Upcoming Events

• Friday, January 23 - End of 2nd Quarter

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

• Thursday, January 29 - School Resumes

• Tuesday Evening, February 3 - Thursday Evening, February 5 - ICJA's Alumni & Friends Crowdfunding Campaign '26 (Parents, alumni, and ICJA friends: click here to sign up to become an Ambassador.)

• Friday, March 6 - Motzaei Shabbat, March 7 - ICBC Shabbaton - click here to sign up

Thursday, April 30 is Grandparents Day!

Parents: we need your help. If you have not already done so, please provide your child(ren)'s grandparent(s) contact information here.

Click here to view the January lunch menu.

Click here to view the February lunch menu.

Follow ICJA on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with school happenings.

Students enjoyed Rosh Chodesh celebrations on Monday.

On Monday, students celebrated Rosh Chodesh Shevat with a festive all-school davening in the gym, followed by a doughnut breakfast. Later in the morning, Rabbi Segal's Chumash and Navi classes enjoyed a special lox and bagel Rosh Chodesh brunch, while other classes enjoyed a fun Rosh Chodesh game (see below).

Pictured above: senior Yedidya Bechhofer and freshman Ozzie Zeffren enjoying Rosh Chodesh doughnuts

Pictured above: freshman Netanel Rosenbaum and Rabbi Meyer Simcha Stromer

On Monday, ICJA observed Martin Luther King Day.

On Monday, ICJA marked Martin Luther King Day by projecting some of Martin Luther King's stirring quotes on screens throughout the school, sparking debate and promoting awareness of Dr. King's work and legacy.

Pictured here: seniors Esther Fretzin and Mia Weiss beside a display about Martin Luther King

Students enjoyed a fun and informative trivia game.

On Monday, Rosh Chodesh Shevat, sophomores from Mrs. Rachel Polsky's and Mrs. Ayala Zimmerman's Navi classes came together for a fun, fast-paced Rosh Chodesh trivia game that tested their knowledge of Tanach.

As Tu B'Shevat falls within this month, the theme was trees. Students collaborated to think of answers to questions about trees in the Tanach and Jewish tradition, from which shofet (judge) judged underneath a palm tree, to which brachot to make over the first appearance of blossoms on a fruit tree.

Pictured above: Abigail Monteros and Leah Field

Pictured above: Emma Elkaim, Malka Zayan, and Emily Itzhaki

Pictured above: Talia Bajtner, Ella Jankovitz, and Avigayil Loebmann

Students fulfilled tasks in a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Escape Room.

On Tuesday, sophomores entering Mrs. Michelle Prince's English classroom were met by a strange sight: the classroom door was marked with police tape and a sinister note explaining that the classroom had been transformed.

Inside, students found the room in semi-darkness, lit only by candles. Students divided into groups and were each given a set of tasks, from solving word games to completing puzzles. Each task could only be done using students' knowledge of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.

After completing all of the tasks, teams were sent to a table in the corner of the room which contained concoctions reminiscent of a secret magical formula that features prominently in Stevenson's novella. Students were challenged to mix their own "magical" drink, then were rewarded with chocolate treats as a prize.

Pictured above: Shiri Litwack and Eliana Stolberg

Pictured above: Emmett Gelman and Eitan Spolter consulting with Mrs. Prince

Pictured above: winning team Bennett Kroll, Sammy Bajtner, Emily Itzhaki, and Asher Segal fixing their "magical" drinks

Students discussed comparisons of Sefer Devarim to a song.

Juniors in Rabbi Zvi Engel's honors Chumash class are learning Sefer Devarim. This week, they took time to read and discuss the hakdama (introduction) of the Netziv on Sefer Devarim and his assertion that the Torah is a song.

Students discussed this concept, noting that songs and poetry are evocative, can convey more than mere text, and contain many layers of meaning. Students including Kinneret Feingold also pointed out that the choice of trope in Torah readings conveys additional layers of meaning as we read and hear the Torah.

Students reviewed the Gaonic period.

