Class of 2018 Honored at Commencement

Proud family members, friends, faculty, and staff gathered to celebrate the Class of 2018 at Milken’s twenty-seventh annual commencement, on Sunday, June 3. One hundred twenty seniors received their diplomas at the ceremony, which returned to Stephen Wise Temple after being held for the first time at Sinai Temple last year.

 

In the invocation, Upper School Rabbi David Saiger recalled the story in the Torah of Jacob falling asleep and dreaming of angels ascending a mystical ladder. He remarked to the seniors that the past four years might have seemed like a dream to them, and like in Jacob’s dream, there have been angels in their lives—family, friends, and teachers—who have guided them to climb ladders to reach new heights.”

 

Milken Community Schools’ co-founder and long-time trustee, Lowell Milken, congratulated the students and their families on behalf of the Board of Trustees. Asking the audience to imagine a tree “whose roots are deep and secure and whose branches are strong and far reaching,” he explained that the school is that tree and the students are the branches. “You are 120 branches vitally and uniquely formed by your education and your faith,” he remarked.

 

President Metuka Benjamin welcomed the audience and expressed her gratitude to the Board of Trustees. Speaking to the Class of 2018 directly, she challenged them to use the tools and knowledge they gained at Milken to stand proudly against ignorance, bigotry, and distortion of the truth when they are on college campuses in the fall.

Principal Dr. Kimberly Schwartz followed with the Prayer for our Nation and the State of Israel. In his address, Head of School Gary Weisserman urged students to choose optimism and hope, sharing that the graduates make him both optimistic and hopeful. He added that he knows they will make him proud, as they always have.

 

Four students delivered compelling speeches. Audrey Mokhtarzadeh gave the student address. Reminiscing about her four years at Milken and how she valued her Jewish day school education and experience. She fondly noted, “We as students at Milken built a kehillah, a community, in our home on the corner of Zeldins’ way.” Hebrew speaker Logan Shalit implored his fellow seniors to always look for the deeper meaning in things. Salutatorian Clara Pitt challenged her classmates to “step away from your goals and expectations, openly embrace the unexpected, and lead a life filled with exciting twists and turns— fearlessly.” Valedictorian Aaron Feldman explained the importance of weaving Judaism together with academic and worldly endeavors to give them greater purpose.

 

The ceremony also included performances by the Milken Jazz Ensemble and Kol Echad, which featured senior soloists.

 

The audience erupted in applause and cheers as students crossed the bimah to receive their diplomas.

As the ceremony was coming to a close, Rabbinic Director Rabbi Gordon Bernat-Kunin delivered the Benediction wishing for the class “to attain the ultimate spiritual blessings of wholeness, rootedness, Shabbat, and Shalom.” After Weisserman and Dr. Schwartz presented the Class of 2018, the graduates exuberantly tossed up their caps and officially joined the ranks of alumni.

 

Congratulations to the Class of 2018!

Watch the graduation livestream here.