Over Passover, we reflect on the transition from slavery to Freedom – m’avdut l’cherut – מעבדות לחירות. When I think about freedom, I often think about the concept of opportunity: the opportunity to feel safe, to explore, to question, to experience, to help others, and more. I am heading into the Passover break having recently experienced many exciting events related to the opportunities provided by the Jewish day school experience.

The BC First Peoples 12 class had the incredible opportunity to visit the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC, where they explored Indigenous art, history, and contemporary issues. A highlight was the guided tour of the Northwest Coast collection, featuring works by Bill Reid, and the powerful exhibit To Be Seen, To Be Heard, which examined Indigenous visibility during a time of cultural suppression (1900-1965).

There are moments in life when you take a step back and realize just how much your environment has shaped you. Moving to Kingston to attend Queen’s University, I often reflect on King David High School not just as an institution, but as the place that gave me the tools, confidence, and drive to pursue my passions. An unexpected yet invaluable way King David prepared me for life beyond high school was through school plays. At the time, I saw them as just another extracurricular activity, a fun, creative outlet.

On Friday, we celebrated Purim in true King David style, full of fun, laughter, and ruach! The day kicked off with a Megillah reading, thank you, Rabbi Rosenfeld, for setting the stage for an unforgettable celebration. Students and staff wowed us with their creativity in a lively costume competition. The excitement continued with a jam-packed Purim carnival featuring ring toss, fish for donuts, musical chairs, and other activities, with energy high and smiles everywhere,

The King David High School Senior Girls’ Basketball team made history with a top-10 finish at the BC School Sports Girls Basketball 1A Provincial Tournament, held at the Langley Events Centre from February 26 to March 1, 2025. In their first provincial appearance since 2022, the Lions showcased resilience and skill, winning two of three games. They narrowly lost their opener to the Bulkley Valley Christian Royals (42-35) but rebounded with thrilling victories over John Knox Secondary (38-36) and Vancouver Christian School (58-55), securing their place among the province’s elite.

The School of Rock performance this week was an electrifying showcase of talent, energy, and pure rock ‘n’ roll spirit! The students lit up the stage with their incredible musical abilities, from powerful vocals to impressive instrumentals, bringing the story to life with passion and enthusiasm. The audience was captivated, cheering and clapping along as the cast delivered a performance full of humour, heart, and high-energy numbers. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of our dedicated teachers and staff, Clare Ripley, Johnny Seguin, Nicole Dumas, Noam Jacob, who guided and inspired our students every step of the way.

On Thursday morning, we gathered in sorrow and remembrance, mourning the lives of the hostages cruelly taken from us and returned to Israel overnight. We honored their memory, ensuring their stories continue to be told. Among them was Oded Lifshitz, an 84-year-old peace activist and journalist devoted to helping others and advocating for coexistence. Even in captivity, his kindness and resilience never wavered. We extend our deepest condolences to Netta and his family.

Mazal Tov to our Weizmann Physics Champions! Yasher Koach to Ido, Ethan, Max, Zoe and Noam (Grade 12)! After months of hard work, they have been named the Western Canada winners of the Weizmann Physics Safe Cracking Contest! Using their knowledge of physics principles, they designed an original, complex, and elegantly crafted safe that competing teams had to crack. As winners, they have qualified for the International Safe Cracking competition at the Weizmann Institute in April! Thank you, Weizmann Institute of Science for visiting and judging. Thank you, Ms. Uzan and Mr. Metcalfe, for encouraging and guiding the students.