InspirationsSpring2023

SPRING 2023

This magazine is printed on Sovereign Silk stock which is Acid Free, EMS, Element Chlorine Free and comes from Responsible Forestry Practices.

SCHOOL COUNCIL

At the School’s recent Annual General Meeting, a number of School Council Board members stood for re-election and have remained in service for another term. Jason Arnheim retired from Council and we owe him a debt of gratitude for all his years of service.

Susan Taylor and Danielle Nahum are new members that were co-opted to Council. Susan has taking on the role of Honorary Treasurer, replacing Michael Benson. We are immensely

grateful to Michael for all his wise counsel and expertise over his term as Treasurer.

It was a bittersweet moment with a changing of the guard as Lahra Carey stepped down as President on School Council and Jeff Leigh took up the leadership reigns. Lahra has been on Council since 2014 and has served as President since 2018. She has given countless voluntary hours in service to the School and was instrumental in steering the School through the challenges

of the COVID pandemic and the distance learning landscape. We are incredibly grateful for Lahra’s contribution and we look forward to seeing her at some of our future signature events! Lahra will remain on Council as Immediate Past President.

We wish Jeff well in his new role and thank him for making this significant leadership commitment.

Jeff Leigh President

Lahra Carey Immediate Past President

Susan Taylor Hon. Treasurer

Rochelle Rothfield Vice President

Marc Light Principal

Carrie Kausman Chair

Tina Landsberg President, KDSPA

Adam Kaye

Peter Levi

Danielle Nahum Rabbi Gary Robuck

Rick Tudor OAM

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

King David first opened its gates in 1978, just 45 years ago, with a group of pioneer families taking the giant leap of faith with a brand new school. These families were excited to join a new school offering principles of inclusion, egalitarianism and social justice as well as fostering a deep and abiding sense of community. It was only 23 years ago when our first Year 12 class of 15 students became our first VCE graduates.

When I speak to families now, I tell them that while the School has grown from strength to strength, the core values remain the same. We are a school with a strong sense of community, an inclusive and egalitarian school that welcomes families with a broad range of Jewish backgrounds and a school that believes in the importance of joyful Jewish education in the context of living as proud upright Australian citizens focused on social justice.

At our Senior School Careers Morning earlier this year, I addressed our students who will soon become our newest KDS Alumni. I spoke with gratitude about the generous alumni who were so open in sharing their experience with our students at the Careers Morning. I told our students that they can look to our KDS Alumni for advice and guidance as they enter their post KDS life. I encouraged them to listen and reach out to alumni who have kindly offered their expertise in a variety of career pathways. You can read more about our Alumni Mentor program in this magazine. In this edition of Inspirations, we have highlighted the impact of a King David education on the whole person.

BELOW LEFT:

BELOW RIGHT:

You will read how King David has inspired our students to achieve their best and empowered them to move confidently forward in life after school. We encourage our students to be curious and creative learners, who grow in their confidence and resilience during their time as a King David student.

I continue to look back at my years as a King David student as some of my happiest childhood memories.

Marc Light Principal

Marc Light with sister Anna as a young KDS student

Dress-up for Purim

Marc in the infamous KDS skivvy

JEWISH LIFE

SHABBAT IS HERE!

Shabbat is here, Shabbat is here, I’m so glad that Shabbat is here!

Grandparents and special friends joined our Senior Kinder children to welcome in Shabbat and were able to witness some of the wonderful Jewish learning the children experience regularly in their classes. The joy was palpable. A special treat for everyone was hearing the shofar

from Marc Light as the event coincided with the first day of the month of Elul. This is the Hebrew month leading up to Rosh HaShanah and it is customary to sound the shofar each morning.

YEAR 7 KABBALAT MITZVAH

Kabbalat Mitzvah, our annual ceremony for Year 7 students, celebrates our B’nei Mitvah and their coming of age. Shabbat, one of the mitzvot (good deeds) was adopted as a lens through which receiving (kabbalah) Judaism and responsibilities were explored by students leading up to this event.

Three generations presented their thoughts and associations with Shabbat. Gemma Hatfield (Year 7 student), Jason Rose (current Year 7 parent) and Alan Schwartz AO (current grandparent) spoke meaningfully about what makes Shabbat unique and special in their family.

Participants then chose from multiple Shabbat-themed sessions including challah plaiting, kiddush cup and challah-cover decorating and mindfulness. Following the sessions, a communal Havdalah ceremony was held and parents presented their children with hand-written messages of hopes and prayers to be placed in a mezuzah.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

A meaningful and memorable experience with families was held recently as our Year 4 students participated in the Eleh HaShemot (‘these are the names”) ceremony. In their Jewish Studies classes this year, students have been discovering the meaning behind their Hebrew names and associated stories and connections from the Tanach.

