Creme de la Creme of Jewish Day Schools

OWN CORRESPONDENT

King David Linksfield

Ben Atie – My name is Benjamin Levi Atie. I am the newly-elected Head Student Leader of King David High School Linksfield. I am honoured and humbled at my appointment and incredibly excited for the year ahead. My school career began at Yiddish Folk Nursery School before coming to King David Linksfield in grade 1. I have been in the King David School system my whole life and it’s been a privilege. For me, King David Linksfield is my second home. I have grown up embracing its principles and its values.I am proudly South African, Jewish and Zionistic and as head of The Judaica Committee, I intend to further the love of Israel and Judaism at the school. I have constantly been involved in many activities offered by the school during my school career, be it sporting and cultural. I follow the philosophy that what you put in is what you get out – nowhere is this more true than at King David. I further believe that every single person has the power to contribute to the world and make a change and no one is ever too young to start making a difference.

Hannah Bloch – My name is Hannah Bloch, the newly-elected head girl of King David Linksfield. I find it very important to have balance in my life and therefore enjoy participating in a variety of different activities, including sports such as swimming and soccer, cultural activities such as art, public speaking and performing arts, as well as interacting with the disadvantaged within the Jewish and broader community of Johannesburg. This manifests itself through my involvement in the Outreach Committee, which is the epitome of selflessness and kindness within the school. Through my election as head of the Outreach Committee, I aim to raise the issues of poverty and inequality, while enriching the lives of those who are less privileged. This feeds into the main aim of mine for the school – to create an environment of acceptance, where having a perspective is encouraged and where we create a community that is tolerant of different opinions and beliefs. I hope that the passion of reaching out plays a pivotal role in the culture of our school for the current year, as every student that feels the kindness, shall pass it on.

Ross Nowitz – My name is Ross Nowitz, I have recently been appointed Deputy Head Student Leader of King David High School Linksfield and in addition to this, I also have the privilege of being the head of the SMACC (Sound, Media and Communications Committee). I have always been determined to make a positive impact and now I have the opportunity to do so. I began my King David career way back in the nursery school. As I grew through the KD environment, the ideals of being a “mensch” were always strongly present and I believe this is what contributed the most in making me who I am today. I have always strived to be a “mensch” and one that will hopefully rub off/inspire those around me. SMACC is the rather unusual name given to the committee to which I belong; however, I do not think there could be a more fitting one. As SMACC, we are KDHL’s media committee that has the responsibility of constantly promoting the incredible institution that is King David Linksfield. Although you may not always see us, I can assure you that we are always present – at every sporting game, cultural activity and school event. Today we live in a world surrounded by technology and we, as SMACC, continue to capitalise on this by documenting our school as frequently as possible in new and innovative ways. My committee has allowed me to express to others what makes me the unique King Davidian that I am, but most importantly, SMACC expresses what makes King David unique.

Natalia Laffer-Liebson – My name is Natalia Laffer-Liebson and I am the new Deputy Head Student Leader of King David Linksfield High School. I believe that I was given this position not only to improve the relationships between each student, but to encourage uniqueness and respect between all students, teachers and the community. I am a passionate humanitarian who aims to educate as well as be educated on topics to ensure I can make an impact and succeed my responsibilities. I am also a member of the school’s outreach committee that gives every individual an opportunity to contribute to our broader community. This committee encourages its members to give to the disadvantaged and in doing so, empower themselves. This committee has also offered me the opportunity to grow and develop, by giving to others. I am excited and motivated for the year ahead in which I believe there will be empowerment and success.

Adam Seef – I, Adam Seef, am a proud and enthusiastic Jewish South African. I am a student at King David Linksfield High School and I am an active member of the Outreach Committee. I believe I was elected as a Student Leader because I have a true passion for expressing my leadership qualities, creating friendships with diverse people, as well as helping others who are in need, which is one of the main goals of the Outreach Committee. My aim for this year is to be a role model and that this ensures that I am remembered by the student body as someone who, on a personal level, impacted on their lives. I also aim to develop my leadership skills through this wonderful opportunity and I understand that this is a privilege and will therefore work to ensure that I am worthy of this, in order to fulfil my true potential as a youthful leader. I believe this experience is to be cherished and should not be passed by; I will make it my mission to relish every moment and am very grateful for it.

Adam Witt – I am a hard worker – I work for my results and to achieve my goals. Other than academic studies, I play tennis nearly every day of the week and have recently returned from playing tennis for South Africa at the 2017 Maccabi Games. Thriving at school and succeeding with tennis, both require commitment and dedication. Both commitment and dedication are core parts of my personality as I am grounded and work hard to achieve my goals and I value the effort I put into my work and tennis. I have been in the Judaica Committee since grade 9. I believe I was selected as a Student Leader because of my contributions to the school and my leadership abilities. My plan for the year is to work together with the leadership body to help create and implement new and interesting initiatives to add-value to the school way of life.

