News
dTHS Stands with Israel
What is happening in Israel is scary and deeply upsetting. de Toledo’s Head of School, Mark Shpall, has reached out to our students and faculty on Shabbat and Shemini Atzeret to communicate the following:
First, we are supporting the Israeli high school students currently with us in the de Toledo community as part of our Global Jewish Education EIEP exchange program. We are already setting up support systems while these students are apart from their families, and are also communicating with and supporting our multiple partner schools in Israel.
Second, we are working with our security partners to implement all appropriate measures to safeguard our campus, students, families, and visitors.
Third, we are supporting our own students, providing direct access to our deans and counselor for any students in need of talking through their feelings, and will be gathering with all students on Monday to discuss events and offer additional support services.
As extensions of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are described as a time of our joy. However, in interpreting the Hasidic teaching “mitzvah gedola le’hiyot b’simcha” (it is a vital commandment to be joyful), Rabbi Nachman of Brezlov reinterpreted the word “vital” as “difficult.”
On this holiday, we find it very difficult to be joyful as those in Israel, our brothers, sisters, grandparents, cousins, friends, exchange families, and alumni find themselves, yet again, at war with terrorists.
May we one day be able to embrace the words of our forefathers: “Lo yisa goy el goy cherev lo yil'medu od milchamah”… Nation shall not lift sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
(Isaiah 2:4)
Located in the San Fernando Valley portion of the City of Los Angeles in Northern Los Angeles County. de Toledo High School is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and Builders of Jewish Education (BJE,) and financially supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and the Jim Joseph Foundation.
