It has been such a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to introduce our community to some of our teachers and staff over the last few months. Even the day-to-day happenings of Ezra are special experiences and we want now, more than ever, to be able to share our experiences and events with you all, as well as to introduce you to the people who make Ezra so special. 

There’s another piece of Ezra that is much easier to experience in-person by walking through our hallways and peeking into our classrooms. The creations that our students produce on a daily basis fill our bulletin boards and display cases and bring a certain warmth and creative energy to our school-days.  

And what a week to showcase our student artwork for our community! In this week’s parasha, Ki-Tisa, we are introduced to Bezalel, the chief artisan of the Mishkan and his helper Oholiav. Bezalel has been endowed with specific skills and talents to assist him in this important task. If God is the planner and future inhabitant of this spiritual home, then Moshe is the architect, but Betzalel and his team are the visionaries who truly put the plan into action and make the Mishkan beautiful. Something that always strikes me while reading this parasha, is that the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Israel’s top art and architecture school is named for the Bezalel in our parasha!

This says so much about the importance of art in education, and especially in Jewish Education. While Ezra prides itself on teaching our students a wide variety of skills, the arts provide a place for students to also bring their own interests and talents. While our curricula and our teacher team are responsible for instruction and designing appropriate assignments, it is our students who possess the incredible skills to make the learning their own. Some of this takes place in art and music classes, and much of it also takes place in other classrooms where teachers weave art and other forms of creative expression into their assignments. 

One of my favorite daily activities is to walk the halls and see the new ways that our students have chosen to express themselves and their learning. I hope you’ll join me in taking a virtual look at what they have accomplished! 

You can find our virtual art gallery HERE!

 

Wishing you all and your families a Shabbat Shalom and a great long weekend! 

 

Tani