Calder Jacob Sloan OF BLESSED MEMORY
Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
Calder Jacob Sloan OF BLESSED MEMORY
As we wander the world, there are places we find outside of our house that we call home. Lehrman Community Day School is one of those places for our family. The Lehrman family invited us into their home (literally for Shabbat ) then into their legacy, the school, which in turn became Calder’s legacy. After our 7 year-old-son, Calder Jacob Sloan, died tragically, the Lehrman Community surrounded us in their
embrace. Food came, calls came, notes, from people we knew well and some we had only exchanged smiles with in the halls. These families stood by our side as we navigated a new reality. Each text, offer for a walk or to talk in our despair shone light along this dark road. We remember Calder’s first days of Kindergarten. A shy boy, he came home more outgoing, visibly happy and with new knowledge he was excited to share.
An important tradition at Lehrman is that each boy wears a kippah daily. As reform Jews, this was a departure from who we thought we were. The kippah quickly became a symbol of who we are now and forever. This reminder that there is something larger than us, above us, beyond us and around us became synonymous with Calder’s image of himself. The self-portrait he drew in Mrs. Brown’s art class at Lehrman has his multi-colored kippah atop his head and a giant smile on his face. This image turned into an online sensation known as Mr. Awesome. Of course, we will always think of Calder as awesome and you can google Calder Sloan to see more of why. Calder wore his kippah proudly as does his younger brother, Caleb, to this day. We laughed one Halloween when after wrapping Calder from head to toe in gauze for his mummy costume he went back inside and grabbed the finishing touch: his kippah . Why is a legacy important? Not only because many of Calder’s happiest moments happened at Lehrman, but also because this school continues to celebrate both Calder, Caleb and the spirit of Jewish children and their education. Calder loved Hebrew and Jewish studies and his Kindergarten menorah is one way we keep him with us on Hanukkah . We use Caleb’s Kindergarten Haggadah for our Passover seders, which he can lead in both Hebrew and English. We consider ourselves lucky to have these traditions, these memories. We look forward to the expansion at Lehrman. We are thrilled to have the Calder Jacob Sloan Legacy Fund continue to contribute toward the growth of such an important institution. We also consider it a blessing that when students, parents and teachers walk into the school office they see a framed photo of Calder’s big smile holding his self-portrait proudly, a self-
portrait drawn by a first grader with an open heart symbolizing adventure, kindness, laughter and happiness for years to come. Baruch Hashem .
Temple Beth Am AND Rambam Day School
Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
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