KDVP’s new tuckshop not just about the “Sloppy Joe”

The King David Schools’ Foundation hosted the Valkin family on Friday, 18 March, for the official opening of the new King David Victory Park (KDVP) tuckshop, which they donated in honour of their parents and grandparents, Connie and Balfour Valkin.

Fond memories of their days at KDVP are the reason Vanessa, Adam, and Gideon chose to give back to their alma mater, which is a vibrant campus with more than 750 students, all of whom will benefit from the magnificent new facility.

Vanessa recalled how the tuckshop was central to their school experience. “It wasn’t only a space where we learnt social skills, but also deal making and negotiation, as you could arrive at school lunchless and penniless, but by the end of break, you had a Sloppy Joe burger, a cream soda, and a Caramello Bear,” she said.

Saskia Gofman, the eldest Valkin grandchild who is a Grade 8 pupil at Herzlia in Cape Town, spoke about the importance to her family of having a Jewish education and passing on Jewish values.

The tuckshop was the brainchild of Jonathan Gimple (KDVP High School 1980), who saw the need for an upgraded facility where students could not only buy lunch, but also watch sport, network, and socialise. Designed by Jon Radford Architects and built by Bantry Construction, the tuckshop boasts a delicious and nutritional food offering, a meat, milk, and parev kitchen, coffee bar, and under cover seating area.