Latest News

Mamma Mia! What a phenomenal show!

Mamma Mia! What a phenomenal show!

From Money, Money, Money to I Do, I Do, I Do, our students danced and sang their way through the ABBA catalogue and into our hearts.

Director Eli Erez and musical director Matan Franco (Class of 2010) expertly made this iconic musical come to life on Orrong Road. They were wonderfully supported by choreographers Eden Abukasis (Class of 2023) and Amalia Wise (Class of 2023), Assistant Director Charli Cantoni-Bud (Class of 2023), Technical Director Teige Cordiner (Class of 2023) and Co-Costume Designer Rylee Sack (Class of 2021). Please click here to see photos from the show. Thank you to our photographers Mark Munro, Deb Cantoni-Bud and Leila Edelstein for capturing the vibrancy of the show. Please note there are more photos on the myKDS Photo Gallery.

Kol HaKavod to all the students involved! We already can't wait for our Middle School musical in September!

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Alumni give advice on choosing your path after school

Alumni give advice on choosing your path after school

Life after school was the topic of discussion for our Year 10 students at the annual Pathways Day. This is an important first step in the journey of discovering the options that our graduates can take after Year 12. We welcomed back four alumni from the Class of 2022 who came in to share their experiences and help to introduce our students to how university works. Please click here to see photos from the day. Thank you to Sonia Bonich, Charley Cowen, Jay Guttmann and Jordy Rothfield for sharing your insights into university pathways, gap years, balancing work and uni, having self motivation to succeed and the importance of making an effort to keep up with friends and to make new ones.

Year 10 students sat the Morrisby Test as part of the program which will help them to identify their strengths and interests and will be used 

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Year Levels: 10

Parashat HaShavua: Tzav

Parashat HaShavua: Tzav

Candle-lighting 5.41pm

Candle-lighting for Pesach, seder night (from) 6.37pm

In this week’s parashah, Moshe (Moses) inducts his brother Aharon and his sons into the priesthood. “You shall not go outside the entrance of the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the day that your period of ordination is completed. For your ordination will require seven days” (Leviticus 8:33). Of course, we do not have Temple kohanim (priests) today. But, we certainly still strive to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). Over the course of the years of a student’s Jewish education at King David, we aim to step into the footsteps of Moshe and, in partnership with families, induct students into this magnificent “kingdom of priests” – to be engaged, proud and active members of the Jewish people. 

This parashah also speaks of issues of purity and impurity, which were so relevant during the time that the Temple stood in Jerusalem. If we can channel this historic memory and apply it to modern times, perhaps we can be inspired to live lives of intentionality and mindfulness. Perhaps we can come to live lives in which we fulfill Rabban Gamliel’s imperative (Brachot 28a) to make sure that “our insides are like our outsides” (tocheinu k’vareinu) – that our character traits and conduct will be exemplary. 

Shabbat shalom and chag sameach!

Ilan Bloch

Director of Jewish Life and Learning

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A moving Yom HaShoah commemoration

A moving Yom HaShoah commemoration

As Yom HaShoah falls during the school break, we commemorated it today with a moving ceremony at our Magid Campus. Students lit candles dedicated to Chelmo, Bergen-Belsen, Sobibor, Majdanek, Treblinka and Auschwitz-Birkenau. After a minute's silence, teacher Geoff Garber recited El Maleh Rachamim and students said Elie Wiesel's Kaddish. Please click here to see photos from the ceremony.

We heard from school grandparent and Holocaust survivor Peter Gaspar, who spoke about how his family survived by being hidden by their Christian friends in various locations, including icy streams and the rafters of cold barns. Miraculously, Peter and his mother survived Theresienstadt, his father a labour camp and his uncle survived Auschwitz. Peter reminded us that we are the product of our choices, and we must be upstanders when we see injustice.

We marked the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz's liberation with Unter Di Khurves Fun Polyn by Itsik Manger and Saul Berezovsky. We sung the Partisaner Hymn, followed by Advance Australia Fair and Hatikvah. Thank you to Peter for sharing his incredible story with us and to our student committee for planning this remarkable commemoration with Feygi Phillips.