Students were asked before the ceremony to discuss the following with their families:

• What is my name’s connection?

• What are some attributes that I am proud of?

• What are attributes that I aspire to (could be if you are named after someone, there are certain attributes your parent hoped for you)?

• Why was I called my name?

After presenting the meaning behind their names, students joined their families and completed a unique artwork representing themselves, their attributes, and the qualities to which they aspire.

Thanks to our wonderful Jewish Studies teachers for providing such a significant learning opportunity for our students.

A SWEET NEW YEAR

There has been a significant amount of Jewish learning across the School about the rituals, meaning and traditions of Rosh HaShanah. As it is a time of renewal and reflection, there was much ageappropriate discussion that took place.

Our youngest learners in Gan Te’ena practised the song Tapuchim u’Dvash and spent time drawing apples and pots of honey. Others learned about the story of creation and all the wonderful things God created. Senior Kindergarten focussed on how sophisticated bees are and how they make honey.

At the start of Elul, the month leading up to Rosh HaShanah and the High Holy Days, Year 2 students visited different classes in the ELC and Junior School to sound the shofar at the start of each day. They demonstrated the three different shofar blasts: Tekiah (one blast), Shevarim (three wavering continuous blasts), and Teruah (nine staccato blasts).

The Years 2 & 5 students also enjoyed an engaging incursion from the Shofar Factory and were instructed on the different types of horns and how to make a shofar.

Each morning leading up to Rosh HaShanah, the shofar was sounded at Magid Campus before the start of each day.

EMPOWERING OUR STUDENTS TO TAKE THEIR PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY

King David’s Jewish Life and Learning teams seek to make Jewish education and experiences as engaging, vibrant, meaningful and impactful as possible in the moment. We want this Purim and Yom HaAtzmaut to be the best ever. And the next! And the next! This applies to celebrations for each and every chag (festival), special events, camps and our peak experiences, such as Yesh, our Israel trip.

While Maths teachers would not necessarily expect all their students to become mathematicians and English teachers would not expect every student to become a novelist, in Hebrew, Jewish Studies and Jewish Experiential settings, our teachers expect their students to become life-long members of and contributors to the on-going Jewish story. So while Jewish Life and Learning at The King David School is very much about the present moment, it also has a keen eye on the future.

As our students move from the Junior School, through Middle and into the Senior School, the rationale behind the formal and experiential curriculum is on ensuring our students have the knowledge, understanding and, perhaps most importantly, the requisite attitude and positive identity to take their Judaism into their future lives.

As a team across various subjects and over many years, we seek to provide our students with a thorough overview of Jewish history and culture so that they have an awareness of themselves as part of the larger picture. We educate specifically and with nuance about the land and state of Israel, so that students can appreciate the complexities and realities of statehood. Our students are offered opportunities to engage in and develop their spiritual lives through participation in t’filah (prayer) and chagim. We develop a passion for tikkun olam (repair of the world) as both an expression of Jewish identity and a right course of action in and of itself. Importantly, from leadership training and opportunities embedded in Junior and Senior School (and now being developed for Middle School), we seek to cultivate in every student an understanding that leadership is attitudinal, rather than positional. This is crucial in developing young people who will take their place in the future of our community and in society more broadly.

Sidra Moshinsky Director of Jewish Life and Learning

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

STRIKING GOLD ON YEAR 5 CAMP

Our Year 5 students struck gold on their camp! Bringing their learning about the Gold Rush alive, they spent time as prospectors in Sovereign Hill before being immersed in nature in the countryside nearby. The camp included bushwalks and team building activities. See reflections below from our students about their experience:

Most of us were wide awake, energetic and with a thirst for action.

It was 6:30am and cabin five needed to get out and do something (with the exception of one person who was asleep). We were told we could go on a morning walk if we woke up early, so we scurried out of our cabin and went to ask Russell if we could go. He said yes and my friends and I rushed back into our cabin to pop on a jumper and maybe a puffer jacket over our pajamas and off we went.

The sign at the path read

‘Sunnystones Night Trail Walk’ the little rocks and pebbles jumped as uggs, slides and sneakers stepped all over them. Russell told us that there would be kangaroos and that we HAD to be as quiet as possible to make sure not to scare them away. ”If they come towards us we will just quietly turn around and head back,” Russell whispered. As we walked quietly down the path, we saw lots of gorgeous kangaroos and some cute little joeys. But we were most excited about two mum kangaroos with little joeys in their pouches. They were all prancing around in the light morning glow as we watched them. We were all whispering and laughing among ourselves. That walk is something I’ll always remember when thinking about Year 5 camp.

Elke Rockman

We are going on a bear hunt, for ideas.