Adam Chilewitz – My name is Adam Chilewitz and I am in the Awareness Committee. I strongly believe in the goals and ambitions that the Awareness Committee strives towards, namely equality and just about anything along those lines, and that is why I work as hard as I can to help ensure that committee initiatives and events are a success. Apart from my committee, I always look to make the most of my school career by taking part in as many sports, culturals, productions and events, as I can. As a student leadership body, one of our main aspirations for the year is to instil a deeper sense of pride within the school. We want students and teachers alike, to be proud to represent King David Linksfield.

Ari Raz – I am Ariel Raz from King David Linksfield and I am on the SMACC committee. I have a passion for sport, academics and helping people, while getting to know them. I believe that I was chosen due to my ability to connect with people and me wanting to help others. My plan for the year ahead is to create a safe, but fun environment, for diversity and acceptance to grow and develop within our school and the Jewish community.

Aiden Smith – I’m Aiden Smith of the Sports Committee. I have strong leadership skills and I am confident. I am persistent, determined, hardworking and have a never-say-die attitude when it comes to things I strongly believe in. Sports are my passion and are a part of my everyday life. I would like to improve the overall attitude toward all sports in the school and generate a love and pride for them. I would also like to create an awareness for the underprivileged community and how important sport is in our daily lives.

Daniel Suttner – I have many names, Daniel, Dan, Suttner, Panda, DanDan, Sutty.But thanks to those who believe in me, I’m glad to say that you can call me the head of Arts and Culture at King David Linksfield. I believe I was given this position for my passion, adoration and achievements towards the school, culture and my friends. And I hope that I can continue to direct that love and passion to be the best Student Leader I can possibly be.

Gina Izerel – My name is Gina Izerel from the Arts and Culture Committee. I believe in bringing different aspects of culture into the school – not only the traditional performing arts or public speaking, but also outreach such as the new subcommittee I launched, called Culture Reaches Out. This subcommittee includes canvas painting for hospitals and nursery school painting. I am confident in an exciting future for the cultural committee in King David Linksfield and I am proud to be part of the student body that represents it.

Jacob Ogus – My name is Jacob Ogus. I am a grade 11 student at King David Linksfield. I am in the Judaica Committee. I believe that I can create a positive environment in the school and make sure everyone is getting involved in all that the school offers.

Jamey Wolpe – My name is Jamey Wolpe and I was elected as the chairman of the Awareness Committee. I have always had a passion for human rights and for doing my best to help others who have been discriminated against, abused in any way or mistreated, as I firmly believe every person on this planet holds immense value and no living organism should be subject to pain and suffering. I am a humanitarian by nature and I feel that at a school like King David, we are given the perfect platform to reach out and to do our part in changing the lives of others, whether it be one or one thousand. My aim for this year is to not only reach beyond the walls of the school and address serious global issues, but also to work within the walls of the school and contribute to creating a safe, comfortable space where every student feels free and supported to express themselves. I am driven by the idea that every person should be given the opportunity to live the life that they want to live, regardless of what other people think. I am so grateful to be given this opportunity and I hope to touch many lives along with the help of my Awareness team, the Student Leader group of 2017/18, as well as all the students of King David High School Linksfield.

Jay Kaplan – I am a diligent, responsible and motivated student, who embraces the tight-knit, loyal community and student culture that constitute the core of KDHSL. I am appreciative of all the incredible and diverse facets and opportunities at KD and I thoroughly enjoy participating actively and enhancing where I am able. As a devoted member of the Eco Committee, I am ecstatic to help lead King David’s green revolution and our journey to a more environmentally-conscious school. I believe that by giving time, effort and commitment to our school, we empower each pupil to assume their own leadership role. As a member of the Student Leadership Body of 2017-2018, I would like to focus the Committee and our school in general, to reduce our carbon footprint in various practical ways, such that it becomes a collective goal for us all. It is going to be a truly incredible year and I am so proud to be a meaningful part of it.

Jenna Lazarus – People find me to be an upbeat, self-motivated team player with excellent communication skills. I consider myself to be a natural and approachable leader and for me mentoring the younger students and helping to instil  a love of sport and improve the brand of the Sport Committee, is of utmost importance. For the past four years that I have attended King David Linksfield High School, I have participated in all aspects of school life. I am fascinated by the world of sport and this is why I chose the Sports Committee. I believe that I was elected to be a Student Leader as the school is a part of me and I give as much as possible to ensure its success. I participate in not only the sport available, but also in the cultural side of the school. My goals for the upcoming year is to make the Sport Committee great again and with the help of my fellow Student Leaders, promote sport in the school, ensuring that every student participates in at least one sport that the school has to offer, whether they do it competitively or just to have fun, as well as gain more support for the players at the games and get more of a vibe surrounding sport in the school. I’m small in stature but I live by the quote… “dynamite comes in small packages”. I hope to leave my mark on this wonderful school.

