Regis Folbaum
President of Yabne School Group - Paris

The transmission of Jewish values and identity is not only a family tradition, but a demonstration of my personal commitments and actions, as well as those of the Yabne School Group (Paris, France). 

At Henri Schilli School (preschool and elementary), we foster traditions that allow our pupils to associate the values of Judaism with moments of joy and warmth, and we hope that they will forever continue to associate Torah with positive attitudes and joyful feelings. 

When our first graders have acquired the ability to read and write in Hebrew, their director organizes a ceremony called Messibat Siddur – Siddur party. It symbolizes that our children can now read the Tefillah – prayers, that they learned orally in preschool and can start their path toward Limud Torah, the study of Torah.

Another link to the chain of transmission since receiving the Torah from Moses.

Their parents are invited to the ceremony, during which they attend the Tefillah and a show prepared by the pupils for this heartfelt occasion. A moving moment follows when the parents each present a siddur and a new chumash to their own child, embodying and adding by this very move another link to the chain of transmission since receiving the Torah from Moses. 

Two years ago, we decided to complement this ceremony with a strong symbol of attachment and love for Torah and for the land, people and State of Israel, which is a fundamental pillar of our identity. Each of our sixty students received an Israel Bond, thus truly creating a bond with Israel.

In five years, their Israel Bonds will come to maturity. As the then- fifth graders that they will have become, they will receive the principal and interest of their investment at about the same time they will complete what has now also become a traditional trip to Israel at the end of their studies at Henri Schilli elementary school. 

We certainly hope and pray that, along with the education they receive at home and what they have learned at the Henri Schilli school, this gift will incentivize them to remain faithful to both Judaism and Israel.