By Eva Trieger
SAN DIEGO –If you had to guess, roughly how many people in the world would you estimate speak Hebrew? To my surprise and delight, according to World Population Review, there are approximately 9 million! It will not surprise you to learn that the majority of those folks live in Israel, but did you know about 220,000 are here in the United States? That number is on the rise, thanks in part to Kavod Charter School, right here in San Diego.
Kavod opened its doors in 2013, as a kindergarten to eighth grade school choice for families looking to promote a Hebrew immersive program emphasizing diversity and respect for other cultures while providing a rigorous academic program. As a public charter school, Kavod must adhere to state standards, and remain aligned to their sister schools on the East Coast.
With a name like Kavod, which translates to “honor” or “respect” I expected that it would be a Jewish day school. It is not. According to Jordyn Theroux, Community Engagement Coordinator, it is a tuition-free public school intent on “developing socially responsible, respectful global citizens.”
With this vision and mission statement, Kavod appeals to many people from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and religious groups. The 430 students enrolled commute from Carlsbad to Chula Vista and everywhere in between. After completing the eighth grade at Kavod students matriculate to a wide variety of area high schools.
While Jewish students make up a large part of the student body many children are from secular homes; often their parents do not speak Hebrew. Following 10/7/23 a number of Israeli families enrolled in the school. A portion of the student body is Muslim and many speak Amharic, a language of Ethiopia.
All students take Hebrew language class daily, and Spanish classes are also offered. Unique to only one in four schools in the San Diego area, Kavod offers the International Baccalaureate program (IBMYP). This is a challenging program that focuses on encouraging “inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people.”
At the very core of this stimulating and demanding education is the commitment to service learning and intentional living. This is evidenced throughout the grade levels. The staff and students (aka Explorers) discuss how to make an impact on their community and world. To this end, the 8th grade collected clothing for San Diego’s homeless population. The 5th graders collected Pennies for Patients, donating these funds to a charity, and the first graders sent care packages to Sha’ar HaNegev, San Diego’s sister city in Israel.
This outreach and empathy training comes under the acronym OLAM. A common translation for the word “olam” is eternity or everlasting world.” At Kavod, OLAM serves as the blueprint for the individuals the school wants to produce. These individuals are:
—Outstanding Problem Solvers who learn to persevere and make responsible decisions.
—Lifelong learners- exploring local and global issues
—Articulate and respectful communicators
—Making a difference with high standards, creating positive change for our future.
The youthful staff of 25-35 educators and coaches provide academic support to all students, including those with learning challenges and those seeking greater academic rigor. The school prides itself on offering differentiation coaches to ensure the most appropriate education for each student. In this way, Kavod builds a family style atmosphere, not simply a school. Hebrew teachers come from Israel and are “stars of the show because they go above and beyond to bring Hebrew to life in our school.” To further ensure that instruction is interactive and relevant, shinshinim, recent Israeli graduates, work with students, fostering a love of the culture.
Theroux shared her own journey to Kavod. A teacher for ten years, she enrolled in the Talma program in Israel, to teach English to Israelis living in underserved areas. Due to COVID, Talma was no longer an option, however, Theroux’s commitment led her to find a post teaching in a public school in Eilat. It was here that she learned about Kavod from a fellow teacher. Following her stint in Israel, the educator returned and got involved as Kavod’s Community Engagement Coordinator. She engages families in the California initiative. In this capacity, Theroux is working with the community, parents, students and staff to determine how to better support the community for this and next year.
Though the school is only about 12 years old, they are entering into the final part of their remodel. To date the elementary wing was completed this past summer, more recently, the middle school was updated and now Kavod looks forward to inaugurating the new gym in honor of Ofir Libstein the former mayor of Sha’ar HaNegev. The 50-year-old was slain on October 7th in the brutal Hamas attack on Kibbutz Aza. This tribute will occur in December.
It is exciting to know that San Diego has another option for a tuition-free public education, and that there are schools that put a high value on the Hebrew language and culture. Our students deserve to attend schools that teach them respect and appreciation for each other and the world, while providing them with the tools to reach their potential.
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Eva Trieger is a freelancer specializing in the coverage of the arts.