Jonathan Kier – My name is Jonathan Kier, and I am a member of the Outreach Committee. I am passionate about reaching out to the less-fortunate and try to accentuate the importance of outreach, in every activity I take part in. I believe I was chosen to represent King David High School Linksfield as a student leader, in order to use my leadership position to cultivate an environment where Jewish pride and outreach are in conjunction with one another, and are enthused. I look forward to introducing KDHL and the broader Jewish community, to many new and exciting outreach activities that will be conducted in our term of office.

Joshua Jackson – My name is Joshua Jackson and I have recently been given the privilege of leading King David Linksfield in the year to come. I am a proud Jewish South African who loves playing sports, growing in Judaism, helping others, socialising with friends and also a person who is very committed and determined. I am grateful to be at such an excellent school that truly nurtures its students and encourages them to exceed their own capabilities. I chose to get involved with the Judaica Committee because the committee helps instil Judaism into our school and encourages everyone to learn about our religion as well as give them a positive outlook on it. I have been in the committee since grade 9 and have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of helping people learn and grow. I hope to be a person who can influence the students of King David to embrace their uniqueness and to be individuals. I hope to set a positive and good example for the upcoming grade 8s who will become the new leaders of the school in the years to come and lastly, I hope to work as a team player with my Student Leader Body, to make a difference within our school, and to carry on the legacy of King David Linksfield.

Kayla Buchalter – I am Kayla Buchalter, a grade 11 student and Student Leader at King David High School Linksfield. I am a proud and enthusiastic member of the Sport Committee and carry huge pride and passion for sports in all areas. I have a deep and profound love for sports due to its enthusiasm, its unity and its positivity. I believe I will be able to make an important impact on the sports of King David Linksfield and carry the energetic atmosphere that sport contains, into other areas of school life.

Kayla Strous – I am a very dedicated, hardworking, honest, responsible, capable and caring person and I always strive to achieve my best at all times. I am in the newly-formed Dance Committee which is a subcommittee of the Arts & Cultural Committee. This committee is a platform where I can showcase my passion for ballet, modern and tap dancing, which was ignited at the age of two, when I attended my first ballet lesson. Since the beginning of my high school career, I have been involved in many different activities at the school. These  have included: dancing in the school plays and competitions, doing outreach at Norwood Primary, Sandringham Gardens and Norwood Hypermarket. Helping at the weekly Shabbos collections, and playing sports like athletics, netball, cross country, touch rugby and soccer. I have completed the bronze, silver and gold levels of the The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Presidents Award. I cannot wait to further establish the Dance Committee and watch it grow from strength to strength. I would love to form new bonds, encounter new people and create everlasting memories.

Kira Hertz – My name is Kira Hertz. I am part of the Outreach Committee at King David Linksfield. The goals of this committee align with my own in that I am passionate about leaving my mark and doing my part to make South Africa a better place. We, as the Jewish community, are strong and united. I believe in using these attributes to instil a culture of ubuntu in South Africa which is, in my view, crucial if we are to succeed as a nation. I am passionate about helping others. I have chosen to support Impilo Adoption Centre and have been blown away by the incredible generosity demonstrated by so many to date. I know that, together, we will be able to continue the fulfilling work that we initiated this year and achieve amazing things which will continue to help those who need it most.

Mira Jossel – I believe that I was chosen to be a Student Leader because of my undevoted love and commitment to the school, through interaction with sports, public speaking and being an active participant in the Environmental Committee. I believe that I will spread a love for the environment and contribute to protecting it via the Eco Committee. I am a determined person who always strives to achieve my goals, so with the help of the other members of the committee, I want to help to improve the school from an environmental perspective. My goal for this year is to encourage fellow students to become aware of our actions that harm the environment. I hope to achieve this goal in an exciting manner, as well as create a memorable year with unique and fun initiatives. The goal is not to protect the environment, but rather to create an environment that doesn’t need protection.

Noah Marks – My name is Noah Marks, a proud Zionist, a proud Jew, a proud South African and a proud King Davidian. I am a Student Leader at King David Linksfield High School and I am part of the Awareness Committee, a committee aimed at making the school aware of various social issues around us and a committee which aims to proactively tackle these issues. I believe I was chosen to be a Student Leader due to my passion for the Awareness Committee and for the ideals for which it stands, as well as my passion for stage management, be it an assembly, to school productions and even productions at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival. I hope as a Student Leader to make our school a fun and exciting place to be, where everyone can be free to be themselves and to choose their own path.

