2024-25 Themes of the Year
Academy
Panim el Panim
Face to Face
Panim el Panim, or Face-to-Face, is the theme we have chosen for this school year at SAR Academy. Rooted in the Jewish belief that every person is unique and created in the image of God (Tzelem Elokim),this theme underscores our commitment to seeing and honoring the divine in each individual.
As we approach an election year and navigate an increasingly digital world, we recognize the vital importance of engaging in direct, respectful, and meaningful conversations. In an age where technology often mediates our interactions, we are committed to emphasizing the value of face-to-face dialogue. To support this focus, we will also be tightening access to digital devices within the school, encouraging more personal interactions. We will explore sub-topics such as active listening, respectful debate, and conflict resolution, all with a foundation in our rich Jewish heritage.
We aim to equip students, staff, and parents with the skills to engage in constructive and empathetic dialogue, fostering a respectful and connected community.
HIGH SCHOOL
Koach Ha’Dibbur
Power of Words
Koach HaDibbur is not only highly relevant to our students’ and our lives in the current polarized political and social climate, but it has been increasingly clear that we all need help navigating the sheer variety and volume of words we consume on a daily basis. As a Jewish collective, we have seen how words can bring people together, giving strength and even life, and also how words can spread hatred, encourage violence, and destroy lives.
The first step towards a responsible use of our words requires reflection on our own experiences in light of Jewish values. This year at SAR, we will ask students and teachers to consider times when words impacted them positively. Can you think of a time when words enhanced your sense of self, boosted your self-esteem, or gave you the confidence to be creative and move beyond your comfort zone? Conversely, we will ask them to consider when words hurt them. Has someone ever said something that made you feel isolated or alone, insecure, or uncertain of your worth? Sitting with the emotions that the words of others have evoked demands the courage to make ourselves vulnerable. It is a difficult exercise but also a valuable one, especially if we want to train ourselves to be more mindful of how the words we use affect others.
As a school, we will focus on the halakhot related to lashon hara, cursing, lying, and other forms of negative speech. We will emphasize civil discourse, storytelling, prayer, verbal commitments, and, of course, Torah learning. The words we choose shape our souls. Positive words can create a beautiful world, fostering an outlook that allows us to be open and kind, even in the face of passionate disagreements. We are committed to an education inspired by the Jewish emphasis on the power of speech.
2023-24 Themes of the Year
ACADEMY
Reaching Out
Reach Out…Reaching In. Reach Beyond.
HIGH SCHOOL
Achdut
Unity
2022-23 Themes of the Year
ACADEMY
Kavanah
Mindfulness
This school year, 2022-2023, we have chosen Kavanah/Mindfulness as our theme of the year. Kavanah is a term we hear often in halachic contexts, especially around tefilla. Mindfulness has been a buzz word of late, as the challenges of multitasking, social media, and the ubiquity of information comes at us while we walk, eat, sleep, drive, work, and play. We look forward to exploring as a school community the connection between kavanah and mindfulness, and the powerful synergy between an age-old Torah value and a relatively newly recognized ingredient to productivity, stability, fulfillment, and happiness.
High School
Middot
Values
“Our theme this year at SAR High School is “Middot.” Through a variety of educational programs and classroom opportunities we will explore and engage in character development, the work of cultivating moral attributes and spiritual values. As we consider diverse approaches–from the philosophers’ “virtue ethics” to those of the mussar movement–we will focus on the ways that our impact on the world is shaped by our middot. Regarding thought, speech, and action we will help SAR students and faculty identify both those middot we aspire to foster and those we seek to eliminate. Our opening program confronted students with the question “who am I?” and asked students to take a personal inventory as the first step on our roadmap to effective character development. SAR High School’s bi-line is “It’s not just what you learn. It’s who you become.” The focus on Middot as our educational theme seeks to help all in our SAR community become the best version of themselves, both spiritually and interpersonally.