Candle lighting 5.20pm | Havdalah 6.21pm

Our parashah Va’etchanan (“I pleaded”) opens with Moshe (Moses) saying: “I pleaded with Adonai at that time, saying, Oh Sovereign Adonai, You who let Your servant see the first works of Your greatness and Your mighty hand, You whose powerful deeds no god in heaven or on earth can equal! Let me, I pray, cross over and see the good land on the other side of the Jordan, that good hill country, and the Lebanon” (Deuteronomy 3:23-25). 

We can imagine Moshe’s heartache, his longing and yearning to enter the Land of Israel, and his disappointment and frustration at remaining on Har Nevo (Mount Nebo), from which he can see the Land - see but not touch. 

After our ancestors enter the Land, the barren Chana (Hannah), prays at the mishkan (tabernacle) in Shiloh, pleading with God for a child, and promising that should she give birth she would make her son a nazir (an Israelite consecrated to God who doesn’t cut his hair, drink alcohol or come into contact with corpses), which she does when Shmuel (Samuel) is born (I Samuel 1). Shmuel will later become a leader of the people. Yearning can be deeply personal, and not only ideological, although the two are often combined, as in the case of Moshe and here with Chana.

Almost three millennia later, this same yearning - the personal mixed with the ideological, is expressed by the Zionist icon Rachel the Poet

Today Eitan Chitayat brought his message of Jewish pride to our Years 9 and 11 students. Eitan reminded students not to hide their Jewishness, to embrace it instead and to show the world that there are thousands of different types of Jews, all to be proud of. Please click here to see photos of Eitan with the Year 11 cohort.

Thank you to the Lewis Family Foundation for bring Eitan to King David. 

Following on from last week's Senior Kinder family morning, we had a special morning celebrating our Junior Kinder families on Thursday. The children excitedly explored the different activities; family portraits, decorating magnetic photo frames and beading necklaces, engaging together with their families. Please click here to see photos - there are more on the myKDS Photo Gallery. What a beautiful morning was had by all! 

Celebrating Family Day in Kindergarten strengthens the bonds between home and Kinder, and nurtures a sense of community within the ELC. Our families are the heart of who we are. Families give children a deep sense of belonging and play such an important role in shaping their identity. The children love talking about their families every day, having their families visit and do activities in our room and proudly show their family members off . This week, we also spent time learning about the many different types of families, helping children understand that every family is special and unique in its own way

Amy Samowitz, Kindergarten Teacher

Dear Community,

Do you know an Oliver, a Noah, or a Henry?  Or an Isla, a Charlotte or an Amelia? These were the top three most popular boys and girls baby names selected in Victoria in 2024. The most popular global names are harder to definitively ascertain as some countries do not publish this data. Though it is thought that the most common male name in the world is likely Muhammad (including lots of different spelling variations) and female is likely Olivia. The most common surname is Wang (meaning King in Mandarin) with almost 100 million uses in Mainland China alone and many more around the world. 

I have been thinking about names this week as I had the privilege of attending the Year 4 students' initiation into Tanach study at their special event “Eleh HaShemot” (“These are the names”). 

The title comes from the first line of Shmot (Exodus) which is: “And these are the names of the sons of Israel”. Following this is a listing of the twelve sons of Israel (formerly Jacob). 

In a beautiful presentation shared with family and friends, our students were able to explore the origins of their names including the meanings, who they were named after and why.  

I shared that my parents chose my name with reference to my mother’s classics studies, their love of arts and culture and their hope that I would develop pride in my Jewish identity - they selected Marc with reference to Marcus Aurelius and Marc Chagall. 

It was fascinating to hear the inspirations behind the names for our Year 4s. Their sense of pride in this exploration was palpable. 

Following this,

Our year-long focus in Jewish Studies in Year 4 is personal attributes. Through this focus we have helped our students to identify their unique qualities, characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. In Judaism we are told that our parents are given a special honour when they name their baby, a glimmer of divine inspiration. In fact, Judaism considers the act of giving a person a name to be precious. This term we have helped our year 4  students connect their very own attributes to the literal and/or personal meaning behind their Hebrew names.

The Year 4s began by researching their names at home with their parents. This research culminated in our ceremony on Tuesday (Please click here to see photos - there are more on the myKDS Photo Gallery) where the students and their families discussed, wrote and shared their reflections on their names and traits and how they may connect with our rich Tanach heritage.

