Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School
58° Rockville, MD
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
Gila Safra

Gila Safra, Reporter

All content by Gila Safra
Surrounded by family and friends, juniors Maya Greenblum and Ella Arking perform “Hometown Glory” by Adele in the Feith Beit Midrash. Their performance was one of many small group performances that occurred throughout the night. Students were able to sign up for a five-minute slot and perform whatever they wanted. With parents, students and teachers in the audience, there was a significant turnout in the small group performance section of the event. Both Greenblum and Arking have been performing for the school since middle school, at Kab Shabs, spring and winter concerts and Arts Chai Lights. Arking has been a member of the Shir Madness a cappella group and is in Instrumental Ensemble, and Greenblum is currently a member of Shir Madness and a conductor for the group. Arking and Greenblum have performed together at many JDS events, with the event on Wednesday night being their last Arts Chai Lights together. “Ella and I have been performing together for quite a while,” Greenblum said. “The first time we performed together was middle school, so it was very special to be able to perform with her again at Arts Chai-Lights. We picked a song that we both really loved and have heard a lot together, and we made sure to practice it. I think the piano was beautiful, but overall it was very special to perform a song with Ella, when we have such a deep connection together when it comes to music and singing and performances.”

Arts Chai Lights displays student creativity across disciplines

Eliana Wolf and Gila Safra
May 23, 2025
Food services staff member Gloriabelen Lizama serves a lunch of spaghetti and meatballs to freshman Megan Poretsky.

Behind the lines: how the Dining Hall operates

Gila Safra, Reporter
May 12, 2025

Fashion Friday: Purim 2025

Gila Safra, Reporter
March 17, 2025
Coach Held (left) with sophomore Tara Hain (right) after a race. Used with permission from Shayna Held.

Head track coach steps down, new coach steps in

Gila Safra, Reporter
January 10, 2025

Eighth grade hosts annual science fair

Gila Safra, Reporter
January 7, 2025
Guide to commemorating Oct. 7

Guide to commemorating Oct. 7

Gila Safra, Reporter
September 30, 2024
Ala offers a unique, foreign seeming design, making it difficult to believe it is in Bethesda.

Bethesda bistros

Gila Safra, Mia Forseter, and Maiya Blumenthal
June 1, 2024
Sophomore Oliver Silver teaches his grandparents what he's been learning in math this year.

Dor L’ Dor Day

Gila Safra, Reporter
May 22, 2024
"Absent Minded" rehearses before performing at Kab Shab.

Music Makers

Gila Safra, Reporter
March 9, 2024
Members of the swim team practice outdoors at the JCC

Swim team competes despite challenges

Gila Safra, Reporter
February 6, 2024
There is a wide variety of things to do and places to celebrate Hanukkah over the eight days.

Hanukkah festivities around the area

Maiya Blumenthal and Gila Safra
December 4, 2023
Sophomore Amalia Netter uses magnetic granite power to uncover her fingerprint in the Forensic Crime Scene Investigation session

JDS hosts fifth annual STEM day

Gila Safra, Reporter
November 10, 2023
High school students write supportive letters to IDF soldiers on the front lines of the current conflict.

How school has responded to the Israel-Hamas war

Gila Safra and Maiya Blumenthal
October 20, 2023

Flip out

Gila Safra, Reporter
June 5, 2023
Community members gather around the weaving table for a fun, hands-on craft.

Community gathers for annual Arts Chai Lights celebration

Gila Safra, Reporter
May 31, 2023
PACKED HOUSE On April 14, about 500 attendees from 30 different high schools gathered for Journalism Day at the University of Maryland (UMD). The conference, organized by the Maryland D.C. Scholastic Press Association (MDCSPA), hadn’t taken place since 2018, so the MDCSPA Board of Directors’ original goal was only 200-250 participants. “It demonstrates to us that there's still a lot of interest among young people in different facets of journalism,” said Editor of School Administrator magazine and member of the MDCSPA Board of Directors Jay Goldman. “That's really what our association intended to do… promote and support high school journalism.”

Learning at University of Maryland’s Journalism Day

Gila Safra, Reporter
April 20, 2023
The cast of "Matilda" has a dress rehearsal for their upcoming shows.

Behind the middle school production of “Matilda Jr.”

Gila Safra, Reporter
March 16, 2023
Director of Upper School STEM and middle school math and science department chair Cassandra Batson will begin as middle school principal on July 1.

JDS appoints Cassandra Batson as incoming Middle School Principal

Gila Safra, Reporter
February 21, 2023
Sports betting has had a significant impact on Americans today.

Bet on it

Gila Safra, Reporter
February 8, 2023
Sophomore Ari Kittrie helps coach Chuck Woolery demonstrate a wrestling move to the rest of the team.

Wrestling team check-in

Gila Safra and Tali Loeffler
January 5, 2023
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Fasting frustrations: Students and staff alike struggle to observe fast days while at school

Gila Safra, Guest Writer
January 3, 2023
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