After the attacks on October 7th, the Rodeph Sholom community quickly mobilized to support one another and those abroad in myriad ways. Jewish communities across the country, including Rodeph Sholom School, have helped Israeli families find a home away from home by not only providing a place to convene as they navigate the uncertainty of their situations but also by providing a community for their children as they wait for a safe time to return home. The School is proud to be featured in this recent JTA Article about the ongoing work of supporting temporary Israeli students across the country.
The School is incredibly fortunate to have a generous community full of exceptional organizers. Associate Director of Enrollment Jessica Shaviv and current parent Erela Nornberg P’16, ‘18, ‘27 MSc., MA., LMFT, a mental health professional who provides child and adolescent psychotherapy, are leading efforts to coordinate requests for placement and assistance. Erela’s deep understanding of and connection to the Israeli community has been crucial in developing programs with both Congregation Rodeph Sholom and Rodeph Sholom School that best meet the needs of visitors including rooms for Israeli parents with young children to collectively care for their children while having a sense of community and a space to work. Read more about Erela and the Rodeph Sholom community’s efforts in the Jerusalem Post.
“People have said ‘it’s such a mitzvah,’ but it’s really a blessing to our community.”
Danny Karpf, Head of School
School-age students are enrolled in the School on a month-to-month basis and span the divisions from Twos through 8th Grade. To accommodate additional school-age students, several Israeli volunteers who recently completed their IDF service joined the School to support teachers with translation and general academic assistance, and some were hired to provide ongoing support. The School’s existing Hebrew program, which includes a curriculum for native Hebrew speakers as well as an English Language Learning program for non-native English speakers, has also been essential in supporting these new students. Accessibility is important to the School which offers scholarship opportunities to offset the costs of a private school education such as the Jewish Professionals Scholarship Program which provides financial assistance to professionals working in Jewish nonprofit settings to afford a Rodeph Sholom School education. I Love the Upper West Side, a local news organization, outlined the offerings in a recent article. Some of the Israeli families expressed “feeling incredibly grateful to the Rodeph Sholom community for the warm welcome and offers of support, [stating] their thoughts are with family members left behind and in particular, relatives who reside in the devastated kibbutzim.”
Accessibility is important to the School which offers scholarship opportunities to offset the costs of a private school education such as the Jewish Professionals Scholarship Program which provides financial assistance to professionals working in Jewish nonprofit settings to afford a Rodeph Sholom School education. I Love the Upper West Side, a local news organization, outlined the offerings in a recent article. Some of the Israeli families expressed “feeling incredibly grateful to the Rodeph Sholom community for the warm welcome and offers of support, [stating] their thoughts are with family members left behind and in particular, relatives who reside in the devastated kibbutzim.”
Community members are also helping by volunteering or donating to various aid organizations that provide goods and services to displaced families, free emergency medical care, and mental health first aid throughout Israel. Closer to home, librarians are collecting Hebrew language books for students, a current 8th Grader proudly represented Rodeph Sholom School on the podium at the “United for Israel: Marking 30 Days” rally on the UWS, and over 125 members of the Rodeph Sholom community took part in the Jewish Federations of North America “March for Israel” in Washington D.C. to show their support for Israel, stand in solidarity with the hostages, and condemn antisemitism.
“We have so many families in our community who are directly affected in many ways. It’s a way for our children who were already here, whether they’re Israeli or not, to feel more proximate to the conflict in a meaningful way, where children can connect with children and know that they are actually making a difference in comforting and supporting and befriending children who are directly impacted by their family and friends being attacked.”
Danny Karpf, Head of School
Young alumni have also offered help with babysitting while alumni over 18 participated in a discussion over Zoom with Rabbi Deborah Goldberg who created a private and safe space to talk about how the ongoing war may be affecting their interactions at school, work, or even on the street. During a recent alumni event at parent-owned Viam Robotics, Gabriel Ravetz ’13, who was in Israel on October 7th, delivered a D’var Torah where he shared, “I’m just like every Jew across the world who feels themselves giving an extra look over their shoulder these days, or subconsciously tucking [in] their necklace when they leave the house….That distant voice that lives in the back of our heads whispering ‘Be careful, be aware, you never know’ I can’t tell you that will go away. What I can tell you is that beyond being Jewish, we are also human.” Read the full D’var Torah here.
Looking forward, the School is providing space for facilitated conversations for parents and is working on a series of educational opportunities to provide some historical context for the current crisis. Rodeph Sholom School is deeply proud of this community and extraordinarily grateful to the teachers, administrators, and staff who have worked so hard and so quickly to support unexpected visitors while continuing their outstanding work with existing children and families.
To learn more about Rodeph Sholom School visit www.rodephsholomschool.org.