Everyone on Year 5 camp put our shoes on ready for the bush walk, excited to get started with the sun beaming on our faces. We began walking down to the river, but then we realized we had to travel through it. Everyone froze in shock, no one wanting their shoes to get wet. Some asked if we could go around but the answer stayed the same, “We have to go through it”. One by one people began to walk across a plank trying their best to save their shoes, most succeeded but some failed and walked along with soggy wet shoes.

We hit a cliff! “Oh no! We have to turn around!” Everyone said, but the answer was the same “we have to go through it!.” Everyone was shaking as they slowly went down the cliff. We asked “how much longer?”, “three hours” “WAIT, WHAT?” everyone replied in sadness. Everyone was so scared they didn’t think they would survive!...But they did!

Zoe Sles

On Year 5 camp, our first destination was Sovereign Hill. When we got there we began to realise how cold this trip was going to be. We put on our jackets and headed to our first activity. We were put into groups and we had to find gold balls (fake) to exchange into money. The goal was the group with the highest amount would win. But it was difficult because the troopers could arrest you for anything. Next we had a chance to pan for gold in the river. The only thing you could find was tiny specks of gold so it shows us how hard it was to find it. After the gold panning, we went to see how gold was melted into bars and then we had time to shop.

As we were looking around, everything was very old fashioned. The most popular shop was the lolly shop. The Year 10s assisted us on our shopping experience and following our shopping we went underground to the mines. Our tour guide, Patrick explained that many diggers found it difficult to dig because of the dangers. After learning about the mines we went behind the scenes to see how the confectionery was made there. As we said goodbye to the wonderful memories we made we left with a smile on our faces and a jar of raspberry drops. Off to Camp Sunnystones now!

Joey Want

grow with us

ALUMNI JOURNEYS

For many of us, school is the longest relationship we have with a single place, outside our family homes. Yet, once the travails of Year 12 are over we cease the steps we’ve been taking routinely for many years. Although we are no longer physically at the school, we carry our memories with us, we keep lifelong friends, and we draw on the skills and dispositions we learned inside and outside the classroom. Recently, we spoke to four alumni at different stages in life, asking them about their memories of school and how growing up at King David has influenced where they are today.

The alumni we interviewed have all taken different paths but revealed that they had multiple things in common: warm memories of King David, an openness towards others, a curiosity about the world, and a desire to give back.

Tahlia Selzer, Class of 2020

After a gap year that included volunteering in Ghana, Tahlia is currently studying Arts at Monash, majoring in Psychology. She hopes to become a Clinical Psychologist.

Josh Appelboom, Class of 2009

After going on Netzer’s Shnat program, Josh completed a Science/Commerce degree at Monash University, majoring in Ecology and Conservation Biology and Economics. He is currently working at Rio Tinto.

Tara Kornhauser, KDS Year 6, 1997

After going on Netzer’s Shnat program, Tara completed an Arts degree at Monash University, working as a youth worker before studying social work. After working in South Africa and Papua New Guinea, Tara now works at Berry Street, specialising in best practice responses to family violence.

Joe Dreyfus, KDS Year 6, 1997

After also going on Netzer’s Shnat Program, Joe completed an Arts/Commerce degree at the University of Melbourne. He worked as an Economist for the Victorian State Government before embarking on his Masters in Econometrics at Utrecht University. After being a consultant, he is now Head of Individualised Living Options at Hireup, supporting people with disabilities to live independently.

Joe and Tara reunited through Netzer and now have three children, a newborn (mazal tov!), a child in Senior Kinder and one in Prep, both at KDS.

ABOVE LEFT: Tahlia Selzer volunteering in Winneba, Ghana ABOVE RIGHT: Tahlia and Joel in Year 2 Enrichment

Josh Appelboom School Captain (2009)

Josh Appelboom (2023)

Reflecting on his time at school, Principal Marc Light (KDS Year 5, 1998) said, “My experience at King David was rooted in my fond childhood memories. King David has always prioritised positive relationships.” This warmth is something that Marc continues to nurture as Principal.

Tara (Year 6, 1997) reminisces about her Year 2 classroom as “another world. We were always singing, we were doing physical experiments for maths, moving our bodies… there was a focus on the growth of the whole person.” One enduring memory that Tahlia (Class of 2020) has is of her Year 1 teacher Michal, who helped with her overwhelming stage fright by giving her a yellow rubber duck to concentrate on when she was on stage for the end-of-year performance. All of the alumni reminisced about being part of musicals and co-curricular activities at King David. Josh (Class of 2009) remembers his first guitar lesson with an instrument that ‘swam’ on him.

Josh says that his teachers at King David were “personal, caring, humanised. They went beyond a transactional teaching exchange and that helped to get the best out of students, the best out of me.”

“King David showed me the importance of giving back to the community, as part of being a Jewish person. Because of King David, I’m proud to be Jewish. I know that’s stereotypical but it is what that gave me. I’m proud of our history but I think about the values of Judaism - because they were shown in ‘what you can do in the current day’ kind of way, it showed that not only are they good values but they’re ones you can use.”