What are the dates of the Gaonic period? Who appointed the Jewish Exilarch and what was the Hebrew name for his title? What practical and philosophical issues challenged Jewish communities during the Gaonic period? Where were the ancient cities of Sura and Pumbedita?

Sophomores in Mrs. Alissa Zeffren's Jewish History class know the answers. This week, to cap off the semester, students played a fun Kahoot game (pictured above) about the Gaonic period, showing their knowledge and reviewing what they've learned about this important chapter in Jewish history.

Students acted out original dramatic scenes.

Students in Mrs. Marsha Arons's Film-Drama class presented their final projects this week: original dramatic dialogues which they wrote, blocked, and staged for maximum emotional impact. Following each performance, students offered cheers and feedback to their peers.

Pictured above: senior Avi Rubin as coach, delivering a dramatic pep talk to his football team

Pictured above: senior Eli Gelb as a cross country coach, delivering an inspirational speech about true winning being about effort, not the result of any one race

Pictured above: senior Yehuda Goldstein as Cain, overcome with remorse after having killed his brother Abel

Students used their knowledge to answer real-world questions about cancer.

What are the different ways cancers can affect the RB proteins and why are they dangerous? How are proto-oncogenes affected by cancers? Which proteins have the greatest potential to cause cancers in different types of cells?

Freshmen in Mr. Peter Sahyouni's Biology class have been learning about cell behavior. This week, they put their knowledge into action as they rotated between different stations, answering these and other real-world questions about how cancers affect cells.

Pictured above: Noam Dobuler and Ephraim Volkov consulting with Mr. Sahyouni

Pictured above: Joseph Benzaquen and Yonah Goldman

Pictured above: Arielle Martin-Shafrir and Emmy DeAngelis

Pictured above: Levi Weiss, Max Leonard, and Ozzie Zeffren

Students and parents gained skills in identifying dangerous behavior.

On Wednesday, students attended two-period long workshops on substance abuse and addiction, sponsored by Ohel CCSA, a national organization creating stigma-free Jewish communities through awareness, education, and prevention programming regarding substance abuse and education.

Students learned about addictive substances, including alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, gaining knowledge, breaking myths, and asking questions.

Sophomores and juniors got a chance to see how drug and alcohol impairment makes everyday tasks difficult or impossible. Donning different sets of goggles which mimicked the impairment they would face after imbibing different amounts of alcohol or marijuana, students attempted to complete simple puzzles and games. It was eye-opening to see how difficult everyday tasks - including those needed in driving - became.

Freshmen and seniors heard first-person accounts of struggles with addiction and engaged in wide-ranging, educational conversations with Ohel CCSA educators.

Pictured above: Mrs. Sharon Darack leading one of the presentations

Parents learned about preventing and identifying addiction.

Wednesday evening, over 100 ICJA parents attended an Ohel CCSA talk about addiction. Topics covered included identifying risk factors for addiction, learning how to recognize signs of addiction in teens, and strategies for helping teenagers navigate risks of substance abuse.

Click here to watch a recording of the parent session.

(Pictured here: Ohel CCSA Jesse Wright addressing parents)

Last Shabbat's ICGC Shabbaton was a fabulous success.

Last Shabbat, over 110 ICJA girls enjoyed a ruach-filled Shabbaton, filled with davening, divrei Torah, fun games, and just hanging out.

Yasher koach to the students who worked to make this Shabbaton a success and to the mechanchot and faculty members who attended and helped make this ICGC Shabbaton the best one yet.

Freshmen watched last Sunday's Bears game with ICBC.

On Sunday, freshmen boys came together at Levi Weiss' home to watch the Bears play the Rams in the playoffs. Even though the Bears lost, it was an exciting game and a lot of fun to watch together.

Thank you to the Weiss family for hosting this event and to our mechanchim for helping make this event so successful.

Freshmen boys and their relatives gathered at Young Israel of Skokie last Sunday.

Last Sunday freshmen boys and their relatives gathered together at Young Israel of Skokie as part of our Veshinantam Levanecha program. Each Sunday, freshmen and their relatives come together at Chicago-area shuls for davening, learning, breakfast, and camaraderie.

