Joining the Yavneh Family at the start of his Junior year, as his family moved to the area from St. Petersburg, Florida, Jordan was happy to find a small school with a friendly atmosphere. "From the beginning there has been no pressure here," said Jordan. "I've made really good friends in the last year, and even though many of my classmates have known each other for much of their lives, they have been open and welcoming. I really feel a part of it all and I'm so glad for the experience - it really has been perfect.

 

"Jordan has been a great addition to our student body and, since transferring, has proven to be a great fit here," said         Dr. Tim Cloward, Yavneh's Assistant Principal. "He is modest and unassuming, but also very intelligent, and he gets along with everybody."

 

"The faculty here is incredible and I think that, even with a dual-curriculum, which requires shorter class times, the courses are more thoroughly taught," said Jordan. "It's not always easy to balance the schedule, but the teachers definitely do their best to keep us going, many making their classes fun and interesting."

 

"Jordan is a quiet and conscientious student who was fun to teach.  He is a gracious and gentle young man who cares about other students and about his teachers," said Don O'Quinn, former Head of School and physics teacher. "Teaching, my most pleasant task of every day, I always looked forward to his being in my class."

 

Already accepted to the University of Kansas, with applications also submitted to George Mason University, Florida State University, and Indiana University, Jordan looks to a future - appropriate this week - in politics.  "I was a fan of Romney but I'm hopeful that President Obama will lead us in the right direction," said Jordan who shares great interest in the Civil War, has toured many of the original battle sites. Perhaps a future leader of our state or country, Jordan looks forward someday to being part of the process.

 

A native of Ridgewood, New Jersey, Jordan is the son of Elizabeth and Stefan and the younger brother of Allison, the family associated with Congregation Anshai Torah.  Prior to moving to Dallas, Jordan was a member of the Varsity Wrestling Team at Admiral Farragut Academy, and a volunteer at the All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.

 

A member of Yavneh's Yearbook Crew, and not one not to sit idle, off-Campus Jordan has enjoyed working at Best Buy, and now GameStop.  Jordan, an alumnus of the French Woods Performance Arts Camp in New York, "the greatest place to go," also makes a monthly trip to Houston to volunteer with his uncle, hosting programs for the Down Syndrome Association of Houston.

 

 

    
On this, the 64th anniversary of Krystallnacht - a night filled with purposeful acts of hatred, today's Mishpachot Morning was dedicated to the concept of "random acts of kindness," as discussed in the Torah (Bereishit 24:0-27 and Shemot 22:20). 

"As Jews, it is within us as a People, really throughout history to give to those in need," said Rabbi Meir Tannenbaum, Associate Principal/Judaic Curriculum.  "As we had the opportunity last week, with our new - but unexpected guests from the Kushner Academy - it was 'the obvious' to us to reach out and and help in whatever way we could."

 

Students viewed the video Simple Acts of Kindness and then, in their groups of mishpachot, shared the ways in which they purposefully have helped others, and experiences they've witnessed where being nice, "just happened."
 Please mark your calendars for this Saturday, November 10 @ 7:30pm, for the first session of our Mishmar class.  The student body is invited to share an evening of learning and pizza.

Please also note December 1 @ 7pm, the Yavneh Family, parents, students and faculty are invited to a Melaveh Malkah with learning, havdalah, and food before the Yavneh Bulldogs play the St. Marks.

We hope you enjoy the Dvar Torah and this week's   

 Snappy Sentiments  and that share and discuss them at your Shabbat table!    

Dates to note ~