The Blessings of 24-Graduation Speech Ramaz Upper School

Bzchut Rabbi Lookstein, Mr Cannon, Members of the Board, Faculty, Parents, Friends, and of course, the Class of 2024!

Before I begin I want to acknowledge the administration,faculty and staff of the Upper School. 

Our entire school community is blessed to have your guidance and support each day. Thank you.

I would also like to extend our appreciation to our Senior Management Team and all teachers and staff, from nursery to elementary and middle school. This graduation is a tribute to each and every one of you who have impacted this special class. 

Mark Twain said that there are two most important days in someone’s life. The first is the day they are born and the second is the day they figure out why. 

While 2024 may or may not be the year you figure out why, it will certainly be significant in how you count time. 

2024 will mark the beginning of your journey into adulthood — leaving home and beginning a new chapter toward exploration, self actualization and independence.

Moving forward, the number 24 itself will likely be used in your group chats, emails, and in passwords. 

24 will be a number that you always remember, holding significance for you and your high school classmates.

And this is something that we share. 24 will always be special for me as well, as it’s my first Ramaz graduation, of which I’m so privileged to be a part.  

And so, before you get your diplomas and say goodbye, I want to share a few blessings relating to the number 24.

First, there are 24 books in Tanakh. These 24 contain it all. They are the story of a people, YOUR people, and their relationship with one another and with God.

It is the story of the amazing Divine connections, along with the religious crises and disappointments. It is about family bonding, family challenges, family reunions. 

It is also about how to create a holy society and how to live a life of meaning. It is about a nation, its heartbreaks, its enemies and its victories. It is about history and the keys to better understanding the triumphs and tragedies of our people today.

These 24 books are not only the property of our people, they are your inheritance, they are your story.  Keep them on your shelves, learn from them, and internalize them. As we say each night at Maariv, הֵם חַיֵּֽינוּ: they are what make up our lives as individuals and as Jews. 

The 24 books are eternally relevant and, when approached with an open heart and mind and when they are נֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָֽיְלָה meditated on day and night, they will guide you at every stage in your life. 24 books are the makeup of you as people and as Jews.

24 also signifies the highest level of gold. 24 karat gold is alloy free and free of any impediments–24 marks strength and purity. As you grow up and ask yourself what kind of person you want to be, 24 K purity should be a goal. 

Ironically, Tehilim in Ch. 24 echoes the importance of this goal

מִֽי־יַעֲלֶ֥ה בְהַר־יְ-ה וּמִי־יָ֝ק֗וּם בִּמְק֥וֹם קׇדְשֽׁוֹ׃

Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?

Who may stand in His holy place?—

נְקִ֥י כַפַּ֗יִם וּֽבַר־לֵ֫בָ֥ב ׃

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

The way to reach the highest level of holiness is getting rid of the distractions and showing the purest of hearts.

During these past months, I have been overwhelmed by how so many of you speak, stand strong and live each day from the heart. You have a בַר־לֵ֫בָ֥.

Whether at Shabbaton, in Israel, or at Auschwitz, I have watched with awe as you share the purity of your thoughts, hopes, fears and dreams with your peers. 

The world is a confusing and complicated place. It is a place that has lots of ways to tempt you to conform to norms and to ideas. So many people will try to make you someone in their images, people will have agendas for you—don't give in to that pressure. 

Always listen to your heart and remember to work to find  your authentic self, your 24-karat self. Robert Frost wrote that gold is the “hardest hue to hold” but remember to stay strong and to stay pure and hold on to the hue of gold.

Next, from the wisdom of the basketball court comes an important lesson from another number 24, the late Kobe Bryant about family. Kobe once said, “My parents are my backbone. Still are. They're the only group that will support you if you score zero or you score 40.” Class of 24, some days you will score 40 and some days will be a zero. But on each day, remember who you are and where you come from. 

You each know what your families and ancestors stand for. Keep that in mind. Remember, in the end, it is your family and parents who will always be your biggest cheerleaders. And, know that even though you are ready to fly, remember that you not only need their support, they need your love and support too. Always remember that. 

And finally, possibly the most important 24, are the 24 hours of the musical! You each had 24 to put on an incredible performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  It was a night of bonding, teamwork and the actualization of your collective and individual potential. Go, go, go!

And as fun as that experience was, the message of it was clear – every 24 hours is an opportunity. 

24 hours is the greatest gift we humans have—the gift of time. Every hour of the 24 that we are given are moments to grow, to learn and to show up strong. 

Take what you learned from the many days here at Ramaz and fill them with pushing your mind and soul to be the best self it can be. What you bring to each day is up to you. Fill it with goodness. 

Yes, senior class, one of your most important years is either 06 or 07, the years you were born, and now another one is 24. 

Class of 24, stay connected to your legacy, to the words of God, stay strong and committed to the principles of your people and your families. 

Continue to stand and act for our people as you did this on the streets of our city this year, to dance for Am Yisrael as hard as you did on Yom Haatzmaut on 78th street, and to cry for our nation as you did on the fields of Auschwitz and of the Nova Festival.  

Remember that each day, each moment is an opportunity to be, to stand and to do. 

Class of 24, we will always be here for you. Our doors will always be open.  Stay in touch, stay pure, stay strong, and stay gold.