My MJDS Story: Yaron Deskalo
Dear MJDS Friends,
It's certainly common to hear that if you went to a private grade school for ten years of your life, you were sheltered, narrow-minded, or had trouble adjusting to the outside world. For those of us that graduated from MJDS, though, the opposite is true.
While we learned core Jewish values at MJDS, we were always exposed to larger issues, conflicts, and cultures. And though we may not have realized it at a young age, MJDS was a breeding ground for risk takers and leaders. We all felt a sense of community and comfort within the walls of MJDS, but we also had the confidence outside of it to solve bigger problems and be curious about what lies before us.
I know this rings true not just for me, but also for those who graduated alongside me. Many of us have been fortunate to see the world -- not just in holiday glitz and glamour -- but cultural exploration, too. For me, it's meant visiting a soccer field in Liberia, a basketball court in rural Serbia, and a prison in Venezuela. It's a path we didn't always foresee, but were prepared for because of the education we received.
Sometimes we can put our finger on tangible lessons we learned -- like all of the state capitals in 5th grade -- but for most us, MJDS was about fostering an experience that prepared us for anything, anywhere.
Yaron Deskalo
MJDS Class of 1996
MJDS StoriesIn celebration of the 36th anniversary of MJDS, we are excited to present MJDS Stories, a series of narratives told in first person by different voices of our MJDS community. Parents, teachers, alumni, alumni-parents, students and friends share how MJDS has made an impact on their children, their Jewish identity and their lives. MJDS Stories deepens the meaning of our mission and amplifies the excitement of our 36 milestone.