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Year Levels: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Insights: Hinenu - connecting to our ancient story together

Insights: Hinenu - connecting to our ancient story together

Dear Community,

Over the past weeks we have been busy across the School preparing for Pesach. This has taken on many forms. Our Kibbutz David Hamelech gardeners have harvested horseradish which has been sold to grateful families by volunteers from the KDSPA. We have conducted a series of model s’darim where parents and grandparents delighted in our students’ reenactment of the Exodus. Our Jewish Studies and Jewish Experiential Education teams have also engaged our students in the deep philosophical themes that are evident in our liberation story as a catalyst to enriching the experience at an intellectual level.

The hive of activity is worth it. Pesach is an annual peak experience that brings families together and deeply connects us with our origins. 

The founder of modern Hebrew, Eliezer Ben Yehuda, devoted much of his life to the restoration and expansion of the language. A fascinating article about him by David Saiger in My Jewish Learning details how together with his wife, Deborah Jonas, he created the first Hebrew speaking household. Ben Yehuda went to extreme measures to ensure the viability of the project. He prevented his young son, Ben-Zion, from speaking with other children to protect his Hebrew language. Ben Yehuda also promoted the teaching of Hebrew as a spoken language in schools and went to great lengths to publish lists of new words in journals to expand the available vocabulary to account for contemporary items and concepts that were not referenced in Hebrew’s ancient, biblical origins. 

One of the words that was brought into Hebrew from common parlance was “history” which took the form “historia”. It seems extraordinary

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Our joyful Pesach s'darim

Our joyful Pesach s'darim

The symbols, tastes, songs and stories of Pesach came to life this week in our Junior School s'darim. Students sang together, acted out the story of our exodus from Egypt and searched for the Afikoman. Please click here to see photos from the s'darim. Please note there are more photos on the myKS Photo Gallery.

Our Prep - Year 2 students shared their s'darim with family members and special friends. At our Years 3 to 5 Seder, each student followed from their own Haggadah. As Louise Lowinger, Learning Area Leader Jewish Studies K-5, said "the deep collective joy at the s'darim was palpable." Well done to Louise, Nissim and the Jewish Life and Learning team for bringing the s'darim to life so expertly. 

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Year Levels: P, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Learning about democracy first hand

Learning about democracy first hand

"Last week I went to camp in Canberra. It was an amazing experience. I got to visit so many different places and learnt so much about the Government. 

The place I enjoyed the most was Questacon. We got to explore all the exhibits and it was so fun. In one exhibition we got to go into a pretend house and feel an earthquake. It was very well done and felt like it was happening in real life! In a different exhibition there was a giant slide that we had the opportunity to go down. Once we finished we all went to the gift shop and bought things for us and our families. Please click here to see photos from the trip.

Some other places we went to are the Museum of Australian Democracy (MOAD), Parliament House and the Australian Institute of sport (AIS). MOAD was located in the Old Parliament House. While we were there we voted on what fruit we liked the most. By doing that we learnt how voting worked. In the Parliament house we saw the House of Representatives and the Senate. We learnt where everyone sat and what each one was used for. At the AIS we saw olympic swimmers training and volleyball players practising. We also had the chance to try out sports like the skeleton. 

One challenge I faced was feeling homesick, however I learnt that I can handle myself and my emotions. I also learnt that I can be more independent. I didn’t like the food so I think that could be an improvement for the next camp. I am thankful to all the teachers for organising the whole camp and coming along. I will never forget my time in Canberra."  - Eden Swerdlin, Year 6

"On the first of April, Year 6 went to camp at Canberra. On the first day, some highlights were finally getting shown to our cabins

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Year Levels: 6

Year 6 visit 'Hidden' at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum

Year 6 visit 'Hidden' at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum

This week Year 6 students visited "Hidden", an exhibit specifically geared toward young children, at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum. This visit built on what they learned as part of "In My Pocket", an age-appropriate unit of learning which the students undertook last year when they were in Year 5. 

Hidden also served as effective educational preparation for the students hearing Shoah survivor and school grandparent Peter Gaspar speak at the (pre-)Yom Hashoah assembly which took place on the last day of Term 1 - perhaps the first time most students would have heard survivor testimony.

The students demonstrated truly impressive prior knowledge, engaged with the content in an exceptional manner, and behaved with exemplary decorum. 

We are so pleased that this cohort got the opportunity to learn in both pilot Shoah education programs introduced last year and this year.

