Why Jewish Day Schools?

It is clear to me, now more than ever, that a Jewish Day School education offers a foundational experience that ensures that our students, educators, parents, and community are able to overcome challenges together, produce empathetic leaders, and create communities of deep meaning.

Why do I believe that? Since joining Wornick as the Head of School in 2019, I’ve had the opportunity to observe our students, educators, and community navigate the unknown complexities of the pandemic, political polarization, the devastation in our community after October 7th, and the emerging challenges of artificial intelligence. Our school was able to face each of these challenges with moral clarity, fortitude, and action.

What is Different about a Jewish Day School Education?

The Grounding Influence of Tradition, Values, & Empathy

We have the incredible privilege of being a part of the ongoing civilization of Judaism. It is a tradition of thoughts, actions, and beliefs that stretches back thousands of years and infuses spirituality with morality, ritual, and culture and is uniquely committed to simultaneously honoring the voices of the past and empowering voices in the future.

Students at Wornick Jewish Day School find themselves as joyful inheritors of this civilization. Unlike the world around them, which pushes the consumption of content at increasingly rapid rates, our students have the patience and interest in listening to stories from the Torah or Jewish history repeatedly. They understand that these stories are not just theoretical but have practical implications for their family life, for their friendships, and in making the world a better place. More than that, they see themselves as producers and interpreters within the tradition. They are consistently given opportunities to lead, to speak in front of audiences, to persuade others, and to listen carefully in a way that requires their full presence.

The paradox of parenting often lies in the intersection of wanting to empower your children to pursue their passions and find their own path, while still reflecting the values, priorities, and ethics of your family and community. Jewish Day Schools are uniquely positioned to address this challenge. They provide students with life cycles and holiday rituals that ground them in a community with common language. They provide a foundation of moral clarity and empathy that serves as a compass for them as they go out and explore the world. They don’t only teach students rigorous academic content and how to think critically, but they teach students how to listen carefully to others that they disagree with.

If you walk into a Jewish Studies or Language Arts class on any given day, you will see students, even in early elementary, doing exactly this. They offer interpretations of texts, some that are thousands of years old, and are somehow able to both honor the tradition they are inheriting but also offer novel interpretations. They are both rooted but also free to explore.

Leadership

It is no surprise that our graduates have the confidence to not only become agents of change in their own lives, but also influence others to take a stand for what is right, show fortitude in the face of adversity, and to build resilient communities for themselves and others. A recent alumni survey showed us that over 90% of our students are leading clubs or student government organizations on their high school campuses. Dozens of alumni were proud to tell us of the way that they responded to October 7th by not only standing up against antisemitism but in showing the rest of the Jewish community and their broader School Communities that Judaism isn’t just about standing up against hate, but is also about celebrating the beauty of our tradition.

Connection to Israel

The love for Israel is part of the ethos at Wornick Jewish Day School. From the signs on the walls, the Hebrew language heard in the hallways and classrooms, the 15 Israeli professionals on staff, the two 18 year old Israeli students doing their year of service as part of the Shinshin program, to the joy-filled Israeli holiday programming, the connection to Israel is palpable.

Our students learn about the history of Israel, its culture, music, current events, and more. 8th graders travel to Israel in a culminating two week trip where they experience the many different aspects of the country.

In a world where antisemitism (including anti-Zionism) is on the rise, Wornick Jewish Day School provides a safe space where an understanding of, and love for, Israel is fostered.

Impact of a Connected Community

Community does not just happen. It is intentional, it has structure, and it is connected to common values, traditions, and rituals.

Wornick’s guiding principles reflect this prioritization of community and inclusion and state that “Wornick’s approach to community is deeply rooted in the values of Arevut ערבות and Achrayut אחריות (community-mindedness and social responsibility). We believe that Wornick is more than a school and its impact is felt beyond our walls and our students.” Further, “our approach to inclusion is rooted in the Jewish values of Derech Eretz דרך ארץ (honor and respect) and B'tzelem Elohim בצלם ה׳ (all people are created in the image of G-d).”

An intentional and inclusive community is created through many layers – class structures that allow students to feel seen for who they are as unique individuals and that they belong, investing in and empowering teachers who are deeply engaged in our community, fostering a culture of respect and appreciation, modeling community responsibility, providing intergenerational and multi-age learning opportunities, holiday rituals and celebrations that bring people together, and partnering with community organizations to strengthen Jewish life in our area. 

Creating and deepening connections is the thread that runs through this aspect of our school and allows our students, families, and professionals to feel seen and supported. This, in turn, helps students and teachers to be successful in their educational endeavors, and nurtures a vibrant and thriving community committed to its success.

Give Your Child a Solid Foundation at Wornick Jewish Day School

Raising children is often like building a house. And it is clear to me that our students have incredibly solid foundations that are built through hundreds of hours of loving educational experiences centered around Judaism in an environment where they feel seen and connected. Their foundations are strong so they are able to keep building once they leave Wornick, and they are strong enough to weather any storm or any challenge that comes their way.

L’shalom
Adam Eilath, Head of School