The student news site of Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School

The Lion's Tale

The student news site of Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School

The Lion's Tale

The student news site of Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School

The Lion's Tale

Small class size gives
private school students an academic edge.

Less is more

Ella Waldman, Lily Rulnick, and Jonah Beinart March 18, 2023

The national average class size for public schools is 24 students. The average class sizes for Walter Johnson High School and Sherwood High School, two local public high schools, are 26 and 21 students...

Matthew Steindecker and Alec Silberg at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Student’s Of The Year Gala.

It takes teamwork

Eliana Wolf, Reporter January 8, 2023

Dressed to the nines, the CESJDS 007 License to Cure Fundraising Team stood anxiously in the gala ballroom on March 12, along with other Washington, D.C. student campaigns, awaiting the final donations...

Families battling cancer are offered a wide variety of help from medical professionals to religious support.

Tougher together

Aliza Bellas and Gigi Gordon January 8, 2023

Grappling with the experience of cancer in a family is difficult for even adults to grasp. For an elementary-aged Jonah Boles, the experience of his brother’s cancer diagnosis was even more terrifying....

Zman Kodesh or Zman Chofesh

Ever since CESJDS was founded in 1965, a specific time for prayer has always been set aside as part of each student’s day. Over the course of many years, this time in the morning has evolved into what...

Settling the score

Daniela Abrams , Lily Rulnick , and Zara Ducker June 10, 2022

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Title IX legislation that mandated that schools provide equal opportunities to female athletes, many schools are reevaluating their athletics programs to see if they...

Learning hand in hand: A deep dive into Israeli students’ experiences and challenges at JDS

Zara Ducker, Lena Nadaner, and Harry Davidson April 11, 2022

Something that sets CESJDS apart from other schools is its large Israeli student population. Whether it is the boisterous Hebrew that echoes throughout the hall or the prevalence of blue diplomat license...

Piecing together pluralism

Zara Ducker, Ivan Endelman, Rochelle Berman, Incoming In-depth Editor, Outgoing Features Editor, Outgoing Managing Editor, Copy February 7, 2022

Shabbat and Holy Days As described in the student handbook, while there are many approaches to observance among JDS families, the school still strives to create an environment in which all of their students...

Building a better youth group

Eitan Malkus, Lena Nadaner, and Ella Kotok December 16, 2021

After hours, many CESJDS students are a part of and lead another community: Jewish youth groups. As with any organization, there are several issues these groups are trying to address such as safe relationships...

Breaking down eating disorders

Eva Bard, Zara Ducker, and Maya Preuss November 9, 2021

Uncovering Disordered Eating As Anna* scrolled through her phone on a summer afternoon, she came across a YouTube video: “How to Lose Weight Quickly.” As a rising eighth-grader starting a new school,...

Global meltdown

Sam Berns, Julia Rich, and Daniela Abrams September 10, 2021

As temperatures rise, people around the world are becoming more aware of the drastic effects climate change has on the planet. Many teachers and students within the CESJDS community are combating climate...

A clear conscience? Examining the racial biases of CESJDS and the greater Jewish community

In the wake of continuous incidents of police brutality, the United States is currently undergoing a racial reckoning and examining the history and impact of systemic racism. Many institutions, including...

Behind the Mask: Delving into mental health during the pandemic, understanding how to cope

Since the pandemic began, many teens have tried to maintain normalcy in their lives. Teens can feel very anxious or depressed at times, and the pandemic has only enhanced these emotions. This causes mental...

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