This weekly program is run by award-winning Tanach teacher and freshman boys' rebbe Rabbi Louis Fliegelman.

Contact Rabbi Louis Fliegelman to learn more or to join these weekly visits.

This week we caught up with ICJA's popular Talmud Department Chair - and star faculty basketball player - and asked him a few questions about himself.

Rabbi Shmuel Kurtz wears many hats. As Chair of ICJA’s Talmud Department, a beloved Judaic and Hebrew teacher, and a teacher who’s always game for a pickup basketball match with students, he somehow manages to do it all. We recently sat down with Rabbi Kurtz to learn more about his journey and what inspires him.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in St. Louis and attended public school there.

How did you become connected with the Orthodox community?

 I grew up attending a Conservative synagogue that offered a post–bar mitzvah education program. The highlight of the program was a two-month trip to Israel. At age 15, I spent those two months living on a religious moshav near Ashdod.

We stayed with families and traveled throughout the country. That experience was my first real exposure to authentic Judaism. When I returned to St. Louis, I developed a close relationship with Rabbi Simcha Krauss of Young Israel of St. Louis.

What did you do after high school?

I was accepted to Columbia University and planned to study food science. But I graduated high school a semester early, in January, and decided to spend six months learning in Israel. Those six months eventually turned into thirteen years.

I first studied at Yeshivat Or Sameach, then at Yeshivat Be’er Ya’akov. After marrying my wife, Esther, I spent eight years learning in various kollels in Israel and received semicha from HaRav Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg.

What brought you back to the U.S.?

I committed to a three-year position in Chicago as Director of Outreach for the Chicago Community Kollel. After those three years, Esther and I realized that Chicago had become our home and that we were making a meaningful contribution to the community. Esther has been teaching Hebrew at HSBY for the past 20 years, and I’ve been teaching at ICJA for 34 years.

When we moved to Chicago, we had four children. Since then, bli ayin hara, our family has grown, with our children ranging in age from 22 to 43. Two currently live in Chicago, while the others live in New Jersey, Milwaukee, and Jerusalem.

Why did you choose a career in Jewish education?

After six months learning in yeshiva in Israel, I had a realization: the world already has plenty of doctors, lawyers, and other professionals. What it truly needs is more dedicated Jewish educators. So, I made a career switch and never looked back.

What do you love about Ida Crown?

ICJA is an innovative place that meets students where they are, while striving to inspire them to grow and become their best selves.

Do you have a favorite ICJA memory?

About 25 years ago at ICJA, we had a boys Shabbaton for several years at the old building on Pratt, complete with special event T-shirts. We literally spent 25 hours in the building complete with davening, three meals, divrei Torah, activities, and camaraderie. The culminating event was the class level competition, featuring maximum jalapeno consumption and other sordid challenges. Everyone had a great time and memories to last a lifetime.

What do you do when you’re not at ICJA?

I’ve actually held several other roles. I’m the Director of General Studies at Yeshivat Kesser Yonah in Chicago, which I helped found. I also taught at Teachers Institute for twenty years, where I covered business ethics and medical ethics. In addition, I work as a translator, translating Hebrew books into English.

I’ve published four translations: Malbim on "Rut", "Pele Yoetz" by Rabbi Eliezer Papo, "To Be a Mensch" by Rabbi Yitzchak Shkop, and "Alei Shur" by Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe.

When I’m not working, I enjoy learning Torah and playing basketball and tennis.

What advice do you have?

My strongest advice to students at the Academy is to make time in their lives for the things that are truly important, help each other in a meaningful way, share the good with the people who need it most, and never stop growing personally, professionally, intellectually, and religiously!

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.

Parents: there are still slots to sign up to supervise lunch ball! This is a fun way to earn Give-Get. Parents are present in the gym during 5th and 6th periods while students play basketball, overseeing this fun daily event.

Volunteers earn $30 in Give-Get credit each day.

Join our Alumni Facebook Group

We are excited to announce that we have a 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.

The annual ICJA Israel Connect directory is out.

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.