Just as the building seemed emptied of students, last night the halls were yet again buzzing with activity. The cardo had flooded with current and former faculty members, alumni and parents of students that attended CESJDS in its earliest years as a school, all greeting each other and embracing enthusiastically.

Yesterday evening, JDS marked Founders’ Day, a kickoff event to start a yearlong celebration of the school’s 50th anniversary. The 467 guests were treated to dinner in the Exhibition Hall followed by a ceremony in the gym where Head of School Mitchel Malkus spoke, alumni Dr. Yael Mossé (‘89), Rabbi Rachel Ain (‘95) and Stephen Krupin (‘00) were honored and the cast of the high school musical “Young Frankenstein” as well as Shir Madness performed.

Senior Yaakov Bellas, a member of the musical’s cast, was grateful for the opportunity to represent the school’s theater program for the donors in the crowd.

“I think it’s important that we’re able to show the visitors what their money is going to and how they’re helping us pursue our interests and dreams,” Bellas said.

On the other hand, Jewish Text teacher Rabbi Janet Ozur Bass considered the night a valuable experience due to how it commemorated the progress the school has made as a community. She attended Founders’ Day with her husband Henrique Ozur Bass, the Hazzan of Congregation Har Shalom in Potomac.

“First of all, the school is very much a huge part of how we built our family,” Janet Ozur Bass said. “It’s so central to who we are as a family, both for me professionally and also for sending our children here. I think being a pluralistic community day school is one of the most important things for the Washington Jewish area. It’s also nice to look back and celebrate how far we’ve come and to really celebrate who has been here.”

Similarly, Henrique Ozur Bass took joy in seeing familiar faces. He is particularly friendly with alumna honoree Ain as well as Assistant Director of College Guidance Dorie Ravick and her sister, all of whom he knows through his synagogue.

“I love seeing how many people are here and watching some of the people I know, or turning around and not being able to keep eye contact with anybody because they are seeing so many other people that they know from 50 years ago from when they were here,” Henrique Ozur Bass said. “It’s beautiful to see the community come together like this.”