From the Head of School

Shabbat Shalom

Dear Yavneh Family,

What a thrill it was to celebrate the Class of 2016 at last Sunday's graduation exercises in in our Schultz Family Gymnasium. With each student speaking amid many memorable moments, it was a ceremony that was dignified, warm, and quite a lot of fun, as we feted the 30 members of our newest crop of Yavneh alumni. Headed next year to Israel and to colleges across the U.S. - including Harvard, UT Austin, YU, Mizzou and others - this class will continue to make a profoundly positive impact on those around them. Hatzlacha - best of luck to each and every one of them!

As for our newest students (the Class of 2020!), we were so excited to convene at Greif Field for a wonderful welcome to a terrific crop of incoming freshmen and other new students from Akiba, Levine, Torah Day and other public and private schools across DFW. This terrific incoming class joins very talented sophomores, juniors and seniors as we prepare for the 2016-17 academic year.

Amidst the many challenges we face as a nation and a people, it is so heartening to know that our Yavneh alumni stand ready to serve, and that, for the best and brightest middle school students, Yavneh is their "school of choice." As Board Chair Jay Kleinman announced at Graduation, the future of Yavneh is bright!

Shabbat Shalom and Am Yisrael Chai!

Dr. David A. Portnoy, Head of School

Even the most cursory glance at Jewish history indicates that the Jewish people are no stranger to suffering and persecution, yet, that suffering never seems to get the better of us. No matter what terrible calamities and dire circumstances we have faced, the Jewish people continue to live on. What has allowed us to consistently persevere and outlive all our enemies? Why have other nations succumbed to defeats, exiles, and persecutions, but we have always managed to rise from the ashes? What is the secret to our national longevity? Why have the difficult or tragic times not doomed us to extinction?

The Gerrer Rebbe, R. Yitzchak Meir Alter believes that the answer can be found in an appropriate analogy from a law in this week's Torah portion. Jewish law states that if a man is caught stealing and lacks the financial means to compensate his victim, he must be sold into slavery to raise the necessary funds to pay back his debt. Yet, regardless of the outstanding balance remaining on his bill, the slavery period ends at the next Yovel, jubilee year. The Talmud drives from this Biblical clause that the law of the eved ivri, the Jewish slave, is only applicable in the period when the Yovel year is in application as well. In the years when Yovel years are not in application, neither is the law of eved ivri. Why should this entire law be nullified simply because Yovel has been discontinued. The law could still be practiced and the slavery term could simply end when the debt had been fulfilled?

Mark Your Calendars!

May

5-30		Memorial Day - No School
5-31 to 6-3		Spring Finals

Click here to see more dates

Remember, to hear more about the Parsha of the week, parents can join Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky in the Atrium Boardroom every Thursday morning from 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.

New Student Welcome @ Greif Field