At their graduation ceremony on Sunday, June 11, Ma’ayanot bid farewell to the Class of 2017/5777. The school’s principal, Rivka Kahan, addressed the students with a Dvar Torah connecting the new graduates with the example of Moshe Rabbeinu, a leader who despite many difficult challenges continued to listen to Bnei Yisrael and find a path forward. “As you have grown over the past four years into your adult selves, this is a quality that you have manifested beautifully in your relationships with each other,” Mrs. Kahan told the class.

On behalf of the faculty and administration, she gave the graduates a parting bracha: “May you live lives of meaning, substance, and love; lives that are shaped by the Torah and its values, that speak of a commitment to the Jewish community and the world community.”

Shira Waltuch, the class valedictorian, spoke about God’s command to Avraham: “Lech lecha,” to leave his land, his father’s home, and go to Eretz Cana’an to fulfill his life’s goal. Shira quoted the Zohar saying, “Lech lecha” is a command given to all: “God says to every soul, before it goes out into the world, ‘lech lecha.’ It is a constant command to each individual to rise from level to level in his or her service of God and mission in the world. It seems that Hashem whispers ‘lech lecha’ in each person’s ear.” In contrast to the lack of faith among the spies in Parshat Shelach, she said, “Hashem has faith in each and every one of us that we can be great, we just need to believe in our ability to follow His Torah and reach our potential….We are ready. We are the future. We are Ma’ayanot.”

A Dvar Torah was also shared by the salutatorian, Neti Linzer, as well as a parting address by the class speaker, Avigayil Keiser. Ma’ayanot wishes the Class of 2017 a warm farewell and continued success in the future.