Upcoming Events
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Friday, December 20 - Assembly to celebrate Coach Doug Klein being inducted into the Wrestling Officials and Coaches Hall of Fame, 1st Period
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Monday, December 23 - ICJA Florida Get-Together in Aventura, FL (see flyer below - click here for more information and to register)
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Monday, December 23 - January 1 - Winter Break - no classes
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Thursday, January 2, the 8th day of Chanukah - Classes resume
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Click here to view ICJA's December lunch menu schedule. | |
Students showed their creativity during Spirit Week. | |
ICJA students showed their creativity during Spirit Week this week! Monday was "Moody Monday Pajama Day;" Tuesday saw students bringing "Anything But a Backpack" to school; Wednesday was "Wild West" Day; and Thursday was "Throwback Thursday."
From wearing fun pajamas and creative costumes to coming up with hilarious non-backpack options during "Anything But a Backpack" day, students made sure each day this week was filled with humor, ingenuity, and lots of laughs!
Thank you Student Council for planning this fun week!
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Pictured above: sophomore Chavi Campbell and freshman Atara Ehrenreich during Pajama Day | Pictured above: senior Aaron Hartman with his little brother who carried his books for him on Anything But a Backpack Day | Pictured above: seniors Meir Zayan and Ranon Ginsberg on Wild West Wednesday | Pictured above: seniors dressed as senior citizens on Throwback Thursday | |
Pictured above: juniors Natan Rine, Aaron Katz, Noam Hellman, Dani Allswang, and Macks Kroll during Pajama Day | Pictured above: senior Ella Perlman on Anything But a Backpack Day | Pictured above: freshmen Abigail Macias and Molly Zayan, sophomores Meira Shultz and Rose Matatya, and juniors Devorah Kaplowitz and Yaffa Hoberman on Wild West Wednesday | Pictured above: seniors Yaakov Friedman and Meir Zayan on Throwback Thursday | |
Pictured above: seniors Lilac Marcus and Talia Linzer during Pajama Day | Pictured above: sophomore Ryan Angus on Anything But a Backpack Day | Pictured above: sophomore Ayden Starck on Wild West Wednesday | Pictured above: juniors with Mrs. Noa Nussbaum on Throwback Thursday | |
Mrs. Lizi Martin's 9th Grade Girls' Chumash Class | |
Freshmen created multisensory projects describing the 10 Plagues. | |
Freshmen in Mrs. Lizi Martin's Chumash class are learning Sefer Shemot and have been discussing the 10 plagues and analyzing the way each plague is formulated and worded in the Chumash.
This week, students took turns presenting creative, multisensory projects illustrating different aspects of the plagues. Pictured here: a 10-part sweet feast assembled by Emily Itzhaki and Shireli Litwack with each item representing a different plague.
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Pictured above: Emily Itzhaki and Shireli Litwack | |
Pictured above: Atara Ehrenreich | |
Mrs. Marsha Arons's 10th Grade Honors English Class | |
Sophomores learned how to draw self-portraits with artist and former ICJA parent Mrs. Debbie Geller. |
Sophomores in Mrs. Marsha Arons's honors English class are reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelly and are preparing to hold a mock trial for Victor Frankenstein in class.
This week, students welcomed artist Debbie Geller, a former ICJA parent and mother of JV Basketball Coach Jeremy Geller. Mrs. Geller discussed ways that students look at themselves and others and led a workshop in how to draw self-portraits. Students gained new insight in truly looking at themselves and others and enjoyed learning new artistic skills. Later on, the self-portraits will make up the jury in Victor Frankenstein's trial.
Thank you, Mrs. Geller (pictured above), for leading this exciting, hands-on class!
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Pictured above: Shoshana Boshes and Eliana Neiger | |
Pictured above: Caleb Novick conferring with Mrs. Geller | |
Pictured above: Ayelet Klein | |
Mr. Peter Sahyouni's 9th Grade Biology Class | |
Students caused and then observed osmosis in plant cells. |
Freshmen in Mr. Peter Sahyouni's Biology class are learning about osmosis. This week they observed osmosis in the cells of Elodea, a type of seaweed.
Students placed samples of Elodea on slides, added either salt water or fresh water to the plants, then observed the results through a microscope. Students recorded and drew their observations as they watched the salt ions outside the Elodea cells caused water inside the cells to leave through the cell membranes through osmosis.
(Pictured above: Avi Friedman observing cells)
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Pictured above: Mason Gorenstein, Binyamin Friedman and Jonah Krule | |
Pictured above: Miriam Linzer, Adi Gryka, and Michal Belsh | |
Pictured above: Samuel Bajtner | |
Students are learning new instruments in Band. |
Each Wednesday, some students take a weekly Band class. On other days, they and other students practice music in the Band Room during lunch.
This week, students in Band class practiced the song Billy Jean, learning how to play it on guitar, keyboard, and drums.
(Pictured here: teacher Mr. Tommy Veronesi instructing the class)
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Pictured above: Megill Hameiri | |
Pictured above: Archer Gradstein | |
Pictured above: Gabriel Schreiber | |
Mrs. Beth Pogonitz's 10th Grade Girls' Honors Navi Class | |
Students welcomed a special guest speaker. |
On Monday, sophomores in Mrs. Beth Pogonitz's honors Navi class welcomed Mrs. Faith Neuman, Mrs. Pogonitz's sister and a teacher at Bais Yaakov High School.
