Hagaon Hacham Mordechai Eliyahu z.s.l.

Isaac Hidary

Valedictorian

Isaac Hidary enjoys learning Torah and science, and has enjoyed his time on the school hockey team. He will attend Magen David Yeshivah High School in the fall.

“At Magen David Yeshivah we are given a well-rounded education, so that when we go out into the world, all of our actions are based on Torah values. Toratecha keva doesn’t necessarily limit one to study Torah constantly, but rather means living a life according to the Torah. For example, when playing ball, do we show respect to opponents and referees? Or in business, are we honest? Do we strive to give sedaka? As we see, Torah is to be applied everywhere in life, but this cannot be done without a top-notch general studies education. Magen David has done a great job in showing us how to use our knowledge in general studies and apply it in the ways of the Torah. As we approach the summer months, we have to continue to learn Torah and to keep our values and stay on the right path.”

Gloria Terzi

Valedictorian

Gloria will be attending Magen David Yeshivah high School in the fall.

“My special experience in Magen David Yeshivah can be summarized by a well known statement in Pirkei Avot: ‘Aseh lecha rav ukneh lecha haver.’ This means, ‘Make for yourself a rabbi, and acquire for yourself a friend.’ In life, it is important to have rabbis, teachers and other role models, and it is important as well to have good friends. Our rabbis and teachers have always taught us to love our community and to raise money for community organizations. We helped in the Sephardic Bikur Holim Food Pantry. And we were encouraged to do all types of hesed. We learned to feel for others by saying Tehillim for community members in need.”

Gloria thanked Hashem for giving her the two greatest role models that a girl could ever wish for – her parents.

David Esses

Salutatorian

David enjoyed all his years spent in Magen David Yeshivah, with his favorite subjects being Math and Navi. He is looking forward to attending Yeshivat Chofetz Chaim in the fall.

“I would like to express hakarat hatov (gratitude) to all the teachers and rabbis of Magen David Yeshivah. I would like to say how important it is to recognize the good in life and the good in everything we do.”

Hannah Cohen

Salutatorian

Hannah will be attending Magen David Yeshivah High School in the fall.

“We all learned a lot throughout elementary school. The first day of kindergarten we barely knew how to read, write, pray and speak Hebrew, the lashon hakodesh. Now we know how to read, write, and speak Hebrew, but most of all, we learned how to learn Torah. We learned about respect, about responsibility and about giving thanks to Hashem. We also learned about American history. Our general studies teachers also helped guide us through the understanding of world knowledge. I would like to express hakarat hatov (gratitude) to all my teachers and principals from kindergarten until now – who watched not only me, but everyone here grow into the people we are today.”

Hannah thanked Sarah, her twin sister, as well as her parents who were always there for her throughout this journey.