Upcoming Events

• Sunday evening, December 14 - Monday, December 22 - Chanukah

• Monday, December 15 - 1st Day of Chanukah: Chanukah Yom Iyun learning program in school with YU Torah Mitzion Kollel / Yeshiva-Sem Dress-Up Day

• Tuesday, December 16 - 2nd Day of Chanukah: Anything But a Backpack Day (please, no animals)



• Wednesday, December 17 - 3rd Day of Chanukah: In-School Chanukah Chagiga / Ugly Sweater Day

• Thursday, December 18 - 4th Day of Chanukah: Chanukah Breakfast Learning in teachers' homes / Just Woke Up Like This Day

• Friday, December 19 - 5th Day of Chanukah: Generation Day

• Sunday, December 21 - 7th Day of Chanukah: Selfie Sunday



• Monday, December 22 - 8th Day of Chanukah: ICJA Spirit Day

• 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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Students educated their peers about the עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת.

There are three juniors in Mrs. Noa Nussbaum's honors Chumash class - so it was easy to assign each student one of the עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת (Ten Commandments) to research. This week, students took turns educating their peers in what they'd learned about their specific commandment.

Students discussed differences in wording between versions of their commandment in Sefer Shemot and in Sefer Devarim, and considered the views of three mefarshim on their commandment: Rashi, Sforno, and Ibn Ezra. Finally, students discussed practical ways to observe their commandment today, and shared a work of art that expressed the lessons they'd internalized about their specific commandment.

Chavi Campbell discussing the command לֹא תִגְנֹב (do not steal), pointing out that mefarshim interpret stealing very broadly, including not to kidnap (Rashi) and not to waste other people's time (Sforno)

Ayelet Klein discussing the command לֹא תַחְמֹד (do not covet), pointing out the difficulties in commanding a feeling, sharing Ibn Ezra's view that one must trust in Hashem to receive what one needs, and discussing Sforno's view that feeling jealousy might lead to further sins, as well as discussing other aspects of this difficult mitzvah

Students are learning how to use an online Concordance.

This week, freshmen in Rabbi Michael Meyers's honors Chumash class began using the valuable online concordance at alhatorah.org.

To practice, students analyzed the root of Hebrew words then looked them up in the concordance, finding every place in the Chumash that word appears. Students were then able to compare the usage of words in different pesukim and gain insights about the Torah's word choice.

Pictured above: Noam Dobuler and Ozzie Zeffren

Pictured above: Alon Schonbrun consulting with Rabbi Meyers

Pictured above: Reuven Gurvich, Dov Finkel, and Asher Gelerinter

Students are discussing shades of light at dawn and dusk.

Freshmen in Rabbi Louis Fliegelman's Talmud class are learning Masechet Brachot. This week they reviewed and were tested on the specialist vocabulary that the Gemara uses to parse the different degrees of light and dark so that we can tell when there is enough daylight to say the daytime Shema prayer. Students took turns reading passages in the Gemara and translating the text.

Pictured above: Dahlia Bildner and Maddy Goltz

Pictured above: Kayli Klein and Isabella Navakas

Pictured above: Talia Fridberg and Netallie Cohen

Students are delving deep into Israeli history, politics, and culture to prepare them to become advocates.

On Wednesday morning, dozens of students came together during breakfast for a meeting of ICJA's Israel Advocacy Club.

This week, sophomore Michal Belsh (pictured here) presented on archaeological evidence from Israel, even bringing in her own rocks dating from the time of the Chanukah miracle. Michal spoke about the importance of extra-biblical evidence and of the continued and ancient Jewish presence in Israel and stressed that it is important to set the historical record straight, especially when anti-Zionists are falsely presenting Israeli Jews as colonizers. 

Students interested in joining Israel Advocacy Club can contact faculty advisor Rabbi Zev Drutman.

Students put on creative performances of Macbeth.

Freshmen in Mrs. Hobbie’s honors English class are reading Macbeth. Last Friday, they prepared and performed scenes from Macbeth as part one of their two-part final project. Groups were required to select a scene or scenes, develop an interpretation and blocking, and then perform for the class. 

Yoni Chastkovsky as “Darth Macbeth” and Yaakov Chastkovsky as his slayer, Macduff. Pictured above: senior Esther Meyerson interviewing sophomore Tziyona Mauer and junior Ayelet Klein

Pictured above: Ron Lev as Malcolm, holding Macbeth’s severed head, Tani Gavant hailing the new King of Scotland, and Asher Gelerinter, one of the noblemen

Students shared their perspectives with shlichim from across North America.

