January 31, 2025 by
Across the grades, the STEM department incorporates engineering design into its curriculum, often in order to tackle real world problems. Below, we feature examples:
January 29, 2025 by
On Friday, January 17, family members of our Pre-K class gathered to celebrate their children’s learning. Throughout the morning, students shared what they had learned and done from August through January, from Hebrew and Judaics to general studies. This Chagigat Halomedim, or celebration of learning, largely featured the students’ year-long study of identity. As Pre-K […]
March 9, 2017 by
Have you ever wondered whether acidic fruit conducts electricity better than less acidic fruit? Or whether the pesticides we use on plants actually impact the growth of those plants? What about considering the effect of temperature on a polymer used for watering plants? Or how the food a chicken eats impacts the color of the […]
March 7, 2017 by
In this parasha, Hashem describes to Moshe the clothing and the process of anointing the cohanim (priests). Almost an entire Torah portion is dedicated to how people, in this case Aharon and his descendants, should dress. At first glance, it seems like too trivial and materialistic an issue for the Torah to address. However, when […]
March 2, 2017 by
“Impressive, collaborative, strategic, caring, and dedicated are some of the adjectives that come to mind after talking with Jewish Primary Day School’s (JPDS) Kindergarten General Studies team, comprised of Lisa Davis, Xani Pollakoff, and Vas Pournaras. Despite teaching separate classes, these educational leaders work closely together, planning their sessions on a weekly basis, discussing their […]
March 2, 2017 by
After their successful Ancient Egypt Exhibition this week, our Sixth Grade students sat with their written compositions and the artifacts they created, and reflected on the ways they have grown as researchers and writers. They also considered the ways in which the process of writing has helped them grow as students and human beings. Yonatan […]
March 2, 2017 by
Kol Hakavod to all the cast and crew of the JPDS-NC production of The Lion King! JPDS-NC community members and the preschoolers at Washington Hebrew Congregation and the EDCJCC were treated to two dazzling performances. The show featured 120 talented cast members and an extraordinary set and costumes that our 40 creative crew members worked […]
February 28, 2017 by
In this parasha, Hashem instructs Moshe to collect gifts from Bnei Yisrael in order to build a Mishkan (Tabernacle) so that Hashem can dwell among the people; Hashem describes to Moshe the vessels and structures that comprise the Mishkan. An oft-quoted verse appears in Chapter 25:8: “They will make for Me a sanctuary, and I […]
February 22, 2017 by
JPDS-NC’s faculty teams were awarded two of the six 2017 Kohelet Prizes for Excellence in Jewish Education. The Kindergarten General Studies team – comprised of Lisa Davis, Xani Pollakoff, and Vas Pournaras – won the “Award for Development of Critical and/or Creative Thinking” category for the Community Library Project from the 2015-2016 school year. A cross-grade, multi-disciplinary […]
February 21, 2017 by
In this week’s parasha, Moshe informs the people of numerous ethical and ritual laws and seals the brit (covenant) between the Bnei Yisrael and Hashem. One of the numerous laws in the parasha states (22:20): “Do not wrong a stranger nor oppress him for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Hermann Cohen (1842-1919), […]
February 16, 2017 by
Yitro, Moshe’s father-in-law, suggests a system for establishing lower courts to settle disputes; Hashem articulates the Aseret HaDibrot (Ten Commandments) to the Bnei Yisrael amidst fire, smoke, and sounds of the shofar. We often translate Aseret HaDibrot, as I did above, as “The Ten Commandments.” However, they are not really Ten Commandments, because Dibrot means […]
February 7, 2017 by
After the Bnei Yisrael cross the Reed sea in safety while Paro’s army drowns, they sing praises to Hashem; in response to their complaints about a lack of food and water, Hashem gives them manna; they are then attacked by Amalek. The TaNaKH contains ten songs. When we look at each song, without even reading […]
