Gesher Jewish Day School

Are you looking for a job that meets your schedule? Looking for work-life balance? Enjoy spending time with children? Consider becoming a substitute teacher at Gesher Jewish Day School!

Substitute Teacher Job Application - Gesher Jewish Day School Join our team of enthusiastic, dynamic and collaborative professionals at Gesher Jewish Day School! For more than three decades, Gesher JDS has been the center of learning for Jewish children […]

Looking forward to seeing members of our mishpacha at tonight's playdate! It will take place at Cardinal Forest Park (Address: 6121 Roxbury Ave. Springfield, VA) and be hosted by the Lummer and Saunders family!

It was so nice seeing some of our students at Capital Camps during their Community Partner Day on Wednesday! Special shout out to our Music Teacher, Mr. Nick, who is camp's Head Song Leader.

Due to the rain, we are postponing today's playdate, stay dry!

We hope to see our Gesher friends today at our playdate at Quincy Park Playground on the corner of Washington Blvd. and N. Nelson St. at 5 PM today!

We hope to see our Gesher friends today at our playdate at Quincy Park Playground on the corner of Washington Blvd. and N. Nelson St. at 5 PM today!

Today we got to spend some time with Gesher students, staff and alumni at Capital Camps! The campers are having the best summer!

Connecting with our mishpacha around the world. This morning Head of School Aviva Walls spent quality time with the Zatz family at Shuk Ha Carmel while they were all visiting Tel Aviv. Talk about a great day!

This week, Dov's on vacation at the beach! He's soaking up some rays in his camping chair, gobbling up pizza, and chowing down on sushi. Where is your Dov adventuring to this summer?

Wishing everyone a fun and safe 4th of July.

Gesher Alum Molly Backer was recently named the winner of CAM's Jewish American Heritage Month Creative Contest for a video highlighting the accomplishments of Jewish American composer Leonard Bernstein. You can watch it at the link below. Yasher koach, Molly!

Molly Backer Named Winner of CAM's Jewish American Heritage Month Creative Contest for Leonard Bernstein Video | Combat Antisemitism Movement The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) has announced Molly Backer as the winner of the 2023 Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) Creative Contest. Backer’s contest entry, a video highlighting the life and achievements of the late Jewish American conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein, was chose...

Congratulations to the members of Gesher's Class of 2019, who will be attending Kenyon College, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, College of Charleston and University of Rochester in the Fall! Mazel Tov!

Last night, our friends at the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington held their annual meeting. Gesher Alumni Grandparent, Sam Kaplan was honored as outgoing board president. Thank you for all of the wonderful work you've done for the Greater DC Jewish Community.

Federation Thanks Outgoing Board President Sam Kaplan | Annual Meeting 2023

Kol Hakavod to Gesher's Class of 2023. We look forward to seeing where your adventures take you next as Jewish leaders.

Are you or do you know an elementary school general studies teacher looking for a warm, welcoming, community-oriented teaching position for 2023-2024? Then Gesher may be the home for you! Learn more at the link below.

Elementary General Studies Teacher - Fairfax, VA 22030 - Indeed.com Gesher Jewish Day School

This morning we honored students at our Middle School Award Ceremony. Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate our future Jewish Leaders and Congratulations to each one of them!

Today was our final Torah Service of the school year! To mark the end of school and the advancement of our students to their new grades, our 5th and 8th graders each led an Aliyah and they all gathered under the tallit.

The faces change but traditions stay the same. Check out this photo from yesterday of our current Gan students at the National Zoo alongside a similar shot from when our current 8th graders took the same field trip when they were in Gan. Talk about a spitting image!

Today, our Gan students learned about bike safety in preparation for a safe summer break. They used the carpool lane to practice looking both ways, being mindful of vehicles and other students, and waiting for crossing guards to signal for you.

Throughout the halls of Gesher, you can find many amazing pieces of art and Judaica created by Gary Rosenthal, zl". Gary worked with our students to create our beautiful classroom mezuzah's, as well as the dedication wall when you walk through our front doors. Many of our community members had the opportunity to work with Gary personally and say how truly generous and kind he was was.

May his memory be a blessing.

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From The Gary Rosenthal Collection

Gary Rosenthal, DC native, renown sculptor and Judaica artist, dedicated philanthropist, doting husband, and adoring father passed away on May 26th, 2023, at 69 from pancreatic cancer.
Born June 25th, 1953, Gary grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, as the second of three children born to Bob and Ann Rosenthal. He attended Walt Whitman High School and Cornell University, before earning an MBA from the University of Virginia.

A man once thought to have “no artistic talent”, Gary became one of the leading lights of the modern American craft movement, creating beautiful Judaica, used in homes throughout the world for family celebrations and artistic decoration. Learning to weld in his family appliance repair business, Gary turned his skills to sculpture at a young age, capturing the human form in brass, including a line of ballerina figurines for the John F. Kennedy for the Performing Arts. His Jewish background, coupled with his belief that Jewish ritual objects lacked creative variety, led him to concentrate on Judaica as an underserved niche in the American craft market. Through the Gary Rosenthal Collection, he assembled a team of artisans--including refugees fleeing oppression and people with differing abilities—to create Judaica that, today, graces thousands of homes and synagogues.