On Monday this week, the WZO's Education Department brought current 40 shlichim - Israeli educators - to ICJA to tour our school and meet with students, teachers, and administrators (pictured above).

Shlichim asked students about their experiences with Israeli-themed education, programs, clubs, and events, and listened as students shared their perspectives about how the presence of Israeli shlichim in their schools and communities has impacted their education. Our visitors are currently working in schools across the USA and Canada, and will use what they learned here at ICJA to enhance their teaching.

"We've all heard about Ida Crown," noted Adi Archi, one of the directors of the WZO educational program from shlichim who helped organize this week's visit. "Ida Crown is an amazing school; we can see that a lot of thought went into each detail" of our school and classes. Ms. Archi pointed out our musical bells, our open architectural design, and the way that our library and cafeteria blend into each other as hallmarks of our school's open and fun atmosphere.

Pictured above: juniors Sarah Leonard, Kinneret Finegold, and Maayan Engel speaking with shlichim

Pictured above: junior Jacob Thomas and seniors Rivka Belsh, Yaffa Hoberman, and Esther Meyerson sharing their experiences with shlichim

Pictured above: seniors Jessica Michaeli, Naama Horowitz, and Jayden Perlman answering questions put to them by the shlichim

Students are creating poetic narratives.

Seniors in Mrs. Marsha Arons's Film and Drama elective took a break from writing about movies this week and instead discussed the emotional power of poetic forms. After reading Rudyard Kipling's poem If, students each created their own poem offering advice to a particular person, using Kipling's narrative devices. Students then shared their powerful poems with the class.

Pictured above: Josh Miller, who wrote about the beauty of Shabbat, and Gabe Boshes, who wrote about success in life

Pictured above: Penina Benjamin, who wrote about being a lifeguard, and Mia Weiss, who wrote about being a proud Jew

Pictured above: Macks Kroll receiving feedback from Mrs. Arons as he completes his poem, and Natan Rine, who wrote about being a successful student

Student presented to their peers about ancient religions.

Freshmen in Mrs. Rachel Polsky's World History class are learning about ancient religions that were not tied to a particular land or place, and which spread across the ancient world. This week, students took turns presenting on various ancient religions, discussing their origins, their history and the way they spread through the ancient world, their core beliefs about society and social structure, and ways that each religion altered existing belief systems.

Pictured above: Maydon Mosbacher, Ella Alter, and Jacob Leonard discussing the origin and spread of Buddhism

Pictured above: Ron Lev Hameiri and Matan Gavant discussing the origin and spread of Christianity

Students taught their peers about Jewish life.

On Wednesday, Student to Student club members travelled to Chicago Hope Academy to educate their peers there about Jewish life and what it's like to be a Jewish teen today. ICJA students presented on Jewish life cycle events, kashrut, Shabbat, Israel, and antisemitism, and answered students' questions - in all over 250 Hope students learned about Judaism and got the chance to speak with our students.

Pictured above: juniors Zahava Volkov and Yakira Wittlin and sophomore Zachary Kupietzky presenting to students

Pictured above: Hope students having fun acting out a scene from a mock Jewish wedding

This week saw three Wrestling meets.

The Ida Crown Wrestling Team had another busy week. On Monday, the Aces traveled to Arlington Heights to take on Catholic League stalwarts Nazareth and St. Viator. Freshman Netanel Rosenbaum (106), Senior Adin Jones (138), Sophomore Eitan Spolter (165), Sophomore Ari Shyovitz (165), and Junior Ayden Starck (215) all claimed victories against Nazareth. Against host St. Viator, Rosenbaum and Spolter added wins.  

On Wednesday, ICJA hosted Chicago Academy. Freshman Sam Perkins (106), Junior Megill Hamieri (126), Sophomore Mijael Mora (132), Jones, Spolter, Junior Levi Madoff (165), Finkel, and Starck led the way with decisive wins. The Aces claimed their first dual meet victory of the season, 48-24, over the visitors.   