Ilan Bloch

Director of Jewish Life and Learning

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Year Levels: 5, 6

From our Kibbutz garden to your seder table

From our Kibbutz garden to your seder table

As we celebrated Pesach with our Prep - Year 2 s'darim this week, families were lucky enough to be able to purchase maror for the seder tables - and a variety of pumpkins - that the students had grown themselves in our Kibbutz garden, led by garden extraordinaire Erez Naim-Feil. Proceeds from this fundraiser go to the KDSPA.

Planting and harvesting horseradish ensures that our students can hold their very own maror in their hands as part of their Pesach learning and tasting. This is experiential learning at its finest (if not tastiest!). Thank you to our KDSPA volunteers. Chag Pesach Sameach!

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Year Levels: P, 1, 2

A Brilliant Life

A Brilliant Life

Year 11 students were privileged to hear from journalist and author Rachelle Unreich during Mifgash on Wednesday. 

Rachelle is the author of A Brilliant Life, which is about the life of her late mother Mira, a Holocaust survivor. Through sharing her story, students were able to further their understanding of the Holocaust, in the lead-up to Yom HaShoah (which this year falls during the school holidays).

Rachelle also shared fascinating insights into the book-writing process.

This is the second year that Rachelle has spoken with our students and we thank her for her ongoing involvement with King David. 

Ilan Bloch

Director of Jewish Life and Learning

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Year Levels: 11

An amazing Term 1 of Jewish Experiential Education at the Magid Campus

An amazing Term 1 of Jewish Experiential Education at the Magid Campus

Over the course of Term 1, Jewish Experiential Education at the Magid Campus has been alive and thriving! As seen in previous Harp articles throughout the term, the Back To School Service and Purim celebrations were clear highlights of the term for students and staff alike. However, there were many more exciting moments that existed in our week to week too! 

First of all, as a part of the Amit program, many of our Year 11 students have been learning, and putting into practice, Hadracha (Jewish Leadership) skills by running engaging experiential programming for our Year 7 students each fortnight! 

At the same time, our Year 10 students have been exploring different areas of social action through their four elective Derech classes, titled Mental Health Advocacy, First Nations Justice, Environmentalism or Disability and Inclusion and hearing from some amazing guest facilitators from organisations such as Toolbox Education, Flying Fox and Stand Up. As Term 2 progresses, students will work towards creating their very own projects to support these causes. 

As a part of the Ofek program,

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Year Levels: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Discussing constitutional issues at the National Schools Constitutional Convention

Discussing constitutional issues at the National Schools Constitutional Convention

Year 11 student Asher Bloch was chosen to attend the Australian School Convention in Canberra. He was one of hundreds to apply, but only 25 from Victoria are awarded a place. Here is Asher's reflection:

Over 25 to 27 March, I, along with 120 other Australian teens (25 from Victoria), took part in the National Schools Constitutional Convention in Canberra. Run by the Department of Education, the aim was to get young people involved in Constitutional Issues. This particular topic was regarding Fiscal Federalism, and how the Commonwealth’s taxation system unfairly disadvantages certain states - and we were very lucky to have been able to hear from a variety of knowledgeable speakers. In the ACT, we got the chance to watch both the annual budget speech (go Jim Chalmers), question time at Parliament House, and the National Press Club dinner. 

I also got the opportunity to speak to Zoe Daniels, among other politicians, and air my concerns to someone who could do something about it. The general program of the convention was a series of lectures from keynote speakers, discussion groups, and a mock referendum in which we voted on two relevant issues. The convention was a great experience and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in Politics or Law. 

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Year Levels: 11

Suzy Zail visits Year 9

Suzy Zail visits Year 9

"On Monday, we had the privilege of talking to the author of the novel Inkflower that we have been studying, Suzy Zail! She gave us more insight into the behind the scenes of her writing the novel. It was really interesting and inspirational to hear from her. She loved to see all the front covers we designed for Inkflower and a few students even had their books signed. It was a really cool experience and I'm sure everyone got a lot out of it."