Sophie Oppenheimer, Team Leader Jewish Life P-5

Recently, the Ruach committee of Year 5, as part of the Year 5 student leadership program, ran a joke-telling competition known as Jews Joking in July. Each class held the first round of the competition and decided on their best jokester. The winning jokester from each of the 12 classes went into the grand final. There were some extraordinary jokes, and everybody laughed until their sides almost burst. The eventual winner was Milo Lipp, who told the following joke: What do you do if your teacher rolls her eyes at you? Roll them right back to her. A brilliant joke, and it was wonderful that the students raised money for charity and had a great time.

David Opat, Head of School

Our families were part of an inspiring evening this week as 500 parents joined together from Melbourne’s Jewish Schools for An Evening with Eitan Chitayat. It was a powerful night of unity, Jewish pride and inspiration. Coordinated by the Parents' Associations at each school and supported by the Lewis Family Foundation who brought Eitan to Australia, the event was uplifting for those that attended. Please click here to see a few photos from the evening. 

Eitan reminded the audience so powerfully, “Every Jew has to be 1000 Jews right now. Speak up. Do. There is strength in numbers. Turn that hope - or hopelessness - into action. I promise you, it will make a difference.” 

Laurelle Ritz, KDSPA President, expressed the sentiment of so many parents in her closing remarks; "While at times it has felt overwhelming and testing to be Jewish living in the diaspora these past 20 months, we now feel empowered. We understand that it is our greatest responsibility and gift to remain united in raising the next generation of confident and unapologetic Jewish children."

Friday evening marks the beginning of Tu B’Av, a joyful and meaningful day in the Jewish calendar. In ancient Israel, Tu B’Av was a special occasion when young people would dress in white and come together to dance, sing, and celebrate. It was a time for building friendships and strengthening connections within the community.

At the Junior School school, we marked the occasion early with a special celebration in our Am Yisrael Chai club in the Junior School. Please see photos here. Together, we explored the importance of strong connections—within our families, our community, our Jewish heritage, and our deep bond with the land of Israel. To celebrate, we enjoyed a sweet treat of blue and white heart-shaped fairy bread, and danced with joy to some of our favourite pop songs from Israel.

At the Magid Campus on Friday our Jewish Experiential Educators, Israeli Madrichim and Hanhagah (Student Leaders) celebrated love and friendship with a festive lunchtime. Please click here to see photos of the festivities which included photos, song dedications, love notes, and face painting. 

The AFL Jewish Schools Cup was held this week with KDS the only school to enter three teams. Our stand out performance was from our Girls' team who finished with two wins and one draw. Excellent work girls! The Boys' teams tried tried hard all day with their skill and sportship on full display. Lucy from Year 6 & Charlie & Hendy from Year 5 were named KDS best players on the day.

Drew Solewicz, Sports Manager

Jewish tradition teaches that affixing a mezuzah on the doorpost of every room is a mitzvah. A mezuzah contains a special parchment scroll, called a klaf, with the Hebrew words of the Sh'ma prayer written on it. The parchment is handwritten by a specially trained scribe known as a Sofer STaM.

As part of our Mezuzah unit, the Year 1 students were fortunate to meet Rabbi Eli Gutnick, a Sofer STaM. Please click here to see photos from the visit. Rabbi Gutnick shared fascinating insights into his work and showed the tools he uses to write mezuzot, t'fillin, and Sefer Torah scrolls. He demonstrated how he uses a feather quill—often from a turkey or goose—to carefully form each Hebrew letter in a special script on parchment made from kosher animal skin.

The students were engaged and curious, and they had the opportunity to ask thoughtful and insightful questions. It was a meaningful and educational experience that brought their learning to life.

Ava asked ”Are there different ink colours you can write in?”

“Is the ink expensive?” questioned Hallie. Sage wondered “Do T’fillin have a Shin on all sides?”

Rachel Ben-Atar, Jewish Studies Teacher

On Monday our Junior School students welcomed Shiraz, Tohar and Elad, our Israeli Madrichim who will be with us for the next few weeks, strengthening our relationship with Israel. Shiraz, Tohar and Elad will spend time at each of our campuses, sharing their love for Israel with our students who in exchange will share Australian culture with the Madrichim.

Bruchim Habaim! We can't wait to learn from you over the coming weeks! 

Last week our Jewish Experiential Educators had a Professional Development session with Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash from the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem and this week, it was our Magid Campus Jewish Studies teachers' turn. Together they learned Jewish texts related to Jewish education while reflecting on best practice.

