Upcoming Events

• Sunday evening, December 14 - Monday, December 22 - Chanukah (to sign up for Chanukah Gift Gelt for ICJA teachers, click here)

• Monday, December 15 - Chanukah learning program in school with YU Torah Mitzion Kollel



• Wednesday, December 17 - In-School Chanukah Chagiga

• Thursday, December 18 - Chanukah Breakfast Learning in teachers' homes

• Wednesday, December 24 - Sunday, January 4 - Winter Break (no classes)

• Monday, January 5 - School Resumes

• Monday, January 26 - Wednesday, January 28 - Semester Break (no classes)

• Thursday, January 29 - School Resumes

Click here to view the December lunch menu.

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Juniors and Seniors learned from the popular Jewish educator.

On Thursday morning, juniors and seniors had the chance to learn from Rabbi Menachem Liebtag. A renowned Jewish educator who teaches at Yeshivat Har Etzion, Midreshet Lindenbaum, Yeshivat Sha'alvim, Rabbi Liebtag was also instrumental in establishing Yeshivat Har Etzion's Virtual Beit Midrash.

In a high-energy, interactive discussion, Rabbi Liebtag asked students to analyze parallels between Birkat Hashachar, the morning blessings, and Birkat HaKohanim, the blessing of the Kohanim. Rabbi Liebtag explained that just as Hashem created light and illumination in the world, our actions every day and on Hanukkah can echo this, bringing light and associated blessings into our lives. It was an inspiring way to prepare for Hanukkah.

Students ran labs to create and observe fermentation.

This week, freshmen in Mr. Peter Sahyouni's Biology class conducted experiments to investigate the process of fermentation. Students placed bakers yeast, warm water, and various sources of plant sugar inside balloons. Students then observed, measured, and recorded evidence of the chemical changes associated with fermentation: the bag inflating with CO2 and indicators of ethanol production.

Pictured above: Orli Neiger, Yaakov Chastkofsky, Reuven Gurvich, and Asher Gelerinter

Pictured above: Yishai Levy working on the experiment

Pictured above: Aharon Steinberg with experiment materials

Juniors discussed women who taught and learned Torah throughout history.

Juniors in Mrs. Lynn Kraft's AJSP class spent time this week learning about women who were atypical in Jewish history and became scholars and teachers during periods when, unlike today, it was unusual for women to delve deeply into Torah study.

Reading original sources and drawing on different thinkers, students discussed the factors that made women like Devorah and Bruria truly great, including their brilliance and their dedication to Torah learning as an end in itself.

Pictured above: Dolly Cohen reading a source

Pictured above: Shoshana Boshes

Pictured above: Mrs. Kraft discussing Jewish history with students.

Students are learning new instruments.

After giving their first performance of the year, at last month's Open House for prospective students and their families, sophomores in Band are moving on to new pieces - and learning new instruments in order to do so.

Students can choose to learn to play guitar, electric guitar, piano, electric keyboard, drums, and more.

(Pictured above: junior Rose Mataya and sophomores Amalia Strosberg, Talia Bajtner, and Emily Itzhaki with ICJA Band teacher Mr. Tommy Veronesi)

Students are gathering data to graph phone use.

Students in Dr. Catherine D’Anna’s Statistics class are learning how to create charts, graphs, histograms, and other ways to visualize data.

This week, they reviewed recent research on the negative effects of high phone use, checked their own recent phone use statistics, and discussed ways that graphing their phone use might affect the way they interact with their phones and the internet.

Afterwards, students fanned out into the halls to conduct original research, interviewing their peers and staff about how many hours they recently spent on their phones. Next week students will convert their findings into statistical charts exploring trends by gender.

(Pictured above: senior Jayden Perlman interviewing freshman Roland Rudnick)

Pictured above: senior Esther Meyerson interviewing sophomore Tziyona Mauer and junior Ayelet Klein

Pictured above: senior Jessica Michaeli interviewing Abie Rosenburg

Pictured above: senior Daniel Wolper interviewing freshman Ozzie Zeffren

Students discussed ancient empires and belief systems.

Where are the Ashoka Lions with Dharma Wheel? How about the Bascilica of Saint Pudentiana? Or the Laozi?