Nurit Joselowsky – My name is Nurit Joselowsky. I am a member of the Judaica Committee. I am a proud Jew and wish to use my Judaism and my drive towards helping others, by strengthening Jewish pride and the religious culture at our school. I aim to use my leadership to reach out and help make a difference, while proudly representing King David High School Linksfield. I am passionate, loving, committed and believe that with these characteristics I am able to use these strengths to help, improve and strengthen my surroundings. Being a Student Leader will give me the opportunity to grow as a person as well as to take on any challenge that comes my way.

Oren Shaff – I am truly honoured to have been chosen as a Student Leader to represent King David High School Linksfield, both within and outside the confines of our school. I feel I was chosen as I am a pupil who always tries to embody the qualities of good character, integrity, nobility of spirit, humility and selflessness. As a member of the Awareness Committee, my aspirations for 2018 are to continue to exhibit my qualities of service to the school and lead by example. I hope to continue my consistent contributions in as many spheres of our school as I can. I hope to embrace excellent leadership qualities, earning and retaining the respect and support of my peers and teachers while being a responsible role model in all I endeavour to do.

Shani Rosenfeld – I am Shani Rosenfeld and I am a proud Student Leader, part of the Arts & Culture Committee. Culture, namely debating, public speaking and theatre, is one of my strongest passions and have been for my entire high school career. I am very excited to introduce new aspects of culture into King David Linksfield.

Tal Aarons – I am Tal Aarons and am very passionate about people, health, and wellbeing, and so I have dedicated a lot of my life to first aid at King David Linksfield: at any given match, you can see me – charging up the side-lines looking out for my fellow students. I have been elected the Head Student Leader. of the Wellbeing Committee; this committee devotes itself to all areas of health, be it first aid, or organising blood drives and bringing a good sense of wellbeing to all students. I believe I was lucky and privileged enough to be elected to be a Student Leader because of my unquestionable devotion and dedication to my committee. I have dedicated many hours to being on the side-line and looking out for the safety and welfare of all students. My aim for this upcoming year is to humbly inspire other students in this brilliant committee to give their best, to grow the first aid team and to get more blood donated to people in need from this school.

Tarryn Forman – I, Tarryn Forman had the privilege of being elected a Student Leader at King David Linksfield High School. I am so grateful as it gives me an opportunity to not only grow by learning from those around me, but it also enables me to instil an environment of true chesed, kindness, Zionism and Judaism. I am a proud member of the Judaica Committee – a committee that has the responsibility of promoting and enhancing the Jewish identity of all the students. Being the president of the Interact Club and being a part of this vital committee, my goal is to combine both chesed and Judaism and make sure that these values are instilled in each and every one of us. I believe that attitude is the root to success and you can determine your own attitude, and it is this attitude that will translate to you and your playground. You need to approach each day with a “carpe diem” attitude. With determination and ambition, nothing can, nor will, get in the way of your goals and desires, and it is up to you to take these opportunities and use them to the fullest. The tools to be a success, await you. It’s up to you to use them. What you put into school is what you will get out. I want to create an environment in which every single student strives to be involved in. Using the leadership skills I have learnt throughout my life and schooling career, as well as the incredible skills I gained at the Global Young Leaders Conference in America, I hope to be the most influential, meaningful leader and continue grow and learn from all around me. With all the skills I have and continue to gain, I hope I can represent King David in the true spirit and ethos of the school. Together with my fellow Student Leaders we will make sure that King David will continue its honourable legacy.

Yael Ben Melech – My name is Yael Ben Melech and I have been given the honour of being appointed as a Student Leader at King David High School Linksfield. I have a passion for sport, performing arts, community service and Judaism. I am part of the Sport Committee and my plan for this year is to bring back the King David sports vibe and to be a positive example to the upcoming grade 8s. I want to make sure that all athletes take part in sport, work hard, but also to make sure they understand what sport is truly about and how to support their fellow team mates. I love people, but most importantly, I love giving people opportunities to achieve things they never thought possible. I believe there are new and exciting aspects of school life that I would like to initiate, be they with the sports, spirit or the cultural events. I hope to bring greatness to the school and make every student feel welcome and believe in themselves like never before. I hope to be the leader who is a role model for future leaders of our school.

Yoni Lipshitz – I’m Yoni Lipshitz, head of the Sport Committee, I have strong leadership and delegation skills. I am determined and ambitious and I have a great work ethic. I plan to improve the school pride, as well as support and participation in school sports. I plan to continue to create a general love for exercise and sport in our school and in the Jewish community, as well as raise awareness for underprivileged children who are unable to play sport.