Ilan Bloch, Director of Jewish Life and Learning

Join Ilan Bloch, Director of Jewish Life and Learning, for a special parent Jewish education session in the lead-up to Rosh HaShanah.  We will be examining ourselves through the lens of the Book of Jonah.
Thursday 28 August, 8pm, Rebecca Magid Centre. Please register your attendance here.
There will of course be sushi and saké as well as self-reflection!

Melbourne Jewish Book Week (MJBW) warmly invites parents, grandparents, and friends to a special Schools Program Keynote Event.
Join us at 2.00pm on Tuesday, 12 August 2025, at Caulfield Shule, as secondary school students and teachers come together for an inspiring session with Joanne Fedler — internationally acclaimed author, motivational speaker, ocean swimmer, and writing mentor.
Joanne will be speaking to this year’s Schools Program theme of “Courage”, focusing on her latest book, The Whale’s Last Song — a powerful allegorical tale that speaks to our times.
We look forward to welcoming you to this unforgettable literary celebration.
Please click here to register.

Join the Australian Jewish Fertility Network for an unforgettable afternoon of resilience, miracles and hope.
Dr. Elay Golan, from Kfar Aza, risked everything on October 7th to save her 18-month-old daughter. With burns to 60% of her body and two months in a coma, she defied all odds and gave birth to her second child, a miracle baby boy. Her story is a beacon of the hope that endures and the light that Jewish life brings in the darkness.
For 18 years, the Australian Jewish Fertility Network has harnessed the power of community to bring hope, support and new Jewish life into the world.
Be inspired by Dr. Elay Golan and a powerful panel of speakers: Rebekah Giles, tsunami survivor and fertility warrior; Chloe and Phil de Winter, AJFN Support Program beneficiaries; and moderator Tammi Faraday, host of the Brave Journeys podcast — as they share stories of heartbreak, resilience and hope on the path to parenthood.
Please click here to book tickets. 

Join TBI for a three-part series with Rabbi Dr Danny Schiff, diving deep into issues concerning Israel's democracy, and its connection to Judaism and religion.
At TBI - 7.30pm, Monday evenings:
August 18: Democracy in Judaism
August 25: The Impact of Judicial Reform on the Israeli Political System
September 1: The Separation of Religion and State: What role should Jewish Law have in Israel?
Please click here to register.

Buy your raffle tickets and place your bids on some AMAZING prizes - including interstate accommodation, fun adventures, food & wine, health & beauty, kids clothing & activities, plus many more goodies…
Visit: www.galabid.com/kds2025
All proceeds raised will help support KDS school programs and activities.
**Open to everyone** —  even if you are not attending the KDSPA Trivia Night event.
Winners will be announced on Saturday 23 August. A huge thank you to our sponsors - please see the document below.
Tickets to the Trivia Night event are still available! 
Still haven't secured your seat to this event? Don't miss out!
BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE!

HaDerech el ha'Or (The Path to the Light) : The writings, thoughts and dreams of the Jews of Terezin, set to new music
Between 1942 and 1944, some of the most talented Jewish artists, musicians, and intellectuals were imprisoned at Theresienstadt in Czechoslovakia as part of a Nazi propaganda campaign designed to deceive the Red Cross.
Despite their imprisonment, a remarkable cultural movement emerged. Artists like Friedl Dicker- Brandeis, a pioneering art therapist, and Ilse Weber, a musician and nurse, encouraged children to express themselves through painting, poetry, and music. These creative acts became a means of survival—allowing the children to find purpose, document their existence, and hold on to their identities in unimaginable circumstances.
Wednesday 19 November, 7.30pm
Concert Narrator: Simon Tedeschi | Artistic Director: Simon Starr
Please click here to book. 

The Manosphere is a network of websites, blogs, and forums that often promote harmful ideas about masculinity, misogyny, and anti-feminist views.  It is a toxic and deeply harmful space that aggressively targets preadolescent and adolescent boys — and it's disturbingly easy to access, just one click away on any iPhone, iPad, or computer.  Every parent must understand this dangerous digital landscape and the very real damage it can inflict on our children.
Dr. Stephanie Wescott is a renowned expert in this growing field. She has authored many papers on the subject and researched how the Manosphere is affecting school students. We are very fortunate to have secured Dr. Wescott for this important evening. 
Wednesday 17 September, 7.30pm, Magid Campus (517 Orrong Rd, Armadale)
This is a free session but please register your attendance here for security purposes.