D'varim 

Candle lighting 5.03pm

Havdalah 6.04pm

[Tisha B'Av | Fast begins Wednesday 5.25pm | Fast ends Thursday 6.00pm]

This Shabbat we begin reading the Book of Deuteronomy, Sefer Devarim, and we also prepare for Tisha B'Av, the day on which the Jewish people remember some of the greatest tragedies in our history, which falls next week.

There is one word that appears in our Torah portion, our haftarah, and the book we read on Tisha B'Av. That word is Eicha – "How?!"

In this week's parasha, Moshe (Moses) looks at the people he has led through the wilderness and asks:

How (?!) can I bear unaided the trouble of you, and the burden, and the bickering! (Deuteronomy 1:12) 

Moshe is speaking about the burden of leadership, but he is also challenging the people. Their constant complaints, arguments and unwillingness to take responsibility have made leadership more difficult and weakened their community.

Dear Community,

The King David School sees student wellbeing as a major priority which fosters the conditions for identity development and learning. We teach Wellbeing classes across the whole school with a view to equipping each student with developmentally appropriate skills that enable them to thrive through building their sense of belonging, their emotional intelligence and their self-concept.

For instance, across the Junior School we have adopted a focus in our student wellbeing classes that targets the 13 key skills identified as vital to forming and maintaining friendships. We teach, assess and report on these skills as we understand that friendship is vital to a student's experience, happiness and sense of self. While for many students, these skills come naturally, for some, skills like initiating play, winning and losing well, starting and maintaining a conversation, or playing flexibly need scaffolding and work to master. 

Another key initiative is our daily wellbeing time which is set aside for mindfulness practices which refocus our students for their afternoon classes. 

While our students appreciate all of our wellbeing staff, they particularly love Gunther, our wellbeing labrador. Gunther hones in on students who might need to give or receive some affection and has been trained to offer gentle support to those who require it. Another important aspect of Gunther’s role is responding to emails or letters delivered through our Woof Mail system. This provides students with an independent third party with whom to share their concerns or seek advice.  

While some of our specialist wellbeing teachers run our formal wellbeing classes, I believe that every staff member at our school is a wellbeing educator as the manner in which they acknowledge students, interact with them and intervene when required offers such valuable role modeling as to how to function in a community. 

This is one of the reasons why it is so vital that all of our staff attended our annual Wellbeing Conference which ran at the Dandenong Road Campus on Monday 13 July. This is a day dedicated to gifting staff with programs, activities and experiences that enable them to foster their own wellbeing practices and their capacity to support the flourishing of student wellbeing. 

Please come and support our talented student musicians as they 'battle' bands at this Jewish Interschool event on Monday 31 August.

Venue: Besen Centre 87/89 Station St, Burwood

Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm 

Please click here to book tickets.

Last year, KDS students were awarded overall winners of the event and also won Best Vocalist and Best Rock Song.  It was a phenomenal result.

Despite the fact that Term 3 only started earlier this week, the Year 7 cohort wasted no time deep diving into creative problem-solving. Project Slingshot, a project based learning experience is designed to ignite entrepreneurial thinking, challenging students to step out of their comfort zones and tackle real-world problems.

By blending critical thinking and communication with pure imagination, the program proved once again that our students are ready to become the innovators of tomorrow.

Working in collaborative teams, students were tasked with brainstorming, prototyping, and testing a variety of complex designs in the Rube Goldberg Challenge. The results showed mechanical brilliance, pushing students to problem-solve under pressure while having an absolute blast.

Today, they were involved in a Design an App Challenge where they created a shark tank style pitch for an app they created.

Over the two days, our students learned firsthand that true innovation requires taking risks, learning from failed prototypes, and lifting up your teammates. 

Enjoy a collection of photos here

Last night we celebrated the premiere screening of our inaugural 2026 Magid Campus Musical, Beauty and the Beast. It was a wonderful opportunity to relive the magic of this landmark production and recognise the extraordinary commitment, creativity and talent of the students and staff who brought the show to life.

The screening was attended by many members of our cast, crew and orchestra, who enjoyed watching the production together and celebrating the friendships, memories and achievements forged throughout the rehearsal process and performance season. There was a wonderful sense of pride in the room as students reflected on all they had accomplished in creating the very first musical to unite students from Years 6–12 on the Magid Campus.

We were also honoured to welcome a very special guest, Mr Jacques Cantoni, who travelled from Sydney to attend the screening. Mr Cantoni is the proud grandfather of current and past students Charli, Eden and Netani, and his presence made the evening even more meaningful. We are grateful that he made the journey to share in this special occasion.

In celebration of Rosh Chodesh Av this week, we shared the beautiful message of Tu B'Av—love, friendship, and unity in ‘Am Yisrael Chai Club’. Students crafted harma bead hearts, continuing to spread kindness, strengthen our connections, and fill our school with compassion and joy.  Furthermore in Shabbat Club, students recorded what they love about being Jewish, and being a part of the KDS community.

Enjoy photos from the activities here

Rachel Ben - Atar

Jewish Studies Teacher

Junior Kinder children are getting ready for their Family Day on Tuesday 28 July.  In preparation, they have begun exploring the concept of family. What makes a family, who can be part of a family, and how every family is unique and special. 

In Gan Zayit, they have been creating artworks, reading stories and building houses.