Tara attributes her drive to give back to community to King David. Tara said, “seeing how involved my parents were in the School – it’s not just the students in the classroom with the teachers – there are so many connections around the School and family input. I’m a chronic volunteer, I enjoy being connected and involved and that started with my parents there.” Joe adds that he particularly remembers that every family was involved with the annual fete (King’s Carnival). Tara’s mother coordinated a large part of the fete, including the White Elephant stall. As well as running the lucky dip stall at the fete, Joe’s mum volunteered with the reading program, and was on the music review committee.

“Because of King David, I’m proud to be Jewish”

Joe (Year 6, 1997) remembers one year that his whole class went to their teacher’s wedding. Josh adds that overall, King David “felt like a family where you had this personal connection with many of the teachers, and many of the families at the School were friends.” Tahlia also describes King David as a kind of family, saying the School felt like home. Tahlia adds, “I’m happy that King David was the main influence on my growing up, because it was a very good influence.”

All of the alumni interviewed embody the instruction in Pirkei Avot that “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it” (2:21). All spoke of wishing to give back, to the importance of tikkun olam. Tahlia put these values to good use in her gap year, volunteering with Project Ten, a Jewish organisation that focuses on sharing agricultural knowledge. Tahlia was based in Winneba, Ghana, and was part of a team that taught primary school students how to grow and care for food and other plants. Tahlia said,

Josh’s community mindedness led him to his current role at Rio Tinto. Josh started with the company just after Rio Tinto’s destruction of the Juukan Gorge rockshelters, an important Indigenous site that demonstrated more than 40,000 years of continuous use. Josh said, “I saw this as an opportunity to go to a business and help it rebuild the right way. Ultimately I decided I wanted to be part of the movement to help Rio Tinto to become a more responsible company… You can have more influence from inside the tent.” Indeed the work that the alumni interviewed do (or are studying towards) involves helping people in need or trying to redress an imbalance of power.

Each alum had an appreciation for the way that King David encourages inclusivity and diversity. Joe and Tara said that it was the School’s approach to inclusion that guided their decision to enrol their children here. Inclusion is part of King David’s emphasis on community.

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Tara said “That’s really nurturing, knowing that everyone is going to know [our children] and that we know the names on the wall.” Joe adds that it wasn’t until he was a student at other schools that he realised how special King David’s sense of community was. Tahlia said, “King David is a very inclusive school where people could truly be themselves, could fit in their own way. Difference wasn’t just tolerated, it was celebrated - everyone was their unique self, not part of a group that all looks and acts the same.” Josh agreed with this, saying “King David was a school that allowed you to be who you are - there was no pressure to be something or someone that you weren’t.” Josh added, “Equally it was a high performing environment where you were encouraged to get the best out of yourself.” This focus on inclusivity fosters a sense of curiosity and openness to others. Marc Light said, “We want our students to have a sense of humility, to feel open to the contributions and world views of others, to be non-judgemental, but to also fight to make their immediate and wider communities better and more inclusive places.” This is modelled by King David’s approach to religious practice, empowering students to make educated choices rather than teaching a rigid approach. Josh said, “King David’s [religious] non-prescription teaches you respect for other people’s perspectives and to value diversity.”

Tahlia also said that King David nurtured an openness towards others, which helped her in Ghana and as au pair in Zaidín, rural Spain.

Josh said, “With King David this was just the learning mindset: you don’t have all the answers, there’s a lot you can learn from others - you don’t need to have all the answers all the time.” Tara and Joe also spoke about how teachers fostered openness and a love for learning. Joe said that the teachers’ enthusiasm “was infectious” and that “all the kids seemed to be just as engaged as each other. I remember carrying that love of learning into high school that felt different to the kids at Wesley.” Josh adds, “What King David instilled in me was an interest in learning new things and for me that’s now an interest in learning new perspectives…be curious and interested in [people’s] ideas because they might be good ideas.”

We know that school is about so much more than times tables and spelling, it forms who we are as people. A desire to give back, an openness to different perspectives, a celebration of diversity and a continued love of learning - these are exemplified by our alumni who truly embody menschkeit

We encourage all KDS alumni to stay in touch. Please email alumni@kds.vic.edu.au with your current contact details.

King David “was a high performing environment where you were encouraged to get the best out of yourself.”

ABOVE LEFT: Josh and friends at school (2004) ABOVE RIGHT: Joe Dreyfus and Tara Kornhauser with their son Levi

Joe Dreyfus, Fiddler on the Roof (1993)

Exploring Pathways after School

Pathways Advisor, Nicki Goodrich, meets one-on-one with students to advise them of career options and paths to achieve their career goals.

Nicki also coordinates the Years 10 - 12 Careers Morning which brings alumni back to King David to present about their career pathways.

