The Official Blog of Denver Jewish Day School

"To do this...we must show our children that we trust the adults and that the adults are on the same page to keep them safe and to help them navigate the hard together. I will end with the same message that I give to our kids on an almost daily basis. We do not have to be best friends. We do not have to agree. But, we do need to treat each other with respect, curiosity, kindness, and integrity."

Jared believes that the school’s small class size helped him get comfortable with public speaking and leadership, things he might not have embraced so easily at a larger school. “Entrepreneurial spirit comes from the opportunities you get,” he said. “I was class president senior year, which probably wouldn’t have happened at a big public school. It taught me to advocate and lead, and I believe if you can lead a small group you can lead a bigger one.”

" My senior year was extra special, the entire GW Varsity Boys Golf Team came from DJDS. The four varsity spots were me, Avi Cohn (Senior), Levi Engbar (Junior), and Soren Goldberg-Butler (Freshman), and we had so much fun on and off the course. When one of us played badly, we were always there to lift each other up. We never turned our backs on each other, and for me and Avi, it almost felt like a passing of the torch as we mentored Soren during his Freshman year. It means a lot to me knowing that the DJDS ties to the GW Varsity Golf team will keep going after I graduate. All four of us took great pride in representing DJDS this season, and I have made memories that will last a lifetime during my high school career."

"I am learning how to balance giving myself a break when I need it and pushing myself when I know I can do better. Something I’ve learned to come to terms with is that there is no right or wrong time to start a new cycle within your life, you just need to start, and luckily, our very own religion acknowledges that, and even goes so far as to give us a date to start. Although it may be hard to begin a new chapter of our lives, Rosh Hashana is the perfect opportunity to acknowledge your growth and look ahead to your future goals, so take advantage of it, I know I will."

“One part of this commission that is very similar to the Denver Jewish community is that it opens so many doors and opportunities for your future”, said Kiki. “I would have never started working with Meredith Levy (Parks and Recreation Advisory Board), or learned about various additional avenues for change if it wasn’t for the Denver Mayor’s Youth Commission, and because of that I am forever grateful.”

"In addition, to providing me with a fantastic place to work, DJDS was wonderful for both of my children, Zachary and Shannon. They have a true love of Judaism and grew into high-achieving adults because of DJDS's warm and supportive environment and their teachers. Even though I am now ready for my new journey of getting my Ph.D. in Education, teaching in college, and traveling more, DJDS will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you for giving me the privilege of working with so many students, who I call my Bubalehs (I may need to trademark ‘Barbara's Bublalehs’), and for allowing me to be fortunate enough to have a job that fulfills my passion for teaching."

"Retiring is such a bittersweet experience for me.  So much to look forward to but so much to fondly look back on. I will always have a deep connection to DJDS. This community has made such an impact on me and it will always feel like home."

Denver Jewish Day School announced that it is currently piloting a new tuition assistance initiative, the Income Based Affordability Program, for new families who apply to the school between June and August 2022. The program makes tuition assistance simple and accessible to families with an AGI of $100 - $400k.

"Just like these memories I made at camp, the nighttime of Color War has given me so much to think about. Late Monday night as I lay in bed I thought about what might come in my first ever Upper Division color war. Never would I have thought I would end up in front of the whole school giving my teams D’var, and bonding with the upperclassmen who helped me write it. Over the past few days, I have learned the meaning of the DJDS mispacha."

"It is about taking teaching and coaching very passionately and personally. It is about trying new things and accepting challenges as an educator. It is about treating the misfits and the students outside the cool groups with extra attention and care. You need to make them feel like they are important to you and feel good about going to school every day. It is about that adrenalin rush I get every day when teaching and coaching."