King David Victory Park 
Rebecca Matisonn – Head Girl I am very passionate and determined, whatever task I take on I am always 100 per cent committed. I have been actively participating in the school and the activities it has to offer. I stand for integrity, tolerance and respect in all areas of life. I am an extremely proud South African Jew and I am so proud to attend King David Victory Park and honoured to represent it. I am very vocal and passionate about the excellence of King David Victory Park, and over the years I have been very involved within the Jewish and South African communities. I would like to give all aspects of the school an equal platform and encourage student involvement in all the various committees and opportunities the school enables us to have.

Orion Avinir – Arts and Culture I am a talented and dedicated arts and culture student at King David Victory Park. I’ve attended all the school’s arts and culture festivals and also the outside drama festivals representing the school. Due to my love for drama that the school has provided me with, I have truly gained confidence and have improved on my cultural side as a human being which has blended in my personality and has become one of my main dominant traits. I believe that year by year, the youth within our school and in general, have truly matured and become more educated and aware on various and serious topics within this country and internationally; that they have formulated their own opinions and have constructed multiple ways to deal with these diverse subject matters. I believe that today it is vital to spread the voices of the youth to everyone and give an opportunity for people to hear their take on situations. Good leadership is the process in which one or many prioritise their efforts and engagements in achieving the best for everyone. This is successful by not intending on gaining power or authority, but rather doing so for the greater good of everyone. The main element of this being achieved is by socially working well with others, not just thinking about yourself, but taking everybody’s input. I am a hard, productive and passionate worker which abides by the definition of leadership above all. I always listen and engage with everyone’s take on a situation and I am captivated by everybody’s happiness. Within my service for SRC in King David Victory Park, I aim to develop youth involvement within our school, ranging from the new coming grade 8s, up to the grade 11s in order for them to voice their opinions, contribute their absolute talent to the school and in order for them to be the best leaders they can be once they’re in my position in the future and grow the school even further. This will be achieved by expanding and evolving the various committees the school offers for every grade and by giving more opportunities that the SRC leadership positions can do. I also aim to gain more spirit within the school by creating more and various fun festivals and fundraisers that are related to the committee that I am in charge of.

Joshua Arenson I am a caring, attentive and focused, though a quiet person. I am goal-driven and I aim for high quality of work/performances in everything I participate in. I stand to represent the students of KDVP: to listen to their ideas and problems and set about working with staff and management in order to create change which will benefit all. I believe I was chosen for the SRC due to my ability to help and motivate others as well as for my reputation of being reliable and trustworthy as well as also completing my tasks with the highest possible standard of quality. I plan to make the SRC a better medium for the students of SRC to voice their ideas and suggestions to the staff and management of the school, to afford everyone the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful and helpful way to the planning and implementation of school projects and events. Additionally, I aim to create an environment in which everyone can develop and express their unique Jewish identity and relationship to Israel.

Aryn Bloch I am an individual with extremely high morals who does not succumb to peer pressure. I am inquisitive, always looking to learn and experience new things, as well as keeping an open mind and always willing to learn from my mistakes. Honesty, integrity, tolerance and humility. I am extremely humble, but very well liked as I go the extra mile to make sure that people are made to feel extremely comfortable when they engage with me. I am open and honest and a very proud King Davidian who has enjoyed the privilege King David Victory Park has given me and as such I am a good ambassador for my school. I believe in leading by example and upholding core values of living as a mensch. I will be a good role model both within the school in terms of appearance, discipline, respect towards others and sportsmanship as well as an external ambassador of my school representing them at events and functions.

Jason Mervis – Head Boy I am a proud Jew, Zionist and also very proudly South African. I always strive to be the best I can be and put maximum effort in everything I do. Just like the three pillars of King David Victory Park, I stand for respect, integrity and tolerance. Being fair, just and honest not only to those around me but also to myself, by giving my all and aiming to do the best I can. I have been involved in many aspects at the school, academically, culturally and also on the sports field and have also held leadership positions. I believe my passion for and involvement in the school is what resulted in my being elected onto the SRC. My years at King David Victory Park have been fulfilling and happy ones. My role as a member of SRC is two-fold: To ensure and help all other students in the school to have the same positive experience that I have been fortunate to have. I also believe it is important to maintain and promote the positive name of our school in our community.

Carl Koton – Judaica I have been at King David Victory Park since play school and am a third generation King Davidian. I am an empathetic, caring and friendly person as well as driven and give all of myself into everything that I do in life. I stand for honesty, integrity and respect towards every person I meet. I think that I am approachable and am able to connect with anyone that I meet. I have been through difficult times in my life and have grown from them, making me the person that I am today. As an SRC member I plan to lead by example and hope to uphold the ideals of integrity, tolerance and respect of KDVP with pride. I also plan to try and share my love of Judaism throughout the school.