Nicki said, “What I hope to do is to broaden students’ ideas about what life after school could look like for them – the different pathways and opportunities available to them and how to get there – their pathways through school, and what their next step will be once they finish here.”

Nicki adds that “It’s important and reassuring for students to know that career journeys aren’t linear and often what they choose to do after school is not necessarily where they end up.”

For Nicki, King David prepares students for our changing world through helping them “develop skills that are transferable and about people skills – skills that can’t be replicated by technology such as team work, communication, innovation, and collaboration.”

Nicki said that the commonality she finds with our alumni is that they are high-achieving and they want to give back to their communities. Nicki adds that they “are good at working together, accepting everyone and being non-judgemental – I see our value of inclusivity at work.”

IWELLBEING FOR SUCCESS

n my time at King David, I have conducted hundreds of job interviews for all different roles. I have always put in a great deal of thought regarding the questions I ask. There are also questions I never ask, for example.

• What was your ATAR?

• What subjects did you do?

• What were your results at university?

In fact, I have never heard anyone asking these types of questions. The questions I ask are normally about emotions and relationships.

• Tell me about working in a team.

• What is most difficult for you working in a team?

• How do you manage conflict?

• What qualities would you bring to this role?

I do not think these interview questions are remarkable and I am sure that a version of these questions is used in most interviews. To me it is very noteworthy that employers are looking at character, relationship skills and emotional intelligence. So if we are to prepare people to succeed along their chosen path after school, the wellbeing program and the overall child-centred approach must be strong at KDS.

Happily, I can report that the wellbeing program focuses on all these factors. Students particularly focus on emotional intelligence. This is where they learn to identify emotions and then regulate them. Research has shown that people who are most successful in work and socially, are those who can control their feelings and not act purely on impulse. This is something we focus on from Kindergarten to Year 12.

Another very important aspect is mindfulness. Whilst this was once considered as a fringe activity for those focussed on Eastern philosophies, it is now understood in Psychological research as a key element of living an aware and balanced life. The world is frenetic, our emotions and reasoning cannot keep up. Living a life with mindful practice allows us to be more considered and considerate. Again, this practice is taught throughout a student’s time at King David.

The most important skill that the School develops, in partnership with each family, is the ability to create and maintain positive and productive relationships. The wellbeing program assists by developing our communication skills, our values and our attitudes. The School helps students develop relationship skills through small group activities, sporting teams, ensembles and more.

Success at school and after school is all about character, relationship skills and emotional intelligence. Each time a new group of students graduate from King David I know that they take these skills with them as their graduation gift.

David Opat Vice Principal Wellbeing and Head of Junior School

PERFORMING ARTS

THE NEXT CHAPTER

The Next Chapter, written and directed by Nissim Ben-Salamon, Music Teacher and Head of Productions Jr School, was brought to life over two performances by our talented Years 3 to 5 students. This drama production empowered our students to express themselves creatively, using their imagination and the power of storytelling.

The story centres on Billie, a friendless young person who lives in Friendly Town and whose passion is reading books. In a bid to help Billie make friends, the town folk collaborate on how to change Billie’s situation in a positive way. A heart-warming story with a wonderful outcome. Well done to all those involved in bringing these performances to our families to enjoy.

DESIGN THINKING

PROJECT BASED LEARNING IN YEAR 7

Our Year 7 students started Term 3 undertaking Project Slingshot, a fast-paced, exciting Project Based Learning initiative with a focus on innovation. Over two days, students honed the valuable skills of creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and communication.

The slingshot relates to the biblical story of King David defeating Goliath – a message of resilience and grit that we encourage in our students.

One highlight was the Rube Goldberg challenge, where students worked in groups to make their own Rube Goldberg machines.

Adi Zayon Creativity & Innovation Coordinator

EDUCATING FOR LIFE

“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John

Dewey

When you ask most people what they think the purpose of school is, they reply “To prepare students for the future.” Many schools therefore assume that their responsibility is to equip students with knowledge, skills and tools that they can use in the future. While this is obviously essential, it is missing one important key ingredient: the ability to practise that which has been taught and learnt in a safe and nurturing environment.

The late John Dewey, an American educator and leader of the progressive movement in education explained “what students are taught in the classroom, should be practised and connected to the challenges and experiences that the students go through in their daily lives.”

Dewey believed that since the world was constantly changing, students’ learning needed to as well. There was no point teaching skills and providing knowledge in a classroom, without the opportunity to use them in real life situations.

Imagine being taught how to swim in a school classroom. You are taught why people swim, how they swim and the benefits of swimming. You are taught everything you need to know about swimming, except for one slight issue, you are never taken to a pool or the ocean to swim.