This interest also extended into their dramatic play, particularly through 'cat' and ‘big sister/brother’ games. Through this play, they are developing language, cooperation, problem-solving and social skills, whilst strengthening their imagination.

Jennifer Duband

ELC Educational Leader & Teacher

The VCE Season of Excellence is an annual festival that showcases outstanding works across art, design, technology, multimedia, film, dance, theatre, drama, music, literature, and research—each created by exceptional VCE students. 

Milo Friedman, Class of 2025 was selected out of thousands of applicants, to be an exhibitor at the Top Arts Exhibition. His artwork, titled Obduktion was created last year as part of of VCE Art Making and Exhibiting subject. The Exhibition is being held at The Ian Potter Centre and concludes on Sunday 19 July.

The following information about Milo's art is taken from the NGV website about the exhibiting artists and their work. 

Obduktion is a fractured exploration of self and body image. It serves as an artistic autopsy that examines, exposes, and reassembles human flesh through distortion and honesty. The title, German for “autopsy,” nods to Frankenstein’s Swiss origins and themes of monstrosity, fragmentation, and non-conformity. Oil pastel felt intuitive; its waxy blendability spoke to the human urge to mould and manipulate the body. The surreal, disjointed arrangement of canvases intensifies this sense of dismemberment and reconstruction, confronting beauty standards and societal pressures. In doing so, Obduktion reclaims the body in its most raw, unapologetic, and unfiltered form.

Year 9 students participated in an arguably life-changing outdoor education experience in the Grampians at the end of Term 2. They enjoyed activities that that included mountain biking, learning how to rock climb and abseil, a workshop in the fundamentals of map reading and navigation, and hikes. In Week two, students sleeping out in tents each night and hiking from their campsite to a new location each day. 

Below are reflections from three students. 

The first week of camp was all about building confidence, developing new skills, and preparing for the challenges ahead. Each day brought a new adventure. From rock climbing and abseiling to mountain biking, canoeing, and several shorter hikes through the Grampians, every activity encouraged us to challenge ourselves and try something new. The high ropes course and the Leap of Faith were particular highlights, requiring courage, resilience, and trust.

Alongside these outdoor activities, we also had the opportunity to walk into the local town and experience the surrounding area. In the evenings, each activity group took responsibility for running one night's program. Whether it was games, challenges, or team activities, these nights brought the cohort together.

A meaningful part of the week was celebrating Shabbat with Netzer. On Friday evening, we came together for a Shabbat service followed by dinner, providing a chance to reflect on the experiences we had shared. Saturday began with morning tefillah before we listened to a series of TED Talks that explored themes such as leadership, resilience, and personal growth. We then turned our focus to the next stage of camp, preparing for Survival Camp by learning the skills and mindset we would need for the days ahead.

The first week gave us the opportunity to step outside our comfort zones, strengthen friendships, and develop the confidence and teamwork that would become essential during Survival Camp. 

Sarah V

The course of true love never did run smooth.

Luckily the Year 8 students’ creation of their Design projects on A Midsummer Night’s Dream ran very smoothly. The students worked very hard bringing their knowledge of Shakespeare’s play, and their creativity, to this task concluding the term in an exhibition of their work.  

In this three-part series, Rabbi Schiff will dive deep into the structure, mechanics and choices when it comes to electing an Israeli Government.
Series of 3 Sessions (at TBI 7.30pm, Thursday evenings):
23 July: A Nation without a Constitution: The Structure of the Israeli Government
30 July: Electing a new Knesset: The Mechanics of how Voting works and how a new Government is formed
6 August: The Issues at Stake: What will be on the Minds of Israeli Voters as they head to the Polls in 2026?
Register Here: tbi.shulcloud.com/event/rds-ballotsandpower

Melbourne Jewish Book Week 2026 brings together an extraordinary gathering of Australian and international writers across four days of interviews, panels, poetry, performance, and a schools incursion program. 
This year’s theme, Connections, threads through every session: untold family histories, genre fiction from romance to satire, standing up for truth in a post truth era, the AI conundrum, and the full spectrum of Jewish literary life today.
Browse the program and book sessions at mjbw.com.au/

The next session of Storytime with Savta will take place on Sunday 19 July at 10.30am in the Junior School library (373 Dandenong Road). Please register here.Children aged 3-5 years old and their families are welcome to join us where stories are read b'Ivrit (in Hebrew). 
When: Sunday 19 July, 10.30am
Where: Library at our Dandenong Rd Campus, 373 Dandenong Road, Armadale

ARZA invites the community to a event examining antizionism.
6.30pm, Wednesday 12 August 2026
A  dynamic [panel including Dr Ran Porat, a Historian and expert in ideological conflict, Professor Ghil’ad Zuckermann, a linguist and Melinda Jones, a Human Rights Lawyer.
For more information & to book: events.humanitix.com/arza-mel

The Progressive Chevra Kadisha, part of Bet Olam (Progressive Jewish Burial Society) offers care and dignity to members of the Jewish Community who have died.
Tahara, the ritual washing and dressing of the deceased is an ancient tradition, endowing these last moments with sacred ritual and meaning. 
Volunteers are wanted to join the team, both male and female, to assist with this holy work.
For more information or to register your interest, please contact Marek on 0403 018 930.