Jerusalem for Shabbat

Kadima's 8th grade delegates to Israel spent the weekend in Jerusalem.  Arriving on Friday, they were able to visit Yad Vashem, Mount Herzl, the Old City and the Western Wall before preparing for Shabbat.  Saturday morning included services at Shira Hadasha following by a walking tour of Jerusalem.  After Havdallah, the delegates spent time on Ben Yehuda street for dinner and shopping.  Monday will include more time in Jerusalem, visiting the City of David and the Shiloah Tunnel.  By mid-afternoon, the delegates will return to Tel Aviv in time to attend a Yom HaZikaron ceremony at the Rokah Elementary School.  

Kadima Delegation to Israel Arrives Safely!

Kadima is pleased to participate in the Jewish Federation's Tel Aviv/Los Angeles Twinning Program. The Jewish Federation’s Tel Aviv/Los Angeles School Twinning Program connects schools in Los Angeles and Tel Aviv. This powerful initiative has impacted 60,000 students, parents, and faculty through jointly prepared curricula, teacher trainings, and delegation exchanges. Visiting students live with a host family and study history, literature, language, pluralistic Judaism, Zionism and the sciences at their partner school. The resulting connection between the students transcends the distance between Israel and L.A., transforms school cultures and creates a shared Jewish identity and destiny.

This year, 6 Kadima 8th grade delegates, along with 2 chaperones are visiting the Kadima sister school, Ort Yad Singolovsky, as part of the Twinning Program.  

The delegates departed for their trip on Sunday, and not only have they safely arrived and settled in with their host families, but they have begun their educatonal experience.  Upon arrival,  the students visited the old city of Jaffa.  Today, they started with a visit to Ort Yad Singolovsy, learned bout Yitzchak Rabin's legacy, visited the Independence Hall Museum, and Kikar Rabin and will conclude their day with an open bus tour of Tel Aviv, leaning about Tel Avv's history. 

Ort Yad Singolovski Delegation Arrives at Kadima

Kadima Day School participates in the Tel Aviv-Los Angeles School Twinning Program through the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.  This powerful program has supported 60,000 students, parents and faculty through jointly prepared and coordinated curricula, training and delegation exchanges.  Kadima is proud to be part of the Twinning Program and we were pleased to welcome this year's delegation, who arrived yesterday, in Partnership with our twin school from Tel Aviv, Ort Yad Singolovsky.  To learn more about the twinning program, please visit the following website: http://www.jewishla.org/pages/school-twinning-program.

WELCOME TO LOS ANGELES

Upon arrival yesterday morning, our partnership students were welcomed by the Kadima 8th grade at Mishkon Tephilo in Venice.  Students had the opportunity to enjoy breakfast and spend time getting to know one another  They then engaged in a walking tour of Venice Beach, enjoyed the Los Angeles scenery, and learned about the Jewish community of Venice Beach.  The delegates concluded their afternoon with time at the New Jewish Community High School campus, where they were able to learn about the American Jewish high school experience.

Today, the delegation and their 8th grade hosts spent time at the Tree People, nestled in  the hills between Studio City and Beverly Hills, learning about the environmental factors that impact Los Angeles.  The Tree People is an environmental non-profit that unites the power of trees, people and technology to grow a sustainable future for Los Angeles.  To learn more about the Tree People, be sure to visit their website at http://www.treepeople.org. The delegates will spend the rest of their day at Kadima and will look forward to a fun evening of bowling.

Over the course of their visit, the delegates will spend time visiting our Elementary and Middle Schools, touring throughout Jewish Los Angeles, and enjoying the American Jewish experience.  Be sure to say hello to our guests at the Kodiaks On Ice event, tomorrow night, 12/4, where they will be in attendance as members of our Kadima community.

To learn more about the delegates and their Kadima visit, we encourage you to check this blog frequently!  Thank you in joining us in welcoming our visitors and partners from Israel.

 

Washington DC Trip Continues...

The 3rd day of the Washington DC trip began with a tour of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, led by former Kadima teacher Steven Baer.   Students spent more than 2 hours a in the museum.  Our students struggled at times with the content, but during their stay at the museum they wrote poetry, drew the face of a person who was lost in the Holocaust, reflected on the society, the final solution, and the heroes that were discovered.  Following our museum tour, we stood in front of the "eternal flame" in the special chapel at the museum, and said the word of the shema, v'ahavta and morner's kaddish.  There were moments of discomfort and sadness, and others of great meaning and hope.  

Following the museum visit, students had lunch at the Holocaust Museum diner, and then headed out for lighter and simpler adventures, including a tour of the Newseum.  At the Newseum (to learn more, visit www.newseum.org), students learned about media, toured a 9/11 exhibit, became reporters, saw the real Berlin Wall, and learned about the ethics of journalism.  

The next stop was the Kennedy Center and a performance of "Sheer Madness". The students enjoyed the comedy, drama and improv of the performance.  

Spy Museum

George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens

In Front of the White House for a photo op! 

At the Ford Theatre

Sheer Madness Actor

At the Kennedy Center

Ford Theatre

Washington Monument

Kadima 6th and 7th Graders in New York City!

The 6th and 7th grade Kadima students have been busy taking in the sights and sounds of New York City.  Their day included a tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island;  a walking tour of the Financial District and Wall Street;  and the National 9/11 Memorial.  They also were first hand witnesses to One World Trade Center, the successor to the Twin Towers, becoming the tallest structure on the Manhattan skyline.