You are never given the opportunity to know what it feels like to swim on a sunny day or a cold day. What it is like to swim on a calm day versus a windy day. You never get to experience that some waves are more powerful than others, nor how long it takes for you to become tired in water. While you are equipped with knowledge, skills and tools, you have never had the chance to practise and develop those skills and ultimately enhance those skills in a real life situation.

Our King David students are given every opportunity to be successful after school and well into the future because we have not only ensured that they are well equipped with skills, knowledge and tools, we have ensured that they have had plenty of opportunities to practise those skills.

When I get asked how does King David prepare students for life after school, I explain that our students are practising each day for life now and after school and that when a situation or challenge arises, we feel confident that their skills, knowledge and tools are not only well-developed and ready, but that they have already been tried and tested in similar situations.

Russell Kaplan Vice Principal Teaching & Learning

PERFORMING ARTS

LET IT GO!

The global phenomenon that is Frozen, and all the beloved characters including Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, Hans and Oaken, mesmerised our community over a matinee and two evening performances at the end of Term 3.

Our Years 6 to 9 students sparkled with charisma as they brought to life this iconic movie. This production set a record for one of the largest

casts involved in any KDS musical. It was so rewarding to witness the delight expressed by all of our students as they performed in this musical. For many, it was their first experience in a noncompulsory school musical and there were plenty older students to look up to and admire their talent.

Integral to the Production were our KDS Alumni Matan Franco (Class of 2010) who assisted with the musical direction, and Rylee Sack and Mayani Wise (both Class of 2021) who choreographed the dance routines. Thank you to all involved for such a memorable experience.

PERFORMING ARTS

A CELEBRATION OF MUSICAL TALENT

What a thrill to be part of the annual Spring Concert, this year showcasing musical talents of students in various choral and musical ensembles from Years 1 to 12. The Percussion Ensemble gave a dramatic introduction to the performances playing the 20th Century Fox theme. Solo performances by Shayna Epstein and Jacqui Pizzo (Year 12) and Year 9 students Emily Umansky and Sophia Barolsky (with their composition projects) were hauntingly beautiful.

The Junior, Middle and Senior Choirs delighted with Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Count on Me and Song of Purple Summer respectively.

Also part of the program were the Junior ‘Rocking David’ band, the Year 8 ‘School of Rock’, Nana band, Combined Wind, Strings and Year 5 Singers, Senior Wind and Senior Strings ensembles.

A magnificent celebration of emerging talent and music.

SPORT

INTER-SCHOOL SPORT

It’s been an outstanding year so far in the sporting arena for our KDS students! To date, they have been crowned champions in softball, soccer and football and recently were victorious on the athletics track as well. Years 4 to 6 students showed incredible grit and determination at the Balaclava District athletics carnival and were named the champions after out-performing the competition in many events.

Winning the Grand Final in the annual AFL 9s Jewish Schools Cup will be long remembered by our

Year 6 boys’ team. The icing on the cake was Harry Sheezel (rookie for North Melbourne) presenting our victorious team with the Jewish Schools Cup.

For our Years 5/6 soccer team, they played the match of their lives to win the championship earlier in Term 3 with a final score of 3-1.

We are immensely proud of our sporting stars!

Chelsea Dabner, Sport / PE Learning Area Leader & Drew Solewicz, Sports Manager

TEACHER PROFILES

Our excellent teachers are the backbone of our school. Each Inspirations we highlight two of our educators, getting to know more about them. This issue, we feature our Head of Senior School, David Robinson and Head of Middle School, Jayne Wise.

JAYNE WISE Head of Middle School

DAVID ROBINSON

Head of Senior School

Why did you become a teacher?

Jayne: I’ve always had a passion for working with young people. I grew up working in informal education and saw first-hand the impact of positive educational experiences grounded in care for the individual as a whole human being. I believe in the empowerment of young people and there is nothing more empowering than education.

David: As a teenager I never wanted to do anything else, which I’m conscious is unusual. I was in awe of a handful of teachers that I had because they empowered me and helped me to explore things intellectually that I would have never have embarked on myself.

What is your favourite part about teaching?

David: My subject area is English and even though I have a bunch of other responsibilities these days, my favourite part of the day is still having those substantial conversations with young people about texts where I hear their perspectives and they hear mine and together we expand our understanding of literature and the world around us.

Jayne: The most gratifying aspect of teaching for me is witnessing those “ah ha” moments in students. Whether it is during a maths lesson when they grasp a concept they were struggling with, or through a conversation where a student begins to understand another person’s perspective. Watching students grow and develop is the most rewarding part of the job.

Tell us more:

David: One of the parts of the job I really love is working in partnership with parents. I love those moments with parents where we come together for the shared goal of positioning a young person for success, it’s so powerful when we work together.

Jayne: I feel really blessed to be doing the job that I’m doing and to be part of this next step on the King David School journey.

What’s special about the middle years?