Grace Benveniste, Year 9

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Year Levels: 9

Events

Celebrate Pesach with Kedem's services

(Event finishes 17/04/2025)

Celebrate Pesach with Kedem's services

Please join Kedem for their Pesach services:
A morning service with Aliyot, a Drash, Hallel songs and Kiddish. All welcome!
Sunday 13 April 2025 at 10am at The King David School and on Zoom
Seventh Day Pesach with Service for the Soul
10am on Saturday 19th April at a home and on Zoom
Includes Hallel, Yizkor, Kiddish and lunch.
Please contact rosi.kedem@outlook.com to register.

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TBI's Pesach (2nd Night) Community Seder!

TBI's Pesach (2nd Night) Community Seder!

You're invited to TBI's community seder to celebrate and retell the story of Pesach. Experience the magic with a seder that blends rich history, meaningful rituals and the warmth of community.
Sunday 13 April, 6pm at TBI
Bookings Essential!
Click Here to book tickets

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Save the Date! Politics and Leadership in Jewish Learning

Save the Date! Politics and Leadership in Jewish Learning

In the lead-up to Shavuot and a Federal Election around the corner, we invite parents, grandparents and extended families to join Ilan Bloch, the Director of Jewish Life and Learning, for an in-depth discussion about Politics and Leadership in Jewish Learning.  Keep an eye out for more information and to register your interest (this is a free event) in the coming weeks.

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Save the Date: Foundation Brunch

Save the Date: Foundation Brunch

Don't miss this exclusive opportunity! 
Join us for the Foundation Brunch featuring the iconic Deborah Conway. Deborah will share insights on her advocacy and activism since October 7th. The morning will include a performance by Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier. 
Please mark your calendars: Friday 20 June 2025, 9.15am - 11.15am
Seating is strictly limited, so be sure to book early when reservations open in May!  All welcome.
The King David Foundation is grateful to the Parents' Association for releasing the June 20 date from the School events calendar for this event.

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Finance Committee vacancy

Finance Committee vacancy

The Finance Committee is a committee of The King David School Council. The Committee oversees the School’s financial position and disclosures and provides advice to the Treasurer and the School Council. Members of the Committee meet monthly and meetings are chaired by the Treasurer.
Having recently reviewed its composition, diversity of skill set and gender balance, the Committee is now seeking an additional member with the following key skills and attributes:
- Qualification as either a CA/FCA or CPA
- Experience in a large Australian Audit practice
- Experience in financial reports, financial records and systems
- Ability to assess financial risk and advise on appropriate risk mitigation measures
- A collaborative and team-based working style
- A clear passion for The King David School and a willingness to contribute to its success
Please contact Rod Kenning (rod.kenning@kds.vic.edu.au) for more information and/or to express your interest. Nominations will then be forwarded to the committee. 

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The Things You Cannot See: Photography of Mark Raphael Baker

The Things You Cannot See: Photography of Mark Raphael Baker

Mark Raphael Baker (1959-2023), renowned historian, teacher, and writer, is celebrated for his lifelong commitment to bearing witness and exploring humanity. This exhibition of photography, exhibited for the first time, showcases a vital extension of this lifelong commitment to bearing witness and exploring humanity.
Baker’s photographs span countries, cultures and decades, offering intimate glimpses into everyday life, emotions and relationships. The Things You Cannot See explores both the seen and unseen and invites a deeper understanding of the shared human experience.
Please click here to learn more.
The photographs in the exhibition have been generously donated by Michelle Lesh and all funds raised through the silent auction support the Jewish Museum of Australia. It allows the audience the unique opportunity to acquire Baker's work.
The silent auction concludes Friday 11 April at 10.30pm. Please click here to bid. 

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Join Netzer at their April events and Winter camp

Join Netzer at their April events and Winter camp

Netzer has plenty of events throughout April - see above to join and visit https://www.netzer.org.au/ for more information. 
They have also launched their Winter camp for Years 3-12 - please see the attached flyer. Please click here to sign up.

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Registrations now open: ELC Playgroup - Kef Kan in Term 2

Registrations now open: ELC Playgroup - Kef Kan in Term 2

Our ELC playgroup, Kef Kan (fun here) will continue to run every Friday in Term 2.  We will have three inspiring guest speakers: an Occupational Therapist, a Speech Therapist, and a Nutrition Therapist.
When: Every Friday, 2 May to 4 July inclusive
Time: 9:00 am - 10:00 am for children aged up to 18 Months
Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am for children aged from18 Months 

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