SJCS

Rooted in Israel, Inspired Through Art

Kol HaKavod to one of our SJCS 5th graders, whose artwork was selected as a winner in the National Library of Israel’s international Yom HaAtzma’ut poster competition!

This year, 466 students from 17 countries submitted artwork, and only six winners were chosen. Our student was the only winner from the United States.

At SJCS, we help students build a meaningful connection to Israel, its people, its history, and the land itself. Through Jewish learning, Hebrew, the arts, and thoughtful exploration, students are invited to see Israel not as something distant, but as a living part of their Jewish identity and story.

We are incredibly proud of this achievement and grateful to our talented teachers who inspire our students to engage with Israel in ways that are creative, personal, and full of heart.

Mazal tov on this well-deserved honor!

Big Stories, Small Boxes, Big Thinking

Our 5th grade readers brought literature to life with their creative Book-in-a-Box projects!

Each student selected a book, tracked key moments, and chose one important scene to recreate as a detailed diorama. Their boxes included characters, settings, and story details that showed not only what happened, but why it mattered.

This kind of project helps students grow as readers, thinkers, and communicators. It asks them to move beyond summarizing and into deeper skills: analyzing a story, making choices, explaining their thinking, and translating ideas into something visual and meaningful.

Kol hakavod to our 5th graders for showing us that great stories can live anywhere, even inside a box.

A Milestone Rooted in Torah, Joy, and Community

Chagigat HaChumash was a joyful reminder of what makes SJCS special: deep learning, meaningful tradition, student voice, and a community that shows up with heart.

In preparation, students worked with Rabbi Laura and Gabby, our art teacher, to create tri-fold displays exploring Jewish values rooted in Torah. Each small group presented their work with confidence, sharing their learning, reflections, and pride.

The celebration marked a meaningful next step in their Jewish learning journey as each child received their own Chumash. Families then joined together in a collective blessing, surrounding our students with love, community, and support.

Pond Dipping, Big Discoveries, and Anafim Curiosity

Anafim, our Grade 1/2 cohort, had an amazing adventure at Magnuson Park!

Students spent the day exploring nature and learning about the environment all around them. They discovered native plants, spotted signs of beavers at work, and learned about the fascinating life cycle of frogs.

One of the biggest highlights was pond dipping. Students collected pond water in buckets, then examined it closely to identify tiny plants and macroinvertebrates living beneath the surface. It was hands-on science at its best!

Beyond the outdoor learning, students also practiced being respectful and responsible community members while riding public transportation together. We are so proud of the curiosity, teamwork, and maturity Anafim showed throughout the day.

What a joyful day of exploration, discovery, and learning in action!

Young Writers, Big Ideas, New Connections

Our Rimonim and HaTamnoon students had a wonderful day at the Author Summit with KapKa School!

Students learned from author Suma Subramaniam as they explored storytelling, poetry, STEM/STEAM connections, and the power of sharing personal experiences through writing. They also had the chance to share their own work in small groups and connect with students from another local independent school.

The day was full of creativity, collaboration, new friendships, and community-building, with plenty of time to connect over lunch and recess too.

We are grateful to KapKa Cooperative Elementary School - K-5 for partnering with us on this meaningful experience, to Suma Subramaniam for inspiring our young writers, and to our parent drivers for helping make the day possible!

Come As You Are. Celebrate Who You Are.

Join us for Community Pride Shabbat on Friday, June 26 at 6 PM.

This joyful community gathering celebrates LGBTQ+ Jews, friends, families, and allies of all ages. Together, we’ll share an evening rooted in pride, connection, belonging, and Jewish joy.
All are welcome.

https://www.templebetham.org/pride-shabbat-2026/

Spirit, Joy, and Serious Ruach

What a fantastic day celebrating Lag BaOmer together on Mercer Island!

With generous support from the Samis Foundation, our students joined Jewish day schools from across Seattle for a field day filled with games, sports, activities, and treats.

New friendships formed. Old ones grew stronger. The ruach was real.

At a time when Jewish unity feels especially meaningful, it was powerful to see students from across our community come together with joy, pride, and connection.

This is what it looks like when community shows up with energy, joy, and heart.

Snaps To the Rimonim Poets

Our Rimonim students brought the house down at their Poetry Slam.

One by one, they stepped up to the mic sharing original poems and beloved pieces by well-known poets. They share their feelings, humor and personalities.

Families joined the celebration, turning the room into something electric and deeply supportive.

This is what it looks like when creativity meets confidence.

We are so proud of our Rimonim poets.

From Memory to Meaning: 5th Graders Step Into History and Responsibility

5th graders concluded their unit studying the Holocaust with a field trip to Seattle's Holocaust Center for Humanity where they were able to hear from the Center's educators, explore artifacts in the exhibit, and think about how they can resist and prevent further atrocities. Following this visit they explored Seattle's historic and iconic Pike Place Market, identifying locations that tied into their Sephardic Heritage studies such as Pure Food Fish (a fourth generation Sephardic owned and operated fish stall) and locations featured in Josh Tuininga's We Are Not Strangers.

Future Herpetologists in the Field

Anafim took their reptile project beyond the classroom and into the world of herpetology at Woodland Park Zoo.

Up close with one of the world’s largest tortoise species. Baby turtles getting a head start in a real conservation program. Eyes locked in as students searched for perfectly camouflaged reptiles in the Reptile Realm.

This is what herpetology looks like in action. Observing. Questioning. Noticing what others might miss.

Everything they’ve been studying suddenly had a heartbeat.

Curiosity led. Discovery followed. Learning stuck.