Jayne: I love working with adolescents. It is fascinating to support them through the process of discovering their true selves, engaging in exploration to understand their identity, and experimenting with various aspects of who they are becoming. It’s a little chaotic and messy, but ultimately so rewarding to be part of their journey.

What’s special about the senior years?

David: It’s an enormous privilege to work with students in their senior years because it’s very much the leg of their education journey where they’re moving towards autonomy. It’s a joy to work with these students to usher them through their formative experiences coupled with the academic rigour of the Senior School.

Jayne, you’ve been at King David since 2014 and David, you’ve been here since 2016. Thinking back, what was surprising about KDS?

Jayne: The care and genuinely warm community feel was surprising, rewarding and enriching. It really does feel like a community.

David: My last school was an Islamic school so in coming to King David – surprised is perhaps a little strong – but I was struck by the fact that kids are kids despite cultural and religious backgrounds. As someone who joined King David from outside the Jewish community, I was struck by the warmth of the community and willingness to share information and as such I’ve ended up with insight into the Jewish community and I’m very privileged to have that.

What are your hobbies outside of school?

Jayne: Anything that is outside and involves exercise or adventure! I love catching up with friends on long walks, running and hiking. I can’t think of anything better than a backpack, tent and a mountain! I also love creative projects and have been known to spend hours sewing and cooking celebratory feasts for my family and friends.

David: As nerdy and predictable as this may be, I love crosswords so nothing is more pleasurable to me than sitting with the cryptic crossword from The Age and a cup of tea. Sadly it’s a case of stereotypes as true in this case. I also love travel. Last Summer, I spent some time in Vietnam and this Summer I’m planning a trip to India.

LEARNING MILESTONE

100 DAYS OF PREP

Prep was buzzing with excitement as students celebrated their 100 Days of Prep in Term 3. This special milestone showed how they have learned and grown together in creative ways. Students had so much fun decorating crowns and making them as unique as themselves!

Counting has become an adventure, from days to beads – our Preppies are becoming math whizzes! Students continue to explore, create and make memories together. These first hundred days are just the beginning of our exciting journey ahead. Mazal tov to the Preps on the first hundred and we are so excited for the next hundred days and beyond at The King David School!

Rebecca Fiala & Rebecca Rudstein Prep Teachers

KDSPA

FOOD FOR THOUGHT AT OUR KDSPA BREAKFAST

A beautiful morning was enjoyed at Kooyong Tennis Club for the KDSPA Breakfast. Our guest speaker Dr Jeremie Bracka, Australian-Israeli human rights lawyer, comedian and academic, shared his research on justice after conflict. Guests were taken on a journey about transitional justice,

emotional connection, history, and shared narrative to arrive at a place where conflict resolution seems possible.

The event concluded with Jeremie’s comedic alter ego, Mrs Rae Rose OAM, who helped to draw the raffle tickets and present the prizes to winners.

Many thanks to all who supported this wonderful event, including our generous sponsors of the raffle and silent auction. A special shout out to KDSPA President Tina Landsberg, Laurelle Ritz and the other committee members for bringing this event to our community.

We’re already looking forward to next year’s breakfast!

KDSPA Presidents L-R Rochelle Rothfield, Carrie Kausman, Tina Landsberg (current) & Lisa Klepfisz

INVESTING IN JEWISH CONTINUITY

A strong and supportive foundation is integral to supporting every exceptional educational institution. Our Foundation is dedicated to securing philanthropic support that empowers our school to create the most enriching learning environment and experiences for King David students.

The Foundation serves a crucial role in supporting the School’s educational and co-curricular programs, facility improvements and other initiatives. School fees alone do not provide the funds needed to shape the future of KDS.

The recent announcement by the State Government regarding removal of the payroll tax exemption for some independent schools in Victoria has significant implications for our school. While KDS is fortunate to be in a robust financial situation, annual income and the yearly contributions from the Foundation will not be sufficient to cover the tax and maintain effective school operations. We will be relying on the generosity of donors more than ever.

The Yesh program is one of many that is greatly assisted through the support of generous donors. Since its inception in 2005, the Yesh Israel Program has provided nearly 1,000 students with a transformative experience that fosters a deep connection to Israel and Judaism during a formative period in their lives.

By exposing students to these facets of Israeli society, the program aims to cultivate a profound understanding and appreciation for their Jewish heritage.

This immersive four-week experience offers Year 10 students the opportunity to explore the rich history of Eretz Yisrael while gaining insights into the social, legal, and ecological issues facing the modern State. By exposing students to these facets of Israeli society, the program aims to cultivate a profound understanding and appreciation for their Jewish heritage.

The full cost of the Yesh program, however, is beyond the means of many families within the School community. To ensure that financial circumstances do not prevent any student from participating, the School provides significant subsidies. Currently, the School contributes approximately

35% of each student’s total program cost, amounting to over $200,000 this year alone.

