"Talia notices 'little' things that others might not. If Jane Austen were around today, she would befriend Talia," said English teacher, Dr. Paula Harvey, who shares a history with Talia back to her days in middle school at Akiba.  "I often placed Talia's essays in the middle of the stack to reward myself.  Years ago, I remarked that Talia possesses an 'old soul.'  Wise and mature beyond her years, she exemplifies the best of Yavneh."

"Yavneh's environment is comfortable enough for anyone to feel 'at home,' but it, at the same time, also encourages learning and growth," said Talia who, in addition to her own full load of classes, has this year served as one of our Student Faculty Interns, co-leading a ninth and tenth grade Chumash class, from which she says she's learned with and from her students.  "I appreciate that Yavneh is based on individual attention and the genuine 'looking out' for everyone that I have experienced, opportunities that I know are not offered at every school."

Talia credits the experiences and relationships she's built not only to the faculty but also to her peers.  Unique at Yavneh is the cross-section of friendships that are built between all four grades, with academic, co-curricular, and social experiences united amongst the grades. "I am always interacting with people in different grades which makes for more interesting, and more well-balanced, friendships," she said. 

"Talia is an exceptional person, she is modest, kind, honest, hard working and has such a great sense of humor," said Associate Principal/Judaic Programming, Naomi Schrager, who has taught Talia in each of her years at Yavneh.  "I have been impressed with the caliber of her work since day one. Talia never opts for the easy way out and her moral center is as strong as I have ever seen."

"Talia loves learning," said Mrs. Schrager.  "She is genuinely excited about learning Torah and growing as a person, always looking for ways to improve. I have no doubt that Talia will bring our community and her family huge amounts of pride wherever she chooses to go once she leaves us!" 

Accepted to Midreshet Moriah and Stern College For Women at Yeshiva University, Talia looks forward to studying in Israel for a year, long a dream for her.  "I know so much history about the land but I've yet to truly feel the intense love for the land that I know is within me," she said. Once back in the States, Talia hopes to follow her father into the medical field, she is considering a future as a nurse practitioner or health care administrator.

Talia is affiliated with Congregation Shaare Tefilla, where she has been a youth group leader.  She is co-President of Dallas Yachad/National Jewish Council of Disabilities, thru which she helps plan events, also educating the community.  Talia, who has volunteered at Medical City Dallas, working in a gastrointestinal lab and also providing general support, has worked as a counselor at Camp Stone, where first, for eight years, she made memories as a camper.

A leader of Yavneh's Lady Bulldog Basketball team, and two-year co-Captain, Talia has also been involved with Uniting Students of Dallas' Mix-it-Up Day, and Yavneh's Students Against Terrorism sponsored Points for Peace basketball tournament (click here to register for the 3/9 event).

Always wearing the smile of a "happy camper," Talia has brought her sweetness to everyone she has touched, every program she has connected to, and she will, too, to her future wherever it takes her. For the Yavneh Family, we'll just hope it brings her back home!

Kol Hakavod to everyone who participated in Yavneh's 2014 Zach & Maddie's Mitzvah Blood and Bone Marrow Donor Registration drive.  Students, faculty, Yavneh Family members, as well as guests from the community came to donate blood, to register as prospective bone marrow donors, and to share their support.

"I'm not a hero but I do know that something that was inside of me, something I didn't even know I had, is something Hashem blessed me with," he said.  

Mr. Michaelson spent just five minutes those seven years ago to register.  In November, it took "about the amount of time it takes to donate blood, and no more pain than that," to change two lives, his, and the recipients.  Understanding the role he played, he now wants to educate others.

"Thanks so much, we are so honored," came a message from Jeff Guillot, the father of "our" nine-year-old Zach, who, just two days before our drive - underwent a third bone marrow transplant.  Our prayers for healing and support continue for him and his family.

"This is very important work and we really appreciate the efforts of the Yavneh community," said Amy Roseman, Donor Recruitment Coordinator for DKMS Delete Blood Cancer.  "Most patients find a matching bone marrow donor in someone who shares their ancestry. Right now, the odds of Jewish patients finding compatible donors generally ranges between 30 and 70 percent, depending on their background. Bone marrow transplants are also used to treat diseases that are more prevalent in the Jewish community, like Fanconi Anemia, Thasselemia and others. The more people across all communities who register, the more lives we can save." 

