Charlotte Jewish Day School Alumni Reconnecting and Giving Back

Charlotte Jewish News March 2022

Talia Levine

At the beginning of this school year, I began to write my college application essays. Over and over, I was asked, “What has built your character?” It seemed like a pretty heavy question for an 18-year-old, but for me, the answer was simple. I immediately thought back to the Charlotte Jewish Day School (CJDS), where I spent 5th grade developing my moral compass. I have carried these Jewish values of compassion, determination, and a love for learning throughout my high school career. After featuring CJDS in numerous essays, I wanted to find a way to express my gratitude and re-involve myself with CJDS. I thought it would be exciting to lead programs for the fifth-grade class with my sister, Sasha Levine.

Sasha and I are both part of an organization called StandWithUs (SWU), a group that fights antisemitism and educates others about Israel. We are tasked with running programs and informing our community about these issues. After talking with our regional coordinator at SWU, we decided to create a four-program series to teach the fifth graders about various Israeli topics. Mariashi Groner, the principal at CJDS, graciously agreed to let us come in and teach a lesson every Thursday during this past January.

For our first program, Sasha and I decided to start with a brief history of Israel. We discussed everything from the destruction of the Second Temple to the founding of Tel Aviv. Our next two classes covered Israel’s unique environmental challenges and the innovations and technology developed to overcome those challenges. During the innovations program, the fifth graders designed their own product that would improve their lives at CJDS. Their creative solutions ranged from a 3-D printer that could instantly print any book to a drone that delivered immediate personal assistance. Finally, we explored Israeli foods through an interactive presentation in which we tried various Israeli snacks, such as Bamba and halva. The series concluded with a Jeopardy-style game that reviewed all the information we had covered in the last four weeks.

My strong sense of identity has come from the Judaic studies, secular education, and nurturing teachers that CJDS provided. I feel so lucky to have attended CJDS, and I have loved reconnecting with my former teachers and the new students. The friendships I made during those six years are lifelong. The values I learned provide a solid foundation for me to build upon as I continue my education. I hope this program inspires the fifth graders just as CJDS inspired me.

Photo Caption: Talia gave out pots, soil, and seeds for the students to plant basil as a class project.