Dear Community,

Over last Sunday and Monday our Jewish Studies, Jewish life, Hebrew and ELC educators all had the enormous privilege of attending the biennial Zionist Federation of Australia Educators’ Conference. This was a fantastic opportunity to hear from leading educators in the Jewish world, including a number from among the King David staff, who brought key ideas around curricular and pedagogical developments that can improve Jewish engagement literacy and enhance the learning experiences of students.

The Conference was structured to offer a range of sessions relating to Jewish text, Israel and Zionism, Jewish history and Holocaust, Hebrew, early learning, Chagim and Tefillah, Jewish Studies, pedagogy and networking opportunities.

The Conference opened with an address from ZFA President Jeremy Leibler who framed the forthcoming experience as such an important one at what he characterised as a turning point in Jewish life when “the world we are preparing our students for has changed.”  He referenced competing priorities, antisemitism and the misrepresentation of Israel as challenges to sustaining Jewish continuity.

Leibler explained that while advocacy and security remain important to preserving our safety, there is a more vital form of defence for our people which comes through the embracing of Jewish identity. He encouraged us to think about how we create students who are connected, curious and confident in their sense of Jewish identity. He challenged participants to embrace the opportunities for learning and connection throughout the conference as a way of developing our capacities to provide rich and engaging learning for our students.

Ki Teitze

Candle lighting 5.31pm

Havdalah 6.30pm

by Rabbi Daniel Lichman

Over here in London it was the cosmic drama of a 93% solar eclipse that announced - with a once in a generation ferocity - the arrival of the month of Elul, our time of reflection.

As I prepare to visit you at The King David School the focus of my reflections is on  the purpose of educating our young people about Judaism. Why is it important that we pass on the tradition?

Sitting on a stool at my grandfather’s feet on a Shabbat afternoon I imbibed the importance with my after lunch lemon tea:

Our people were nearly destroyed in the Shoah; after the Shoah we are obligated to make sure that Judaism continues; the continuation of Judaism, the survival of the Jewish people is our task.

I rebelled against my grandfather’s Judaism. When I became a rabbi I was determined to develop a vision for a Judaism which cared broadly about the whole world rather than narrowly about our people. Amidst the aftermath of the 7 October, and its historical reverberations, I have reluctantly, and with great pain, come to include my grandfather’s Judaism in my own.

An incredible Grand Final performance by our Years 8/9 Boys Footy Team!

Defeating Tintern Grammar 98 - 24, the boys showed unmatched determination, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

Drew Solewicz (Sports Manager) commented that it has been a phenomenal season where the team achieved "top 4 on percentage". They then defeated the top ranked team, Eltham College in the Semi finals.

A huge congratulations to the team and coaches on an outstanding, premiership-winning season!

Science Week 2026 was a vibrant celebration of curiosity, creativity, and discovery! Inspired by this year’s theme, “Seeds of Science,” students across many year levels jumped into hands-on experiments and sparked their passion for STEM.

Throughout the week, students tackled scientific concepts through an incredible lineup of activities:

•    Visual Reactions & Physics: Crafting colourful lava lamps, observing dramatic Carbon Snake reactions, exploring magnetism, and engineering Marble Roller Coasters.

•    Challenges & Debates: Analysing plant genetics in the Mendel’s Pea Pods activity, tackling bioethical questions in the GMO Seed Debate, testing their estimation skills in the Popcorn Kernel Challenge, and witnessing the fiery Flaming Hands demonstration.

Special Congratulations to Our Competition Winners:

Kiara N ( Year 11) – Winner of the Dihybrid Cross Mendel Seed Challenge with a flawless 100% score!

Emily U (Year 12) – Winner of the Popcorn Kernel Challenge with an exact guess of 216 kernels!

Ava M (Year 8) has been selected for the Victoria u14 State Hockey team!  She will head to Canberra for the tournament. 

Hard work and determination assisted in Ava getting a spot on the team.  This comes on the back of a win in the u14 Junior State championships for the Eastern Hotshots team over in the July holidays. Ava scored 5 goals and her team won the championship!

 

What happens when six of the most iconic musical theatre worlds collide inside a single school staffroom? Pure theatrical magic. This year’s annual production took audiences on an extraordinary voyage across generations of stage classics, journeying from the shimmering yellow brick roads of Oz to the sweeping Pride Lands of Africa, and from the electric streets of New York to the sun-soaked shores of a Polynesian island. Six legendary stories folded seamlessly into one unforgettable showcase.

Before any grand adventures could begin, however, the narrative presented a challenge: there had to be agreement on which show to produce. Watching Years 3 to 5 teachers passionately champion their personal favorites was fun viewing!

Across three mesmerizing, sold-out performances, the cast left audiences completely spellbound. Our students brought boundless energy and dramatic depth to their characters.

Thanks to all involved who brought this to the stage. Notably, Nissim Ben-Salamon, the show's Director, Zoe Arnott and Rosalyn Gladwyn (KDS parents) for their tireless contribution to costumes and make-up.

Jewish Studies, Hebrew and ELC teachers, along with Jewish Experiential Educators participated in the Zionist Federation of Australia's Educators Conference over Sunday and Monday in order to undergo professional development, consider best practice and network with their counterparts of other Jewish day schools. Hebrew Learning Area Leader (6-12) Hani Ron and middle school Hebrew Teacher Keren Gengut Mushinski presented on "Culture in Hebrew Classes" and Ilan Bloch presented on "Rethinking Israel Education: Why and How We Teach". Staff members investing time in their own Jewish learning serves as an incredible model for our students in relation to ongoing, lifelong journeys of Jewish education. We are thankful to the ZFA for this important opportunity.