With an open heart and gracious spirit, Gary seized every opportunity to use his art to help others. He created the Art as a Catalyst Program to support community-based cause marketing. He traveled the country with his Hiddur Mitzvah Project bringing together people from 4 to 104 years of age to make their own artistic creations–often to benefit those in need. And his Glass Ribbon Project raised awareness and funding to support survivors of breast and pancreatic cancer. Gary also partnered with other organizations–Arts on the Block, the Montgomery Arts and Humanities Council, The Theatre Lab, Avodah, and many others–to extend his reach. In a 2009 interview, Gary commented that he wanted to be remembered, “…for my community service and the good deeds I accomplished.” As a result of his commitment to “repairing the world”, Gary is loved and admired by people from New Orleans to California, from Cuba to Uganda.

Gary was supported through his cancer journey and is survived by Marta Goldsmith, his wife and life partner of 41 years, his son Reuben (Anna Reiper), who is continuing his father’s work at the Gary Rosenthal Collection, and his daughter Sophie, who is carrying on his love of giving through the arts as a middle school theater teacher in Arlington County, Virginia. He is lovingly remembered by his sister Dale Rosenthal (Michael Cutler), his sisters-in-laws Ileane Rosenthal (the late Donald), Cory Begner (Alan), Kim Goldsmith (Dave Johnson), and Abby Goldsmith (Dr. Kevin Hendler), many nieces and nephews, and all those whose lives he touched.
Gary’s final months were spent happily traveling the world and spending time with family and friends who cherished him and his optimism. Throughout his life, Gary believed that art brings beauty and beauty brings joy. He leaves behind a world more joyful and beautiful than he found it.

In Gary’s memory, we encourage you to donate to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and to create art and beauty with the people you love to repair the world.
He will be missed, but never, ever forgotten.

Gesher is closed today for Memorial Day, so on Thursday we honored those lost while in active duty at an assembly with the entire student body.

Thank you to Gesher PTO for the sweet treats in honor of Shavuot!

Thank you to our friends at Goldfish Swim School - Reston teaching our Gan students about W.A.T.E.R Safety!

Just another day in Gan Katan! Today one of our students wanted to make something taller than her teacher Ms. Sam. We'd call that a success!

Mazel Tov to Kitah Bet on their Torah Siyum! Our 2nd graders showed us their acting skills with skits inspired by Torah portions they have learned this year, including the 7 Days of Creation and the story of Adam and Eve.

Mazel Tov to Kitah Aleph on their Chagigat HaSiddur!

Yesterday, our students spent the afternoon displaying sportsmanship and Jewish values while demonstrating Gesher pride and most importantly having fun during Lag Ba'Omer Field Day!

They participated in stations hosted by our local community partners, including Camps Airy & Louise, Capital Camps, Pozez JCC Camp Achva, Patriot District, National Capital Area Council, Chabad Lubavitch of Northern Virginia, and Artists Sarah Berry and Tucker Harley Art.

🚨Community Helpers Time🚨some of our Gan students learning about how fire stations help their communities.

Happy Yom Ha’atzmaut Gesher Mishpacha! While our 8th graders are still in Israel, today our students at school got to “travel around Israel” and experience an archeological dig, building the kotel, Israeli dancing, mud masks, fishing, Technion inventions, Maccabiah relay games, a school wide picnic and so much more! Families are invited to join us this afternoon for a fun Zimriah v’Rikudiah, song and dance celebration!

This morning, we held our Yom Hazikaron assembly for Remembrance Day in honor of fallen IDF soldiers, security forces and victims of terror. Our middle school led us through a brief, Israeli school-style, memorial ceremony. We had clergy members of our community join us to say prayers for the fallen and commemorate the day, as well as a dance performance to a song inspired by a fallen soldier.

Thank you to those who joined us for Gesher Chaverim! We had so much fun learning about Yom Ha'atzmaut with you.
Thank you to PJ Library Greater Washington for teaching us all about the Colors of Israel.

Today our Head(s) of School looks a little different... two students won "Head of School for a Morning" and got to join Ms. Aviva as she held meetings, planned if recess would be inside or outside, and read to Gan Katan (pre-K).

And they're off! Nesiya Tova to our 6th and 7th graders on their trip to Philadelphia!

This morning, we held our Yom Hashoah assembly remembering the lives lost during the Holocaust. Our 7th grade led us through a brief, Israeli school-style, memorial ceremony. Then, 6 sets of representatives from our Gesher community lit candles in honor of the 6 million Jewish lives lost during the Holocaust.

This morning, students were treated to a traditional Moroccan Mimouna on their way into school. A Mimouna is a celebration of the new spring season and includes the eating of the first chametz (leavened products) following Pesach. It also welcomes blessings of good luck and prosperity and visitors to the home. We want to send a special thank you to Gesher mom, Michal Allon, who helped make today's Mimouna possible.

Nesiya tova to Gesher's eighth graders who left for Israel today.

Thank you to our friends from Chabad Lubavitch of Northern Virginia for donating matzah for our families this Pesach.

Our Gan, 4th and 5th grade recently celebrated all of the learning they did this year with their siyumim. Gan led a model Seder while 4th and 5th led their very own Kabbalat Shabbat.

Happy Movie Character Day from The Breakfast Club!

We love seeing our families and community coming together at Good Deeds Week's Day of Service! Thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy Pesach prep to give back!

Getting ready for our Day of Service this Sunday! We are so grateful to our community members who have donated already. We will be putting them into powerpacks and will be accepting additional donations through this Sunday. Please join us and our community partners from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Gesher to help with all of our projects.