The Yeshiva College matric students of 2020 returned to campus on the weekend to get their certificates together with a muffin and coffee, generating an atmosphere of friendship, love, and respect.

They were greeted by their dedicated teachers and school heads, who worked with them tirelessly during lockdown and beyond to ensure that they achieved the unbelievable results that Yeshiva College is so thrilled about.

However, it’s not just the phenomenal distinction rate that makes the school proud. Greater pride comes from the fact that each learner achieved a university pass, opening doors to further study should they wish to take that particular path. Kol ha kavod matric class of 2020!

The PJ Library programme was officially launched at all King David pre-primary and junior primary schools in 2021. Founded by American philanthropist Harold Grinspoon, PJ Library caters for Jewish families with young children. It aims to encourage learning through Jewish bedtime stories, hence the “PJ” in the title, short for “pyjama”.

Every month for the past three years, Jewish children around South Africa have received a free, magnificent, brand-new book themed with Jewish ideas and concepts.

The programme, which is now in more than 30 countries around the world, is funded in South Africa by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation together with donors to the King David Schools Foundation. It distributes books to 27 schools throughout South Africa and has an additional 250 individual subscribers.

PJ Library is open to all Jewish children ages three to eight years old. If your child doesn’t belong to one of the many participating Jewish schools, you are welcome to sign them up by clicking on the following link: www.pjlibrary.org.za/enrol

King David educators Heidi Morgan and Mandy Gruzd were recently announced as winners of the World ORT Beatrice Wand-Polak Educators award. This was for their dedication to their profession, and inspiring and encouraging students above and beyond expectation in the lockdown period.

The competition was established by former ORT Latin America Director Bernard Wand-Polak in memory of his wife, Beatrice. It’s open to ORT schools internationally and to schools affiliated to the World ORT network.

This year, 12 teachers from across the globe, including South Africa, Italy, Spain, France, Israel, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Ukraine, and Russia were selected from hundreds of nominees as winners of the award, and acknowledged for their excellence in teaching and efforts toward “educating for life”.

Heidi Morgan is the director of educational technologies at King David High School Linksfield, and Mandy Gruzd deputy head of teaching and learning and HOD History at King David High School Victory Park.

“Heidi and Mandy are worthy winners of this prestigious award,” said Rabbi Ricky Seeff, the general director of the South African Jewish Board of Education. “Their contribution to education in our schools has been tremendous. Their commitment to excellence, to adapting to new teaching methodologies and encouraging change and growth in their colleagues, has brought great credit to the King David schools. Our students and teachers are lucky to have them in our midst.”