As I write my final column, counting down the final weeks of my tenure as chair of the board of RAVSAK, Jews all over the world have begun counting the days of the Omer—from Passover, when bold leadership led to freedom and redemption, self-realization and a new beginning, to Shavuot when, only 50 days after the exodus from Egypt, we celebrate the giving of the Ten Commandments, signifying the transition from an enslaved nation to a “light unto the nations.” I cannot help but think back and notice the extent of the transition I have witnessed and in which I have been involved at RAVSAK since my first exposure in 1995.

Kohelet 1:9 tells us “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun,” and yet we know that is not true. This issue of HaYidion is filled with bold ideas, with new possibilities, with hope and excitement about the future. It is surely appropriate that this is our spring issue, coinciding with the rebirth of the nature in all its fruitful glory. Likewise, it is fitting that we publish as we prepare to celebrate Shavuot, when Har Sinai suddenly blossomed with flowers in anticipation of the giving of the Torah on its summit.

While I like to think of myself as a leader who welcomes new ideas and innovation and encourages significant input from my board members, parents and staff, I find myself in the position of being lobbied heavily by a large group of parents to launch a program about which I have serious doubts. They have gone so far as to raise money specifically for this project.

Rabbi Yehuda used to say: The whole world was on one side, while Abraham was on the other side.

Breishit Rabba 42:8

The Shoshana S. Cardin Jewish Community High School in Baltimore has been the center of our family’s universe since 2006. We moved from Columbia, Maryland, to Baltimore so that my older sister, and later I, could attend this school. At Cardin, students flourish in small classes while developing meaningful relationships with an outstanding faculty. Each student is nurtured in a pluralistic, Jewish environment, where Jewish values, history, and traditions are infused throughout the curriculum, and opportunities for civic and social involvement abound. My sister arrived as an introverted freshman in 2006, and graduated four years later with a level of confidence no one expected, a resume full of social action projects, and sincere recommendations from her teachers that won her scholarships to all of the colleges of her choice.

How many students dream of making their own movie? When he was a Judaics teacher in LA, Kastan created a movie company enabling his students to fulfill their fantasy, bringing their Jewish study to life on screen.

In Schrager’s view, genealogy has potential that goes far beyond the limited uses schools make of it today. It has the power to motivate and guide student learning in numerous subjects across the curriculum.

In his perch above the world of day school finance, Perla has considered proposals and sat in on conversations exploring the potential of insurance to support schools. Here is his critical survey and his tips on ideas that look promising.

This open-source initiative captures the collaborative power of Wikipedia for the benefit of Jewish education. Sefaria has enormous potential for teachers as a resource for texts and lessons, and for students to contribute to a global project.

Miller shows how robotics can be much more than an exciting way to engage students in STEM learning. Students can use robotics in all subjects to create dynamic models that represent the values and activities they want to display.