On October 7, our students, faculty, and school community came together for a deeply moving day of learning, remembrance, and artistic expression.
Learning and Leadership
Leading up to the day, our seventh and eighth graders engaged in meaningful study with Morah Lotem, Morah Tammy, Mr. Even, and Morah Margaux. Their learning focused not only on the difficult history and tragic events of October 7, addressed with extreme care, age-appropriateness, and appropriate somberness, but also on the incredible resilience, bravery, and mutual aid that emerged across Israeli society.
Building on these lessons, our seventh and eighth graders led a powerful, respectful ceremony in the auditorium for students in grades 4 and up, faculty, parents, and community members. Joined by the Yavneh Singers, our middle schoolers sang beautifully in Hebrew, filling the room with hope and reflection. The program, thoughtfully crafted under the guidance of our Hebrew team and led by Morah Tammy, reflected the profound maturity, poise, and empathy of our older students. We are incredibly proud of how thoughtfully they stepped up to lead us in honoring this day.
Art, Healing, and Community at the JCC
The learning extended beyond our school walls. In the past few weeks, Morah Judy and Morah Julie accompanied our eighth graders to work alongside acclaimed community artist Marina Paz on a special installation project hosted by the APJCC.
The project invited community members to bring in materials used during post-October 7 demonstrations: yellow ribbons, “Run for Their Lives” red shirts, pins, flags, and rally signs. Rather than discarding these items, Marina Paz guided our eighth graders in repurposing them into a lasting piece of collaborative art.
Yesterday, our eighth graders visited the JCC and viewed the final, completed artwork installed on the JCC wall, which was unveiled during the broader community commemoration in the evening. The exhibit remains on display, and we warmly encourage all Yavneh families to visit the JCC to see the powerful work our students helped create.
Coming Together
Times like these remind us of the strength found in being together, and our community showed up to support one another, remember, and reflect.
Thank you to our seventh and eighth graders for leading our school with such heart, dignity, and grace.