Tyra Parsons – Sport I’m someone who follows through and tries my hardest to make sure everyone around me is happy. I am passionate about my school and KDVP achieving everything at its best ability. I obviously stand for the three pillars of our school: Integrity, Respect, and Tolerance. I also stand for everyone having their own opinions as long as they are respectful as everyone has a right to be different. Most importantly I stand with Israel. I think I was chosen because of my love and dedication I have given to our sports. I am very grateful for the opportunity and have every intention to fulfill the big shoes that have been left from the previous years. As I mentioned, I’m very passionate about sport so I plan to improve the sport and increase the participation as well as the support. I also plan to improve the way we are seen because I don’t believe we get enough credit for what we do and how truly amazing our school is.

Jess Rom I currently attend King David Victory Park in grade 11. I am a dedicated and motivated learner who loves to participate in all different kinds of sport, especially soccer. Honesty, commitment, dedication and modesty are values that I feel strongly about. I continuously strive to obtain these values and practise them in my everyday life. Judaism and Zionism is also a big part of my life, which I also feel strongly about. I believe that I am a very driven, committed and hardworking student who always strives to learn new things and seek new knowledge. I have an open mind and enjoy listening to other people in order to learn from what they have to say. During my privileged role on my school’s SRC, I will hope to inspire other students to work harder and try their best in everything they do. I will hope to comfort the students and hopefully make them feel at home when they are at school. Also, I would like to contribute new ideas and concepts to the school that I feel would work well. I will strive my best to lead by example, which will hopefully filter down to the rest of the school.

Gadiel Shepherd – Deputy Head Boy I am an observant Jew who strives to live by the Torah values, along with the principles in the school’s motto, of Integrity, Respect, and Tolerance. I am also passionate about being healthy and playing sports. I believe in always being kind, fair and just. I know that everyone has something to contribute and everyone deserves a second chance. I always strive to be friendly and respectful. Aiming to never judge others or undermine them for any reason. My goal is always to help others and make them feel at ease. I enjoy friendships with people from the full rainbow of Jewish life at Victory Park. I hope to promote Jewish values and help every student find their place within our community. I aim to cultivate a strong Jewish and Zionist Identity and an atmosphere of kindness. I want to make sure that community service becomes a core aspect of KDVP. I believe that taking responsibility for our community, both the Jewish as well as the South African community, creates a culture that we can all feel proud of.

Daniel Fleishman I am one of the most diligent students I know, who continuously and conscientiously work towards my goals, whether it be personal or helping the potential of others. I am easily approachable and respectful towards others. People have no problem expressing their thoughts to me as I am trustworthy and understanding. I am not the loudest in the class room, however, I am an exceptional listener and observer. I stand for respect and accountability. Everyone has the right to express themselves in any manner they deem necessary to get their point across. The manner in which the point was given, should be respected by others and should not be dismissed. On the other hand, everyone is responsible for their own actions. No action should be taken without taking ownership of it. I believe I was chosen as a student representative because of my humility. I am neither arrogant nor egotistical. Whatever task I perform, I do in accordance with my morals and values which have always stood me in good stead. My plan for my year as a student representative leader is targeted at the students and their experiences at King David Victory Park. My projects will be focused at the students by getting them more involved in projects which will benefit themselves and the school. Another goal of mine is to facilitate more engagement between management and the students.

Ruby Lazarus – Judaica  My energetic and enthusiastic character welcomes and encourages participation and contribution from others. I reflect on past events to plan for future occasions. I push myself to learn more, work harder and seek change. I am passionate about playing soccer and water polo and hope that my passion and determination drives me to create many opportunities. I adhere to and respect the King David Victory Park ethos and school rules. Judaism plays a vital role in my life; it forms the fundamental foundation of who I am and guides me with values and ethics. I am a proud Zionist. In my opinion, I was chosen because I believe I have the right leadership qualities as I am able to adapt to any situation. My demeanour is not to give up and rather to turn obstacles into challenges. I am open to working with all channels and I am able to deal with and overcome failures  I take these problems as an opportunity to learn. SRC provides the perfect platform to form opportunities, thus the contribution I will try to create is a constructive school culture, increase house and school pride, create activities  internally and externally   tackle the “impossible” fundraise for underprivileged areas and represent the school in the community. My school has made me the person I am today and I will always ensure that King David Victory Park strives for greatness.

