Shalom to the wonderful Yavneh families. For those who didn’t meet me yet – my name is Yael Karmi, and I am the new Hebrew Director in Yavneh. It has been truly a pleasure to meet this engaged community of learners and to get to know our dedicated teachers and excited students. I’m still on the journey of learning about Yavneh to see how I can contribute to its success.
I would like to tell you a little about myself and my background. I grew up on a kibbutz in Israel and as a child I always had my head stuck in a book. My grandmother and my mom were teachers, so it came as no surprise when I chose to do a B.A. in Literature and Philosophy as well as a Teaching Credential in Tel Aviv University.
After moving to the Bay Area, I completed my Master’s in Art History at SJSU and have been teaching AH at De Anza College since 2006. Over the years I also taught Hebrew and Judaic studies for kids of all ages and levels. I have found teaching to be wonderfully rewarding but also a very demanding work.
Therefore, I’m very thankful and appreciative of the amazing job our teachers are doing. Some of them spend many hours in preparation before class, some are busy creating new and exciting programs, others are preparing special in-class projects. All are hard-working professionals. I’m honored to learn from their experience, and Yavneh’s students are so blessed to have them!
Since 2019 I have served as the of Head of the Los Gatos campus of Beged Kefet Hebrew School. I wrote curricula, mentored, trained, and supported teachers in their work, and I’m very fortunate to bring this experience to Yavneh and to support our teachers in their hard work. I am passionate about project-based learning that includes visual art, music, theater, creative writing, Hebrew through Motion and more, thus I encourage teachers to explore these directions.
It warms my heart to notice the degree of integration of Hebrew at Yavneh on so many different levels. I hear it constantly during classes, during prayer, during recess, in the hallways and in the teachers’ lounge. It is there visually as well. For example, the welcoming class boards in the hallways display the names of the students both in English and in Hebrew near their photos. Many classrooms’ boards display short essays in Hebrew, written by the students. The students are exposed to Hebrew throughout the day, and consequently the level of understanding of Hebrew that the students demonstrate is very impressive! Keep up the good work, Yavneh!
My goal is to assist all Yavneh’s students to improve their Hebrew skills. I’m always open to listen to parents and students, so if you wish to discuss with me the progress of your child, I’ll be happy to talk. You are welcome to contact me at [email protected]. I’m looking forward to meeting you.