Freshmen in Mrs. Rachel Polsky's World History class (pictured above) can tell you: this week students discussed these and other ancient religious monuments, including why the ancient emperors who commissioned them felt the need to build such large public monuments testifying to their religious fervor. In a wide-ranging discussion, students learned about ancient empires and their religions and monuments in Maurya, Greece, Han China, Rome, and Persia.

Pictured above: Kaylia Klein and Netanya Frazin

Pictured above: Max Madoff and Shalom Laber

Pictured above: Eitan Falk and Maddy Goltz

Students discussed halacha with Rabbi Matanky.

Sophomores in Mrs. Beth Pogonitz's honors Tanach class are learning about Sotah and Nazir and had many questions about halachot that are derived from these discussions.

They invited ICJA Dean Rabbi Leonard Matanky into their class to discuss halacha with them. Among the questions students posed were why and how married cover their hair and whether or not a person can become a Nazir today. Rabbi Matanky shared the story of a modern-day Nazir, Rabbi David Cohen, and discussed halacha and Jewish practice in a fun, wide-ranging conversation.

Students enjoyed a fabulous day of sports-related fun.

In honor of the Chicago Bulls' Jewish Heritage Night on Wednesday, students attended school dressed in their favorite Bulls (and some other team) jersies.

Pictured above: freshmen Netalie Cohen, Hava Rubin, Ayla Wittlin, and Kira Neiger

Pictured above: seniors Jonah Strahlberg and Avi Rubin

Pictured above: senior Mia Weiss and junior Sheindy Worch

After school, about 150 students travelled to the United Center for Jewish Heritage Night.

A highlight of the evening was watching the Aces scrimmage on the court before the Bulls squared off against the Nets. Students received Bulls hats and enjoyed watching the game together and displaying their Jewish pride.

Click here to view more pictures of the event.

Pictured above: juniors Meira Schultz, Chavi Campbell, and Bela Burstyn

Pictured above: junior Hillel Lennon

Pictured above: seniors Adin Jones and Eli Fretzin

Pictured above: senior Gabe Boshes

Pictured above: sophomore boys watching the game with Rabbi Louis Fliegelman

Pictured above: senior Jack Marshall

This week saw three Wrestling meets.

The Ida Crown Wrestling Team continued its season with a busy week. On Monday, the Aces hosted Intrinsic for its home opener. Freshman Sam Perkins (106), Junior Megill Hamieri (120), Junior Levi Madoff (157), Freshman Dovi Finkel (165), Sophomore Eitan Spolter (175), and Sophomore Sammy Bajtner (190) all claimed varsity victories. Freshman Ruvi Gurvich (113), Senior Adin Jones (138), Freshman Max Madoff (138) and Junior Gabriel Nudman (157) added JV victories. It was a successful start of the home match schedule.

On Tuesday, ICJA traveled to #15 ranked Deerfield. Jones, Levi Madoff, Spolter and Sophomore Ari Shyovitz (165) all did well against superior competition and took their opponents to the third period.  

On Thursday, the Aces traveled into Chicago to take on Sullivan and Glenbrook North. Against the GBN Spartans, Hamieri, Jones, Levi Madoff, and Junior Ayden Starck (215) all posted decisive victories. In the nightcap against host Sullivan, Jones, Levi Madoff, and Starck notched their second wins of the evening. They were joined in the winner's circle by Sophomore Binyamin Friedman (190) who claimed his first career victory with a first period pin, and a pair of freshman who stepped into the varsity line-up: Max Madoff (144) and Dovi Finkel (175). Yasher koach to all.

Students discussed Rashi's and Tosafot's views on דררא דממונא, a dispute over property.

Juniors in Rabbi Menachem Rosenbaum's honors Talmud class are learning Masechet Baba Metziah. This week, they learned and discussed the differing opinions of Rashi and Tosafot about how to discern ownership of money that is disputed by more than one person.

Pictured above: Archer Gradstein and Jacob Thomas with Rabbi Rosenbaum

Pictured above: Dov Kaiserman and Ayden Starck

Pictured above: Gabriel Nudman and Noah Erlich with Rabbi Rosenbaum

This week we caught up with ICJA's beloved Talmud teacher and asked him a few questions about himself.