Natasha Lipschitz – Deputy Head Girl I am a diligent, respectful and self-motivated individual. I am a confident and warm person and take great pleasure in giving of myself and helping those around me. I strive to give of my best at all times in everything that I do and to be a good example to others. I am a responsible and dependable person. I am a very proud King Davidian and a proud Jew who identifies strongly with Israel. I am passionate about my school and everything that it stands for. I stand for Jewish ethics and morals of my school, as well as equal and fair treatment for all. I embrace what my school promotes  courtesy, respect, integrity and good behaviour. Hebrew is a subject that is very important to me and I take my Hebrew and Judaic studies very seriously. I have participated in many activities and have achieved well in sport, cultural and academic activities. I am a strong believer in always putting my school and its interests ahead of my own personal interests. I am a trustworthy, dependable and enthusiastic individual and believe strongly in working as a team in order to resolve issues and achieve positive outcomes. I work well with others and recognise their strengths. I am an innovative individual and am able to engender enthusiasm among the students to ensure their participation in all that is offered to them. I am extremely passionate about making a difference in my school. My quintessential role on the SRC would be to ensure that we have a congruous relationship between the student body and the teachers with good and open communication, working in a partnership towards shared and common goals. This will create the environment for learning, skills transfer and individual growth, in a happy environment. I have a vision where all students are happy, happy and eager to learn and ready to participate for their own betterment and the betterment of the school. I intend to be a leader who is motivated and able to inspire and win the support of the student body. I will lead by example and ensure that the values, ethos and wonderful culture that the school has created and is well known for, will be maintained and strengthened. I will strive to enhance the school’s outstanding reputation at all times.

Rachel Edelstein – Chief Whip I’m driven and ambitious and set high standards for myself. It’s very important to me that I push myself and keep growing, rather than competing with those around me. I’ve been involved with Habonim for many years. It’s given me great leadership skills and I look forward to passing on some of the experiences I’ve had to others as a madrichah. In my spare time I love food, fashion and music and spending time with my family and friends. Creativity is an essential lifeforce for me and one day I will have to choose a work environment which takes this into account. I have played violin since I was seven years old. I’m very comfortable with public speaking and meeting new people and socialisi, but also love being at home in my pyjamas with my dogs around me. Loyalty is an important value for me: Loyalty to my family, my friends, my school and my community. I believe deeply not only in just tolerance but in respecting and learning from beliefs and ideas that might contrast with my own. I am also a strong supporter of the feminist movement and do what I can to break down stereotypes and societal norms in awkward conversations and situations. I believe in speaking up even when it’s uncomfortable to do so I am proud to have been elected on to the SRC every year of high school and I think that this is because my varied interests make me easy to relate to. I strive for academic excellence but also love to be involved with arts and culture and even sport, when the competition is not too intimidating! I believe that part of leadership is the ability to include different people and ideas while making everyone feel that there is a place for them. One of my favourite things about King David Victory Park is that it is undoubtedly a safe space for everyone, regardless of political stances, interests and abilities. I am proud to carry on this legacy and will strive towards creating an even better and safer space that is King David Victory Park High School. Having received this role of student leadership, is a huge honour and I have every intention of making sure that King David continues to stand out for not only its academic and artistic excellence, but also for its focus on creating a comfortable environment for every single type of student. I’d love to work on more awareness and diversity projects such as the Diversity Day that is held each year, led by specific members on the SRC, which I was involved in quite heavily this year. I plan to keep on creating and improving systems within the King David system in order to progress as a school and as a family. 

Gavriel Nossel – Sport I am a proud Jewish South African teenager. I am proud of my heritage, proud of my school and proud of what I have worked hard to achieve. Being a proud Jewish South African I stand for the values that align with my Jewish heritage and school  integrity, respect, and tolerance. I believe that because of my passion for the school, my hardworking nature and the variety of activities that I have participated in, all contributed to me being elected onto SRC. I am so excited to be part of leading KDVP in a host of initiatives  social, cultural, sporting and Jewish. I will strive to ensure that we make KDVP a place where every learner can come to school with a smile on their face, and leave laughing with great memories. I hope that my passion, experiences, and commitment will help me contribute positively and inspire others to do the same in creating an exciting year for KDVP.

Joshua Nossel – Executive Secretary A large part of who I am has been defined by the culture and experiences in and around KDVP, as well as the amazing friendships that have been created. This has given me a very strong Jewish identity, combined with a love for both Israel and South Africa. I believe that everyone must be treated equally and that their beliefs and ideologies need to be respected. This will help us achieve a more cohesive community. My values, beliefs, strengths and pride in the school, are attributes that made me suitable as a student leader. My participation in school events as well as initiatives outside of the school, have provided me with exposure to a variety of people and situations. All these experiences have taught me to think creatively, to solve problems, to overcome challenges, and to communicate effectively. I will work tirelessly to help enhance the pride among every learner at KDVP. I believe that my passion for King David will help contribute to enhancing the cohesion and spirit while driving various cultural, sporting and outreach activities.

