2006-06-15-BIDS-to-KIDS

GOODBYE B.I.D.S., HELLO K.I.D.S.—Students and faculty of the Beth Israel Day School gathered for a last photo on Wednesday, June 14, as the school prepared to end its 24-year existence. Next year, many of the students will attend Kadima Independent Day School , which will rent Congregation Beth Israel's facilities,

By Donald H. Harrison

LA JOLLA, Calif.—After 24 years, Beth Israel Day School is going out of existence. But for many of its students, all that will mean is that instead of their school being known by the abbreviation of B.I.D.S., it henceforth will be known as K.I.D.S.—the latter meaning Kadima Independent Day School.

In a brief ceremony to acknowledge Beth Israel Day School teachers and the taking of one last group photo, B.I.D.S. Education Director Harvey Raben handed to K.I.D.S Principal Cecile Jordan, K.I.D.S. a candle in a Magen David shape, symbolizing the transfer of the "light of Jewish learning."

The board of directors of Congregation Beth Israel had decided during the just-concluding term that the school was too great a financial burden to continue. It had only 64 students attending in grade levels pre-kindergarten through 6th grade, 16 fewer than the 80 students that Raben said might have made it financially feasible to continue.

Kadima Independent Day School, which will offer classes from pre-kindergarten through 4th grade, will open next term with approximately 50 confirmed students, and an invitation to the community—especially interfaith families—to send more students. The school will remain on the campus of Congregation Beth Israel, renting space at the facility—just as the small, Orthodox, Torah High School now does..

Whereas Beth Israel Day School was a program of Congregation Beth Israel, the largest and oldest Reform congregation in San Diego, Kadima Independent Day School will seek to draw students from other congregations throughout San Diego County. To this end, an advisory board with 14 community rabbis, representing both Reform and Conservative congregations has been formed.

Raben will remain at Congregation Beth Israel as the director of its supplemental religious school, which provides afternoon and Sunday religious school education for children who receive their secular education elsewhere. He said his goodbyes yesterday to the day school students who had been responsibility.

"A large number of you will be continuing on at Kadima Independent Day School and we are excited you will be able to continue your Jewish education in a very strong setting in the same building, right here," Raben said. "We love you and will be able to see you next year.

"Some of you, our older students, are going on to new experiences and some of our younger students are as well," Raben said. "I just want all of you to know that the teachers and I love you very much and you are a special group of children... I know your parents tell you that every day but as your principal it's my blessing to be able to tell it to you too."

Jordan observed the farewell but did not address the students. She said in an interview that all the teachers in the pre-kindergarten through 4th grade classes as well as a host of special resource teachers are expected to continue at Kadima. The specialists include resource teachers for Judaica, computers, science, art, physical education teacher, rhythms (for the youngest students) and music.

A former director of the San Diego Agency for Jewish Education, Jordan came out of retirement to lead the new school. Before serving with the AJE, Jordan had been the principal for 14 years of Beth Yeshurun Day School, which was affiliated with a Conservative congregation in Houston, Tex.

Asked if she planned many changes from what the pupils had known at B.I.D.S., Jordan responded: "I need to see. I need to start school, meet the children, meet the parents, the teachers, and then we will make some decisions. I am not a revolutionary. I think the people who are staying liked Beth Israel Day School and are not looking for major changes. There will be some curricula changes, there will be changes— but we'll see what they are."