Dear members of the Gann community,
It is my pleasure to officially welcome you to the 2024-2025 school year! The positive energy and ruach (spirit) on campus this week has been palpable as students reunited with one another and teachers introduced exciting new courses. We are particularly thrilled to welcome 90 new students to Gann. Our new families represent over 30 different communities and bring with them diverse life experiences, perspectives, and Jewish journeys.
While we often discuss Jewish values in the abstract, this past summer, our team codified ten Core Values that are central to the fabric of our community. These values will be displayed in our classrooms and will guide our teaching and Jewish life programming throughout the year. Families – we encourage you to discuss these values with your children and post them prominently in your homes.
Values often come into sharper focus when they are in tension with one another, prompting us to reflect more deeply on their significance. Adolescence is filled with moments when important values may collide, and part of our educational mission is to guide our students in navigating these complexities.
One of the many ways we are bringing our Core Values to life this year is through a new Tikkun Olam experiential learning program for tenth graders. This fall, students will pause their coursework for a few days to volunteer at local non-profits and study Jewish texts related to their service learning.
Facing challenges in Israel and the Diaspora, the Jewish community needs leaders who are dedicated to living a life based on Jewish values. We are grateful for your partnership, and we are honored to be educating our community’s future leaders.
Wishing you a wonderful academic year,
Dr. Dalia Hochman
