It’s not every day a student is handed a spray paint can and told, “This is yours.”
Perhaps it should be.
This week, something remarkable happened at our school.
Thanks to the vision of artist Yitzchok Moully and the generosity of the Jewish Community Foundation Orange County, students across our school were invited to be part of something bigger than themselves.
From preschoolers discovering the joy of color to middle schoolers carefully selecting their shades and confidently taking aim with the spray paint, contributing to the shared masterpiece — a reflection of the values that shape the Hebrew Academy school community.
We gave our students more than a can of paint.
We trusted them with the tools that said: We believe in you.
Each child chose a color. A shape. A space. And each one left their mark — not just on the wall, but on the story we’re writing together.
That’s what happens when education goes beyond the textbook.
When creativity meets values.
When a school says to its students: This is yours.
It’s beyond permission. It’s ownership.
It’s the message that turns learning into identity, and education into something that truly belongs to them.
This is Jewish education at its finest.
Where identity is shaped not only by what’s taught, but by what’s experienced, and even our youngest voices are empowered to express themselves, contribute boldly, and create something that lasts.
And that’s precisely what Yitzchok Moully did.
With patience, intention, and heart, he met each student where they were, helping them color their world.
We’re proud of the mural. It’s beautiful.
But we’re even prouder of what it represents:
A school that believes in its students.
A community that invests in creativity.
An education that prepares them not just to succeed, but to leave their mark.
Because when every child is trusted,
When every voice is invited,
And when we come together,
Something beautiful happens.
This mural is part of the Jewish Street Art Festival, in which murals will be painted across Orange County, California. Presented by Weissman Arts, a project of the Jewish Community Foundation Orange County. The Foundation partnered with institutions around Orange County including Hebrew Academy, the 2025 Festival will bring together Jewish artists from around the US and Israel to paint this summer. Painting at select locations began at our campus and will culminate at a full-day event on Sunday, August 24 at the Merage JCC open to all ages including programming for families. Visit https://jcfoc.org/weissman-
We are equally grateful to artist Yitzchok Moully, a conceptual artist and Chassidic Rabbi whose work explores the intersection of Jewish spirituality and contemporary expression. Also known as The Pop Art Rabbi, Moully brings a unique blend of depth, color, and intentionality to everything he creates. He didn’t just guide students through a mural—he invited them into the creative process as true collaborators. And in doing so, he gave our students more than an art experience. He gave them a sense of ownership, agency, and pride. In every spray of color, our students saw that their ideas matter—and that creativity is a powerful way to express their identity and values.