On Thursday, the Aces hosted regional rivals Westmont and Walther Christian and posted convincing team wins against both. Against Westmont, Freshman Ruvi Gurvich (113), Hamieri, Jones, Spolter, Shyovitz, and Starck (215) all posted convincing victories on the way to a 40-30 match victory. In the nightcap against Walther Christian Mustangs, Rosenbaum, Gurvich, Hamieri, Freshman Max Madoff (138), Jones, Junior Gabriel Nudman (157), Shyovitz, Levi Madoff, and Starck were victorious. The Aces won the match with a total score of 53-22. (Pictured above: Eitan Spolter in the match against Westmont)

The team's season continues next Thursday against Maine East.

Freshmen learned and discussed life issues together.

On Thursday, freshmen came together for their regular Lifnai v'Lifnim programs. These are times for all freshmen boys and all freshmen girls to come together as groups and have fun engaging in workshops and activities designed to help students get to know one another and grow both socially and spiritually.

This week, boys enjoyed delicious potato kugel and discussed the concept of listening to Hashem. Students learned sources and shared their personal feelings about davening and listening to Hashem.

Girls enjoyed a chocolate fondue bar while they continued their weekly tradition of hearing from two different classmates. Maddy Goltz and Kaylia Klein shared details about themselves, showed their classmates family photos, and discussed whom they consider their role models and why. Afterwards, other students wrote down reflections on pieces of paper and gave them to Maddy and Kaylia. The girls' program concluded with students sharing brachot they'd like to give each other (pictured above).

Thank you to our Mechanchim for running this meaningful regular program.

Pictured above: freshmen boys enjoying potato kugel with Rabbi Menachem Rosenbaum

Pictured above: Maddy Goltz sharing details about herself

Pictured above: freshman girls discussing chesed with Mrs. Alise Gold

Pictured above: Kaylia Klein presenting about herself

Pictured above: students learning and discussing listening to Hashem with R. Mendy Greenfield

Pictured above: Ayden Frankel, Ozzie Zeffren, and Sam Perkins learning with Rabbi Rosenbaum

Freshmen boys and their relatives davened at Telshe Yeshiva last Sunday.

Last Sunday freshmen boys and their relatives gathered together at Telshe Yeshiva for davening along with over 200 peers, followed by breakfast and learning together.

After davening, the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Keller, shlita, addressed our group. He expressed his admiration that our boys woke up early in order to join the 7:30 a.m. minyan, and he offered heartfelt brachot for our continued success in Torah learning and avodas hakodesh.

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.

ICJA teachers learned cutting edge teaching methods last weekend.

Last Sunday, Rabbi Menachem Rosenbaum, R. Mordy Greenland, Mrs. Alise Gold, Mrs. Ayala Zimmerman, and Mrs. Lynn Kraft travelled to New Jersey to attend a conference at Lifnei v'Lifnim on "The Heart and Soul of Teaching Torah in the Age of AI" (pictured here).

Our teachers joined educators from around the world to discuss best practices in engaging students and helping pupils grow in their social, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual lives.

This week we caught up with the popular teacher and chair of ICJA's History Department and asked him a few questions about himself.

ICJA's History Department chair - and popular history teacher - Mr. Joshua Cooper is a beloved fixture at ICJA. 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 Glencoe and attended New Trier High School before going away to Colorado College where I majored in Philosophy.

Today I again live in Glencoe, with my wife Jeannie and our sons, Jason, who's 14, and Jonah, who's ten. My wife is a teacher also: she teaches Social Studies at Buffalo Grove High School and also helps shape the AP as a member of the AP Human Geography Test Development Committee.

How did you decide to become a teacher?

My mother was my inspiration: she grew up in a poor home and was valedictorian of her high school class. Education enabled her to get a good job and escape poverty. I realized that education is a wonderful way to help people to lead fulfilling and satisfying lives.

What do you love about ICJA?

I've been teaching here for 23 years and I love the community here. Not only the community of students but the adults too. The teachers and administrators here feel like they're on the same team.

Can you describe a favorite ICJA memory?

I have a few! One is years ago when we had a student who was also named Josh Cooper. He even looked a bit like me. I got to play him during the senior-faculty basketball game. The seniors won, but it was a lot of fun.

Do you have any hobbies?

Yes, I enjoy travel, sports, and Korean food. Our most recent trip was last summer: my wife and kids and I visited Ethiopia and Tanzania, which was fantastic. Sports I particularly enjoy are ultimate frisbee and field hockey.

What advice do you have for students?

The same advice that (former Associate Dean) Danny Harris used to give: Do your best, be nice, and move on.

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.