Ten students joined Aviva Lauer from the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem last Friday, Rosh Chodesh Elul, to learn about the significance of the shofar in the lead-up to Rosh HaShanah.

This was our 50th (!) parasha club meeting. Taking into account the number of students who have attended each session, these Middle and Senior School student volunteers have collectively spent 242 hours of their lunchtimes learning Torah. They have done so in order to enhance their understanding and connect with their heritage, in an inclusive and non-coercive context, which is deeply intellectual yet accessible to all regardless of their background.

We encourage more students to give it a go. Our next session will take place on Friday, 28 August at lunchtime in JLife and will be facilitated by Rabbi Daniel Lichman, our KDS scholar-in-residence, supported by the World Union of Progressive Judaism. You can register here.

Our Year 2 students recently became Eco-Explorers during an exciting visit to the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands and Education Centre!

The day was filled with hands-on learning and discovery as we explored the important role water plays in our environment. We learned about the water cycle and followed the journey of water as it moves through our environment.

We also discovered how our everyday actions can make a difference. The students investigated ways we can reduce the amount of water and pollution ending up in the bay, thinking carefully about how we can all become better environmental stewards.

One of the highlights of the day was the ‘Eco-system’ Game, where students learned about the connections between living things and their environment. It was a fun and interactive way to understand how every part of an ecosystem has an important role to play.

Of course, no visit to the wetlands would be complete without some bird watching! Armed with binoculars, our Year 2 Eco-Explorers carefully searched the wetlands for birds and other wildlife. Students loved observing the natural environment and spotting the amazing creatures that call the wetlands home.

Our inaugural Years 8–10 Play brought Alana Valentine’s Watermark to life, leaving a captivated audience deeply moved. Set in the Northern Territory town of Katherine, the play chronicles the devastating flood of Australia Day 1998 that declared the region a national disaster zone, leaving profound physical and emotional scars in its wake.

Through a compelling blend of monologues, testimony, and narration, our talented student cast captured the heartbreak, tension, unexpected humor, and incredible generosity of a town nearly wiped off the map. As Head of Performing Arts Eli Erez noted, the production successfully blended “elements of realism, poetic drama, and verbatim theatre to create a theatrical experience that is both grounded and lyrical, built directly upon the authentic words of Katherine’s residents".

Jewish Studies teachers participated in professional development sessions facilitated by Aviva Lauer from the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.

Junior School teachers learned about tefilah (prayer) and tefilah education, and Middle and Senior School teachers learned about gratitude. Both sessions included learning traditional Jewish texts.

Vivienne Jankie, a professional Stage Manager (and current parent), visited our VCE Theatre Studies students recently and provided insights into the various stages involved in bringing a production from an initial idea to the stage. Vivienne talked about the the role of the Stage Manager and explored the wide range of tasks and responsibilities required during pre-production, rehearsal, technical and performance periods.

For our students, hearing directly from an industry professional helped illuminate just how many people, skills and processes sit behind a successful theatrical production. It was a valuable reminder that theatre is truly a collaborative art form, with every department and individual contributing to the final performance.

The Winter Concert is King David's annual signature event which showcases music ensembles and choirs from the Junior School through to Year 12. 
We invite you to enjoy the beauty of live music and to celebrate our outstanding student music works.
Date:Monday 24 August at 6.00pm
Venue: Rebecca Magid Centre (520 Orrong Rd, Armadale)
Time: 6pm
Tickets are free but please bookings are essential (general allocated seating). Book here

Kedem is having a fund-raising theatre night for Fiddler on the Roof on Wednesday 11 November at 7 pm at Her Majesty's Theatre. Tevye will speak with guests after the show!
Costs: A Reserve - $139,  A Reserve - Concession, Senior’s card or full time student card: $109
https://www.trybooking.com/DOFIA

Renowned for his phenomenal storytelling, Rabbi Daniel Lichman takes the stage in Witness to the Ends - a powerful one-person play you won't want to miss. Join us for a rare, intimate night of theatre, followed by an interactive post-performance discussion.
Please book your seats here.
Capacity is limited as it is being held in the Lawrence Family Theatrette at Rebecca Magid Centre.

We have just launched our Melbourne Alumni Reunion and tickets have just been released! 
Join us as we bring together former chanichim, madrichim, shnat kvutzot and mishpachot of Netzer. That same night will also be the launch of the Netzer photo archive with over 7500 photos! Sign up here!  https://events.humanitix.com/netzer-alumni-reunion-melbourne 

Join the PJV Community for a Family Rosh HaShanah Service. This is aimed at Primary School children and the whole family is encouraged to come.
DATE: Saturday 12 September
TIME: 9am to 10.15am
VENUE: Dandenong Road Campus, 373 Dandenong Rd, Armadale
This is a free event, but please register your attendance here for security purposes.

With the first events of the High Holy Days around the corner, TBI welcomes you and your family to celebrate this special period with us!
Our Family services and events are free and we welcome all to join us. Our other services are open to members/ticket-holders only - it's now a great time to consider membership to join us at these events! And it costs no extra for KDS families!
When you're both a member of TBI and a KDS family, you can enjoy discounts across both that add up to make TBI membership essentially free! TBI membership includes admission to our full High Holy Day schedule, discounts on other programs, children's activities for all chagim and opportunities for connection with other Progressive Jewish families. Call TBI on (03) 9510 1488 or email info@tbi.org.au.
For further information on the High Holy Days, visit:  tbi.org.au/highholydays/admissions/