May 27, 2025
Dear Graduates,
Mazal tov! Today, you cross a significant threshold, from middle school to high school, and I want you to know that you are not simply becoming high school students. You are the culmination of years of careful planting, nurturing, and growth. Your families entrusted you to this community like young seedlings, and together, with your teachers, your classmates, and our school, you have blossomed into something extraordinary.
Throughout your years at Mirowitz, we have shared with you a set of enduring values, principles that are not only Jewish but deeply human. As you step into this next chapter, I ask you to carry these values with you. They are your compass.
Let us reflect on them together:
Bitachon / Safety
You have been raised in a space that has safeguarded your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. As you enter the wider world, you will be called upon to use your inner wisdom and Torah learning to seek and create safety for yourselves and others. You are problem solvers, critical thinkers, and compassionate hearts. The path ahead will not always be clear. But remember: even when the way is winding, you are capable of persevering until you arrive at your destination.
Kehillah / Community
Seek people who lift you up. Choose to be with those who share your values and remind you who you are at your best. Build communities that support, challenge, and inspire you. And be that kind of presence for others.
Limud / Learning
Let your curiosity lead you. Explore unfamiliar subjects, ask uncomfortable questions, pick up a new instrument, or revisit an old dream. And just as important: be willing to unlearn. Examine your beliefs. Question your assumptions. Identify your biases. The pursuit of knowledge is not a straight line; it’s a lifelong winding road. Let it shape you into the person you are becoming.
Kavod / Respect and Honor
Respect is not passive. It is action. Stand up when it counts. Speak out when it matters. Defend those who cannot defend themselves. Know that failure will find you, but honor yourself by trying with integrity and courage. Take risks. Fall and rise again. When you give kavod freely, you create a more just and whole world.
Tikkun / Repair
So much of life is beyond our control. Many of your blessings are born from luck, not effort. Recognize that truth with humility. Let it nurture empathy. Mend what is broken in your relationships, in systems, and in yourself. Repair with love. Make the world a little more whole with every act of compassion.
Hakarat HaTov / Gratitude
Life is filled with contradictions, love and hate, joy and sorrow, truth and falsehood, which often exist side by side. But we always have a choice in how we respond. Choose gratitude. Choose kindness. Choose to seek out the good even in moments of pain. Gratitude transforms our lives and sharpens our vision of what truly matters.
Simcha / Intentional Joy
Life will not always be easy. There will be setbacks, losses, and disappointments. But joy is not the same as happiness. Joy is deeper. Joy is intentional. You can choose to cultivate it. Spread joy to others, and it will return to you tenfold. It’s one of life’s most beautiful paradoxes.
Mazel tov, graduates.
You stand tall today, carried on the shoulders of those who came before you and lifted by the love and guidance of many. To our dedicated faculty and staff: thank you for your tireless commitment to nurturing the minds and hearts of our students. Your work matters more than words can say. To our parents and families, thank you for your trust, partnership, and unwavering support. You have made this milestone possible. And to everyone who helped shape today’s ceremony, thank you for bringing meaning and joy to this sacred moment.
Graduates, as you move forward, may you go from strength to strength.
Chazak v’ematz. Be strong. Be courageous. Be yourselves.
B’Shalom,
Raquel