information about Shaul, Laser Wolf, K’far, and Jaffa, visit thehoxton.com/williamsburg/kfar-restaurant/

Jack Sivan, JCDS Class of 2010

In a recent Photobook Magazine Q&A entitled, “Jack Sivan is on the Cusp”, fashion designer Jack Sivan was asked, “At a young age, what about sewing caught your interest?”

“Ever since I was little I have loved to make art,” responded Jack. “The people around me encouraged that interest, so in school, I was always the ‘art kid.’ In high school I started to pay attention to fashion, specifically tailoring, and I realized the only way I’d probably be able to have all the nice clothes I wanted was if I sewed them myself. My parents took me to a sewing class, and for the rest of high school, I taught myself, through trial and error...”

And it is so true; at JCDS, Jack was the ‘art kid’ of his class, and that spark never waned! After earning a BFA in Apparel Design with a minor in Sustainability Studies at RISD, the Rhode Island School of Design, he is now an up and coming clothing designer, donning his own private menswear label, Sivan.

For Jack, “clothing is a language unto itself,” and of the many stunning components of his artistry are the integrity and underlying precepts of his fashion design work; Jack is producing a fully sustainable line of men’s clothing. “Having principled consistency in life and work is vital. Responsibility in production, distribution, and eventual disposal is the future of the industry. It is essential, as an emerging brand, to build in an expectation of ethics as a brand cornerstone.”

As one wishing to always maintain an open and pluralistic outlook in everything he does, Jack is working “to fill all options for men - seeking to find where femininity meets masculinity.” As told on his website about his brand and label, “Sivan is dedicated to creating with thought put into each garment’s full life cycle. From material, to fabrication, to use, to reuse and, much further down the line, disposal.

[Sivan] believes that good design is sustainable design, and that clothing should be conscious of the needs of the people that make and use it.”

This past February, at the internationally renowned New York Fashion Week, an event showcasing famous designers and emerging talent from all over the world, Sivan, Jack’s ready-to-wear men’s collection, was prominently featured.

Keep your eyes peeled: Jack Sivan is on the cusp…!

For further information about Sivan, visit jacksivan.com

James Hirsh, JCDS Class of 2021

James, a junior at Gann Academy, an elite soccer player, and the most recent JCDS graduate of whom we write, spoke fervently about the integral role perseverance, resilience, and having a growth mindset play in his athletic and academic life. He recounted two powerful personal stories to illustrate the influence of these practices.

The summer before entering high school, James was playing for an exclusive soccer club in Massachusetts. He was the newest and youngest member of the team, and while playing defense in a tournament game, he lost the ball in front of hundreds of spectators, and the opposing team quickly scored. James recalled, “This was one of those exact moments where I knew, and consciously thought to myself, right now you can quit and be defeated or learn from this and move on.” What stood out to James, as he retold this story, was the immediacy of his reaction and being entirely mindful that “all the lessons that were drilled into us at JCDS came to me in that instant.”

The second example James shared occurred while taking a final math exam on which he had no idea of the answer to a particular problem, or how, even, to go about solving it. Rather than being aggravated by leaving it blank, he said, “I figured I could definitely fail by not answering, or I could just go for it using what I did know and try my best… so I decided I had to go for it. ‘Use growth mindset,’ I thought to myself, and ‘just do it!”’

To Our Readers

The way in which James reacted to these disappointing, even frustrating experiences, is precisely what we hope for our students; that the lessons and the Habits of Mind and Heart that we abide by, and work so diligently to teach them throughout their years at JCDS, will instantaneously kick in at those moments in life when they are most needed.

We marvel at the adults our alumni become, the vast range of professions in which they are engaged, and the far corners of the earth in which they find themselves. From those about whom you just read, to Martha Schwarz (2005) in Nepal working as a linguist, Aaron Hunt (2011) a teaching fellow in Israel, Fulbright Scholar Noa Vineburg (2015) presently living in Senegal, to the several hundred others out making a difference in the world, we are proud that there is a little JCDS spark that remains within each of them.

And we cannot help but wonder what boundless possibilities are in store for our JCDS students of today and tomorrow….

Letter from Sari Korman, Director of Development and Communications

Iwant to express my deepest gratitude to all of you. Life inevitably comes with highs and lows, and this academic year certainly tested us. I saw time and again that as a community, we led with love, optimism, resilience, and determination, and through these difficult times, we emerged stronger than ever. Thank you for continuing to support JCDS, where many of us found solace during an especially challenging year.

On March 24th, we celebrated A Taste of What Matters -

. Co-chaired with creativity and enthusiasm by Urit Chaimovitz & Jonathan Bloch, and Jessica & Daniel Jacob, our nearly 200 strong community showed up – we laughed, reminisced, and viewed student works. Our diverse community may note our differences, but never do they divide us; rather, they strengthen us and enrich our practices and perspectives. At JCDS, we have profound appreciation for our differences, and this appreciation extends to how our faculty understands each student’s individuality to better meet their needs.

This coming year, JCDS will celebrate its 30th anniversary, and our pioneer spirit remains ever present. We pursue new ideas while preserving that which continues to bind us to our rich history and time-honored practices. HaSadna, our makerspace, brought our learning into the 21st century, yet we continue to teach the ancient wisdom of our sages through Tanakh study. As we enter our next decade, we will celebrate the future while paying homage to the past, and I look forward to you joining us.

This issue of Nitzotzot is likewise a recognition of our past and a celebration of our future. In focusing on our alumni, we pay tribute to them and are reminded of our impact on future generations. I know this intimately – having a long history with JCDS beginning as the parent of three children who attended school here, then as a former board member, and as Board Chair. Today, I am proud to say that my children strongly identify as Jews, think critically, and are compassionate young adults. I see in them the lasting imprint of JCDS and of the community that helped raise our children. For this, I am profoundly grateful to JCDS.

Thank you for supporting the important work we do here and for helping to raise the next generation of Jews. Please join me in making JCDS one of your philanthropic priorities. Your dollars make possible generous financial aid packages for those who otherwise may not be able to afford it. I can say from personal experience that your investment will pay dividends to you in ways you would never have expected - ones that speak to your values, to your hopes and dreams, and to our collective future which you are helping to shape by your generosity.

Thank you for partnering with JCDS to make this a reality. Together, we will ensure that the next thirty years are as bright and promising as the last thirty have been.