The sentiment “music is a universal language” was displayed on Thursday, Jan. 8 as a 21-person jazz ensemble from Thelma Yellin High School based in Givatayim, Israel, visited the Upper School to perform and connect with American music students. The Thelma Yellin students visited JDS as a part of their trip in order to learn about American Jewish education and music.
The goal of the partnership was for music students from opposite ends of the world to create bonds and learn from each other. Thelma Yellin is a performing arts high school that has produced a number of famous Israeli artists over the years, including Shira Haas and Lahav Shani. The visitors stayed in Maryland for three days before moving on to New York.
“It’s three days where the goal really is, one, to create connections and friendships, and two, to create some bonding over music, because we are pairing our wonderful musicians with their wonderful musicians,” Director of Arts David Solomon said.
In addition to performing for the middle and high school, the Thelma Yellin students hosted an after-school performance for the whole community. While the students spent a lot of time with music students in the music room, they were also able to experience other aspects of a JDS education.
According to Thelma Yellin students Naama Cohen and Asaf Yagil, the warm welcome and overall atmosphere at JDS was one of the highlights of their trip.
“When you get to know people without walls, it’s a deeper connection instead of surface level,” Yagil said.
The students performed multiple songs in both English and Hebrew during the school day on Thursday, and then performed in tandem with JDS bands and a capella during the evening at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center of the Washington Hebrew Congregation.
This year, Thelma Yellin sent a group of 21 visitors, an increase from last year’s seven, and they got to experience more of the school than just music. Hebrew classes ate lunch with them, showed them around the school, participated in art- and STEM-based activities with them and interviewed them for the Hebrew literary magazine Loa Haari.
Senior Bee Kotler had the opportunity to play around and experiment with different styles and songs in the music room with them during CT, and then performed with them at Kab Shab on Friday.
“They’re really good and it’s really cool to see what the art scene is like in Israel,” Kotler said.
Thelma Yellin students ended their visit with a goodbye message and received sweatshirts from their new friends at Kab Shab before traveling to New York to perform at Lincoln Center and watch a Broadway show.
“It’s been a tough few years in the news being Jewish, very tough for Israel and this reminds us of the joy that is there in the world,” Solomon said. “Watching our students connect with Israeli students and the incredible music that they’re going to create is just good for the heart.”
