Taking It To the Next Level

Stephen Huh is currently the Vice President of Governance on the Boulder Jewish Day School Board, as well as the President-Elect.  His two sons attend the school, and over time he has become more and more involved.  He says both his kids are happy at the school, and that his family has become friends with his children’s peers’ families.  Stephen says he is impressed with the level of Hebrew and Judaic knowledge on the part of his oldest son who is currently in kindergarten.   And, he says, “My younger son just wants to emulate his big brother!”

Stephen’s wife, Aviva, is a product of day school education in Canada, and exemplifies the value of a day school education.  Stephen said he had read a study regarding various factors that help foster Jewish identity as one grows up.  Respondents with Jewish day school education had the highest correlations to strong Jewish identity of any group, including marrying within the faith and joining a synagogue.  Stephen says he personally finds these results to hold true.

When asked to compare BJDS to other private schools in the area, Stephen says that ultimately it boils down to what is most important for each individual family.  Without a doubt, BJDS draws in those families for whom Jewish education is a top priority, including the appeal of a dual language program.  Stephen and Aviva’s primary reason for choosing BJDS for their own children was that they really wanted their kids to learn Hebrew.

Like Stephen, I, too, am impressed by my third grade daughter’s knowledge of Hebrew and Judaic studies.  Talia enriches our family’s discussions of parshat hashavuah, and she has introduced us to more than one midrash. Her Hebrew reading skills are quite impressive.  This past weekend, the upper grades had a Shabbaton at the school.  Talia came home excited and full of stories – of Kabbalat Shabbat and a night walk; of the morning service at Pardes Levavot (“Reb Nadya has a beautiful voice!”); of spending a Shabbat afternoon with friends, teachers, and Shoshi.  When Talia was in BJDS’ Kindergarten, as Stephen’s and Aviva’s son is now, she talked about the day when she would be able to attend the Shabbaton.  It was everything she had imagined.

Imagine what a Boulder Jewish Day School education can do for our community’s children. Join inspirational new leaders like Stephen Huh by getting involved with BJDS and taking it to the next level.