We are reaching out to generous benefactors who understand the immense value of this program and its impact on strengthening Jewish identity and connection. We are seeking philanthropic support to collectively contribute around $200,000 per year over the next four years to help us sustain this level of subsidy.

Investing in the Yesh program will make a lasting impact on the lives of our students.

Join us in our mission to preserve and strengthen Jewish identity through the Yesh program. Together, we can empower the next generation of Jewish leaders and instill in them a lifelong commitment to their heritage.

For more information on the Foundation please contact:

Ruth Lew Head of Foundation

Tel: +613 9527 0122

Mob: 0439 446 444

E: ruth.lew@kds.vic.edu.au

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ALUMNI

ALUMNI MENTORS GIVE BACK AT THE 2023 CAREERS MORNING

Earlier in the year we welcomed back 15 alumni from different industries at our Years 10-12 Careers Morning. Students were able to select which industries were of interest to them and had the opportunity to hear from two different speakers. Our alumni shared their career journeys so far and offered valuable insights in the variety of options available to graduates.

Students then completed an online reflection and quiz about the types of careers that would be best suited to them. Finally, the Senior School came together to hear from Marc Light about his career journey as well as the importance of being active members of our Alumni Association, KDS Connect. Nicki Goodrich, Pathways Advisor, concluded the morning by encouraging students to take the next steps towards making decisions in their career pathways. She encouraged every student to participate in Open Days at tertiary institutions and to shadow a person in a career that seems appealing to them to gain insights into different opportunities available. Nicki talked about the importance of continuing to build their communication and collaboration skills through opportunities presented to them as King David students.

Creative Design

We thank the Alumni Mentors for “giving back” to our current students and look forward to welcoming more alumni back to KDS in the future to share their experiences.

If you are interested in becoming

Education and Law

Warwick Mihaly (1997) Principal Architect Mihaly Slocombe Architects

Rebecca Freedman (2016) UX Designer (User Experience and Graphic Designer) Bureau of Meteorology

Ellie Zarfaty (2010) Primary School Teacher The King David School

Finance and Commerce

part of our Alumni Mentor program, please email alumni@kds.vic.edu.au

STEM and Health Sciences

Dillon Mordech (2011) Senior Deals and Valuations Consultant, KPMG

Jordan Samuel (2011) Senior Project Coordinator Ironside Construction

Hannah Eichenbaum (2014) Chemical Engineer TFA Project Group

Noah Webb (2018) Financial Analyst IDA Property

Eliza Wingreen (2016) Lifestyle Recruiter Amazon (AWS)

Kerri Gordon (2013) Senior Content Producer MECCA Brands

Dean Levinson (2018) Software Engineer Vivi

Elie Loummer (2013) Product Support Engineer Team Lead, Seer Medical

Hayden Snow (1995) Surgeon Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Sunshine Hospital

Hannah Ungar (2018) Final Year Student Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

Josh Kahn (2015) Sustainability Consultant SLR

ALUMNI REUNIONS

We enjoyed welcoming back the Class of 2018, Class of 2013 and Class of 2003 for their 5, 10 and 20 year reunions! It was a special evening with alumni connecting with old classmates and chatting with some of their old teachers. We love hearing about the diverse pathways our graduates have taken and the lives they have created since school.

Please continue to stay in touch with your news via alumni@kds.vic.edu.au

ALUMNI NEWS

Please continue to keep us informed by sending your news or changes to your contact details to: alumni@kds.vic.edu.au

ENGAGEMENTS

Ike Curtis (2013) and Natalie Hayman

Sarah Fink (2013) and Jake Lew

Joel Hamilton (2010) and Bianca Saltzman

Naomi Rubenstein (2014) and David Cohen

MARRIED

Corinne Apelbaum (2011) and Oliver Beer (2011)

Yuval Ashkenazi (2011) and Rochelle Vizelman

Melissa Cyngler (2011) and Ryan Kessler

Ben Verstandiker (2008) and Dani Leifer

BIRTHS

Natalie and Zachary Aflalo (2012)

Levi & Sarah

Jenni Alman (Mandel) (2006) and Jason Alman

Esme

Candice Berelowitz (Rosenberg) (2009) and Dean Berelowitz

Ava

Lauren Cohen (Ross) (2008) and Nathan Cohen

Lev

Cory Dean (2006) and Ashley Lessard

Nora

Misty Eretz (2009) and Santiago Reynoso

Dana

Rebecca Givoni (Rubenstein) (2011) and Andrew Givoni

Oscar

Talia Meltzer (2011) and Ryan Saffer

Marlee

Cara Newstadt (Silpert) (2003) and Saul Newstadt

Ashton

Sarah Volkov (2012) and Adrian Falconer

Goldie