From Crisis to Community: A New Chapter for Kadima

Sometimes you have to almost lose something to understand how much it matters.

Just weeks ago, I sat in a somber town hall meeting for the Kadima Day School community. Our major donor had withdrawn support, and enrollment was declining. Unless we raised over a million dollars in a matter of days, we were facing the very real possibility of having to close the doors of our beloved school. 

This was no small task for us. There were many questions and not a lot of answers. As I walked out of that meeting, my mind bounced back and forth between board member and parent. As a board member, I was thinking of our teachers, staff, parents and children. What would they do if we shut down? I felt the heavy weight of responsibility for their futures. As a parent, I wondered how I would tell my children they might not return to their home away from home. The task before us felt almost insurmountable. 

What followed was nothing short of extraordinary. A miracle not unlike the Maccabees.  

In the days that followed, I witnessed something I will never forget: a community awakening. Parents mobilized. They made calls, formed committees, shared posts, built spreadsheets. They didn’t ask what needed to be done — they just did it. We were in essence, rekindling light in a moment of darkness and declaring that our school is worth fighting for. 

I started getting messages from friends: “Did you see that Noa Tishby just posted about Kadima on Instagram?” “Look what just showed up in my inbox!” The word was spreading. People who hadn’t been involved in years showed up. Families came together. Professionals offered their services. Strangers reached out to ask how they could help. Members of the community near and far began to lift each other up, restoring my faith, my emunah, and spreading enough around to ignite others.

Just one week after that ominous meeting, I came to a fundraising event that moved me to tears. Parents stood up and shared what Kadima means to them. They spoke from the heart — about home, about identity, about how this school shapes their children into the confident Jewish leaders of tomorrow. About how this school is not just “another Jewish day school” but a place where Israel is celebrated and students are taught to be proud of who they are.

We raised almost a million dollars in 10 days. But what we built is worth so much more than that.

This wasn’t just about saving a school. It was about awakening its soul — about why Kadima matters to the entire Jewish and Israeli American community in the West Valley. We were reminded that in this uncertain and often frightening world, our children need — and deserve — a safe sanctuary. A place where they can learn at the highest academic standards, proudly speak Hebrew, deepen their Jewish roots, and grow into strong, thoughtful leaders.

And yet — for me, the most powerful transformation wasn’t external. It was internal. I had approached this problem with fear and doubt. I saw problems that felt too big to solve. But this experience blew that open. I watched our community move mountains. I saw the impossible become possible. I don’t remember the last time I felt so inspired and motivated. I was filled with tikvah, hope. 

Today, I feel something I didn’t expect: gratitude. I’m grateful that we were pushed to the edge. Because on the other side of that fear, we found something special. A renewed commitment. A united community. A Board that is activated and aligned. We’re not just overseeing the school; we are rolling up our sleeves and building its future. Together with our leadership team, we are actively restructuring Kadima’s philanthropic approach and financial model so that we don’t just survive — we thrive. 

The Kadima we almost lost is not the same Kadima we now fight for. It’s more determined, more united. And best of all, it’s a stronger home for my kids.

And now, when I think back to that town hall — the one that began with uncertainty and fear — I see it differently. It was the start of a new chapter. One where we are no longer asking, Can we do this? but declaring, We already are!

Karen Hovav is a Kadima Day School parent and member of the Board of Trustees.