ICJA's long-time Talmud teacher Rabbi Joel Gutstein is a familiar and popular presence in our school. This week we caught up with him and asked him a few questions about himself.

Where did you grow up? And where do you live now?

I grew up in Chicago and today live in Chicago with my wife Fran.

Five of our kids attended ICJA: Srulie '09, who lives in Israel now; Daniel '10, who's in Chicago; Miriam '12, who lives in Israel now; Avi '13, who's also in Israel; and Naomi '15, who lives in Israel too. Our other kids are Yehuda, who lives in Florida; Aharon and Yael, who each live in Chicago; and Zehava and Nesanel, who are each in Israel.

I've taught at ICJA for 40 years. For the past 27 years I've also been a shul rav, as the Rabbi at Congregation Yehuda Moshe in Lincolnwood.

How did you decide to become a teacher?

I've always enjoyed working with people. I love learning and sharing my love for Torah.

Can you describe a favorite ICJA memory?

Yes - years ago I used to drive (former ICJA teacher) Rabbi Meyer Juzint to school each morning. He was a Talmud Chacham and a scholar; it was a learning experience being with him.

One lesson of his that stayed with me is the idea that a test is for teaching students, not tricking them.

Do you have any hobbies?

Yes, I enjoy learning. I also give a Daf Yomi shiur in my shul and send out recordings of Mishna Yomi. If anyone wants me to add them to the distribution list for that they can contact me.

Is there anything you'd like to share here that most people don't know about you?

Well, I don't sleep a lot. I like the saying of the Ponovezher Rav (Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman): I'll sleep in the grave!

What advice do you have for students?

Be on time to davening as though were catching a plane.

In addition to many thousands of physical books and journals, ICJA's Learning Commons contains tens of thousands of online books, journal articles and other resources, including subscriptions to newspapers such as The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, the Encyclopedia Britannica, and more. Students are able to access these resources through our portal.

Please stop by our librarian Mrs. Steinberg's desk in the Learning Commons or email her at  librarian@icja.org to pick up your updated passwords to access our online material. ICJA's subscriptions are available at icja.libguides.com/home.

Watch our new 2025-6 Prospective Student Video!

Know a student who wants to learn more about ICJA? Send them our new 2025-6 Prospective Student Video! Click on the image below to watch.

Review ICJA on Niche.com and enter a sweepstakes.

Help let people know how fabulous ICJA is! Whether you're a parent, student, teacher, or alumnus/alumna, the popular school ranking website Niche.com wants to hear from you. Plus, every person who reviews ICJA (or any other school) is automatically entered into a monthly $1,000 sweepstakes by Niche.com. For more information and to leave a review, click here.

Do you have school-related news you'd like to see in this newsletter? Let us know!

If you have exciting ICJA-related news to share about classes, sports, clubs, or other projects, please tell us! Send news items and/or photos to Dr. Yvette Miller, Director of Communications at ymiller@icja.org. Your items can enhance our newsletter and ICJA's social media presence.

Join our New Alumni Facebook Group

We are excited to announce that we have a new private Facebook group called “ICJA Official Alumni Page.” It is a space for alumni from all graduating years to join. We will periodically post alumni reunions, events, fundraising opportunities, information about ICJA today, and news.

We are proud to have some families with us for four generations. If you are an alum, please join the group HERE and be sure to share the link with your family, friends, and fellow graduates. You can also share this link: https://www.facebook.com/share/UeTsqg16DDx4JHGK/?mibextid=hubsqH. Thanks for staying connected to ICJA!

Please reach out to Ilana Levy at ilevy@icja.org if you have any questions about this new effort.

Last summer, ICJA gave its Class of '25 alumni the third edition of our directory listing ICJA alumni who live in Israel and have graciously offered to open their homes to recent ICJA grads who are currently spending a gap year in Israel.

Thank you to the many alumni who have reached out to us, offering to host.

If you have any questions or would like to update our contact information to help recent ICJA grads obtain a copy, please contact Dr. Yvette Miller, ICJA Director of Communications, at ymiller@icja.org.

We are still taking submissions from alumni who are willing to host, to include in future copies of this directory. Please contact Dr. Miller to be included.

Inspiring bnei and bnot Torah to thrive in the modern world

ICJA is an affiliate of the Associated Talmud Torahs and a partner with JUF in serving our community.