"The concern is great, the time commitment tiny, as once you register as a bone marrow donor, it's good for life.  You come in one time and you just don't know if four, five, or 16 years later, you could get a call, and someone gets to live," said Yavneh's Director of Communications and Community Liaison, Deb Silverthorn, who has coordinated the drive for nine years.  Mrs. Silverthorn noted that on Friday, close to 60 pints of blood products were collected by Carter BloodCare, with 10 students donating for the first time, and a number of prospective bone marrow donors  registered. "I'm so proud of Yavneh and all who came in to support us and to all who volunteered to help.  I respect and appreciate everyone's interest and caring for life and wanting to help others go on."

Later in the afternoon, Maddie White, "our" Maddie for whom the blood drive was originally dedicated, and her mother came to visit - her mother Pam, a donor almost every year of the drive.  Yavneh's first blood drive, founded by Michael San Soucie '08, was dedicated to Maddie, the granddaughter of Yavneh friend, Bill Burns, after she was diagnosed with TTP, a rare blood disorder, requiring she receive more than 1000 pints of blood products in the last seven years.

"Thank you SO much," said Maddie, as she met Yavneh students and a game of community geography resulted in the realization of many mutual connections.  "It's incredible that Yavneh does this.  You have all helped me, and lots of other people and it means more than I can say."

Yavneh students bid an "adeus amigo," a "shalom chaver," and a sincere "goodbye, friend" after the winter break to Dan Grossman who, after studying at Yavneh for the fall semester, returned home to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 

Dan, the son of Simone and Janquiel, who came to Texas thru the SHARE! High School Exchange Program, followed in his brother Alan's footsteps (he studied in Waco two years ago), both young men traveling the miles to make new friends, living a new culture, and visiting new places.

 

"I would love to come back here someday, maybe to go to college," said Dan, who is thinking about a career in the legal profession.  "This has been a great experience and I met a lot of people that I think I will always be friends with."

 

A student at the Scholem Aleichem Colegio Israelita Brasileiro, the curriculum at Yavneh and his school are similar.  With students in grades K-12 in Rio, after middle school most of the Judaic courseload is made up of elective courses.  The school year in Rio, with an academic year that begins in February, provides for Juniors to participate in the March of the Living (Yavneh's students go as seniors) - an opportunity Dan experienced last spring.

 

Dan arrived in August at the invitation of Drs. Michelle and Brian Kravitz and their children Heidi '17, Jonathan '15, and David '09 - who is a student at the University of Maryland.  In addition to the Kravitz family, Dan also became a "brother" to Tash Guaqueta '14, who this year is staying with the family - her own parents having moved to Florida, Tash wanting to graduate with her class.

 

"I think it's amazing that the Kravitz family opened their home to have students there, and to allow us to be a part of their home," said Dan.  "My brother said I had to come to the U.S., that it was wonderful, and I don't think I realized how good an experience it could be."

 

Highlights of Dan's visit included going to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon (for Thanksgiving), to the Texas State Fair, a Dallas Stars hockey game and to a tour of the AT&T Stadium of the Dallas Cowboys.

 

"We went to museums and touring, but I really enjoyed the family time, going to synagogue, and just hanging with my friends," said Dan, who said that Shabbat at Shaare Tefilla was similar to his home shul, Beit Lubavitch, in Rio.

 

"We responded to an ad in the TJP, three years ago, that involved a Jewish boy from Brazil who wanted to do an exchange program but wanted a kosher home," said Dr. Michelle Kravitz.  "By the time, I did the application, he was already placed, but they kept my application on file.  This year it worked out and we think it has been a great experience.  I hope  we'll visit Dan and his family in Brazil.  

 

 

While here for a short time, Dan believes he became more open and independent, quickly emerging as a forefront player for the Bulldog Soccer team.   

 

"I made a lot of good friends here and I know I grew here," said Dan, certain he'll stay connected between email and Facebook.  "I will definitely go home and recommend to others that they come to Dallas, and I would hope for them to come to Yavneh and the community here."

 

 

 

Tova, who has been serving in the IDF since November of 2012, is based at the Air Force headquarters in the International Affairs Office.  Her group is responsible for

photo by Dr. Mitch Moskowitz

the planning and coordinating visits of foreign air force guests to Israel, and that of Israeli officials as they travel abroad as well as joint exercises and other foreign policy matters.  Once her service is complete, Cpl. Stolovitsky, who graduated from IDC Herzliya's RRIS School of Government Diplomacy and Strategy in '12, hopes to travel and perhaps earn a master's degree at Tel Aviv University.

Jordana, who graduated from the University of Maryland in '11, with a BS in Physical Education, and then worked at the Bornblum Solomon Schechter School in Memphis, was in Israel this fall, studying at the Betar-Wingate Institute in Netanya.  Now a Certified Personal Trainer, and first aid responder, who is volunteering at a gym in Raanana, training eight to 13-year-old coed swimmers, Jordana plans to return to the U.S. later this spring.