Jamie Gordon I am a very dedicated person and as once I set my mind to something, I see it through to the end, no matter the challenges. I am responsible and I feel that people know that they can rely on me. I am the go-to person when it comes to projects such as creating videos for the different chagim, open day or even promoting after-school writing club. Loyalty is very important to me and I give it in return. I am quiet, yet confident and this comes through in the quality of my work. Coming from a Jewish background with a history steeped in perseverance and victory, like David and Goliath, I believe that no matter who you are you can achieve anything and every failure is a lesson in how to succeed. I think I was chosen because while I might not be the loudest among the group, I have shown my own unique leadership style in a number of areas. I think I am approachable and as a student leader I feel this a good trait. I have been very involved in the Judaica Committee, working on many amazing projects with the outgoing Judaica heads and I think that being able to execute these projects has shown that I have the ability to organise and work hard. I think that all the school has given me since starting in grade 8 and all that I have given back, has brought out qualities of leadership and community that I think are good traits in an SRC member and perhaps this is why I was an easy choice. I came across this quote and loved its sentiment: “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” (Dwight D Eisenhower). Regardless of the portfolio I take on, I want to inspire through leadership. When I arrived in grade 8, I was inspired by my SRC and I remember that I hoped, that one day I would be in the position to inspire another young grade 8. At the end of the day I want to give back as much as I have been given by KDVP.

Gabriel Wolfson – Arts and Culture I am a musician and I play five instruments. I am also a writer and have written and directed a play that I wrote an original music score for as well. I am a proud South African and love my country. I plan to study and live here after school. Arts and culture is my passion. I stand for integrity, diversity, creativity and tolerance. I believe that I was chosen for the SRC because I am a strong leader. I have served on the mini and junior council on executive positions and I believe that I have developed leadership skills though them. I do a lot of community service and I really enjoy helping people and bringing about change. I believe that these traits will help me as I serve on the SRC. As I serve on the SRC, I plan to help in making the school a welcoming and enjoyable place to attend and learn. I will make sure to be of service if I am needed to help a student and I will help the school to be the best it can be.

Loren Kramer I love adventure and my passion is travel. I love having new challenges. I have a strong sense of justice and I love to embrace people from all cultures, races and creeds. I believe in inclusion versus segregation. Because I have enjoyed participating in school events and sports and have tried to keep my academics up. I am excited to have a voice and a voice for others and will try to make the school into a disciplined yet fun environment.

Herzlia High School, Cape Town 

The real power in a school comes from the student group, says Herzlia principal Marc Falconer. “Herzlia continues to mobilise this force by moving from a Student Representative Council (SRC) to a Student Leadership Council (SLC). We are confident that, under our new leadership, our school will continue the journey of creativity and contagious energy.”

Our new Prefect Body:  Aaron Kruss van Der Heever (Deputy Head), Mathew Jacobson, Skye Zive (Deputy Head), Zoe Glanz, Anna Valkin, Simona Stone, Claudia Greenberg, Alexander Korber (Head Student), Maddie Wingerin, Peter Oki (Deputy Head)

Alexander Korber, head prefect I’m essentially the overall leader of the council, chairing the meetings that we have and organising the structure for Friday assembly. I also work very closely with Mr Falconer and Mrs Connibear in ensuring that their requirements of the SLC are met. I work closely with the executive in ensuring we stay on track as far as goals and objectives are concerned. While it is still early days, we have made much progress in some of our short-term goals, such as establishing an SLC e-mail. Communication is a central theme of this council. We work very closely with portfolio leaders with regards to goals that pertain to specific areas of the school. The issue of school pride is a priority. We are unbelievably excited and thrilled to have been given this opportunity to lead and represent the school. It is an absolute honour and a privilege.

Aaron Kruss van der Heever, deputy head My main goal, as head for grade 10s, will be to ease and facilitate the transition from middle to high school, by providing a mentor and even friendly figure who has perspective and experience from the students’ side. I will ensure that these new, but important voices, are heard and problems will be, if necessary, taken to the necessary staff member and resolved accordingly.

Theodor Herzl, Port Elizabeth

Our new Prefect Body: Amber Dickson, Reinhardt Malherbe, Benjamin Schmidt, Jessica Elliott, Megan Potgieter, Kasvia Von Memerty, Silke Langner.

Amber Dickson, head prefect I have attended Theodor Herzl since the age of three. I consider myself to be diligent and dedicated. My leadership skills became evident at a young age as I won both the Principal’s Leadership Award and the Coaches Award, as well as being elected as house captain of Ben-Gurion in grade 7. I’m currently president of the Theodor Gavel Club, serve on the Judaica Forum and I have attained the Silver Level in the President’s Award programme.