Mrs. Neuman delivered a powerful lecture about avoiding lashon hara, pointing out that we can't control other people's actions, only our responses to them. Mrs. Neuman delivered some practical advice for avoiding lashon hara: remembering that the way we judge others is the way we will be judged by Hashem. She stressed that we should be compassionate to others and give them the benefit of the doubt, while keeping in mind that most people are not bad people and are not intending to do you harm. Before talking to others, imagining them standing in front of you and asking you not to speak ill of them. Mrs. Neuman also suggested that students learn the Chafetz Chaim's sefarim on hilchot lashon hara.
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Freshmen and their relatives davened together last Sunday at ICJA Talmud teacher Rabbi Joel Gutstein's Congregation Yehuda Moshe. |
Many Sunday mornings, ICJA's freshmen boys' rebbe, Rabbi Louis Fliegelman, arranges for students and their fathers (and grandfathers and other relatives) to meet at a different Chicago-area shul to daven Shacharit together and enjoy breakfast and learning.
Last Sunday, students davened together at Congregation Yehuda Moshe, where ICJA Talmud teacher Rabbi Joel Gutstein is rabbi. Afterwards, Rabbi Gutstein discussed the halachot of mikveh with the group.
For more information about the Veshinantam Levanecha program, email Rabbi Louis Fliegelman at lfliegelman@icja.org.
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Last Shabbat's Senior Shabbaton was a beautiful event filled with meaning and fun. | |
Last week, seniors enjoyed two days of fun during the Senior Shabbaton. After davening on Friday morning, students traveled to Battle House for a fun day of go-carting and other games.
Students prepared for Shabbat, then gathered at a hotel in Northbook for a beautiful Shabbat filled with learning, singing, games, fun, delicious food, and camaraderie.
Motzaei Shabbat students enjoyed a fun arcade night at Scene 75. Thank you to our students, and teachers who worked so hard to make this Shabbaton an amazing success.
(Pictured above: Sarah Lipson, Tali Weiss, and Rabbi Matanky enjoying go carts)
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Pictured above: Nava Dreytser, Tali Weiss, and Sarah Lipson | |
Pictured above: Avner Fraz, Yossi Burstyn, Avi Meyer, Yitzchak Bock, and Avi Chen | |
Pictured above: Baila Lome, Simcha Seruya, and Shei Beiles | |
Rabbi Shmuel Oren's 11th Grade Boys' Navi Class | |
Students discussed the civil war described in Sefer Melachim Alef. | |
This week, juniors in Rabbi Shmuel Oren's Navi class engaged in wide ranging, in-depth discussions about the civil wars described in Melachim Alef during and after the short-lived reign of King Zimri.
Students read the text and discussed events, the recording of history, and what sources we commonly rely on to understand Jewish history.
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Pictured above: Eli Cherney and Aaron Katz | |
Pictured above: Adin Jones | |
Pictured above: Noah Lehrfield | |
Mr. Jonathan Keller's STEM-Engineering Class | |
Students designed and are creating computer-activated electric chanukiot. | |
Students in Mr. Jonathan Keller's STEM-Engineering class designed and printed chanukiot on 3-D printers.
This week, they used Arduino software to program their chanukiot to light up with different colors and different numbers of lights.
When we come back from Winter Break, on the last day of Chanukah, look for the finished products to be displayed in the school lobby.
(Pictured above: Ezra Comrov discussing his chanukiah with Mr. Keller)
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Pictured above: Sarah Levitt and Shei Beiles with their chanukiah | |
Pictured above: Ranon Ginsberg with his chanukiah | |
Pictured above: Eli Gelb with his chanukiah | |
Mrs. Orit Marmel's 10th Grade Girls' Honors Hebrew Class | |
Students gave Hebrew-language presentations on the ways that animals communicate. | |
Sophomores in Mrs. Orit Marmel's honors Hebrew class have been learning how to hold sophisticated discussions about animals in Hebrew, gaining new vocabulary about the animal world.
This week, students demonstrated their proficiency when they took turns giving presentations about how animals communicate with one another. Their work reflected a high degree of research about animals, plus impressive fluency in Hebrew.
(Pictured above: Shira Lavi giving a presentation about ways monkeys communicate with one another)
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Pictured above: Goldie Boyarskiy presenting about pandas | |
Pictured above: Mia Saltzman presenting about owls | |
Pictured above: Sarah Leonard presenting about dolphins | |
ICJA Class of 1981 Reunion | |
Dozens of members of the Ida Crown Jewish Academy class of 1981 gathered in our school last Sunday to reminisce, renew friendships, tour our beautiful new campus, and hear about current ICJA news. Thank you to our many alumni who worked so hard to make this reunion a wonderful success.
Beth (Stillman) Grafman '81 summed up the atmosphere of the event: "My sincere thanks to everyone, and to the Academy, for being an important part of four years that profoundly shaped me and my life."
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Rabbi Shmuel Kurtz's 11th Grade Boys' Honors Hebrew Class | |
Students explained the plot and message of their favorite children's book - all in Hebrew. | |
Juniors in Rabbi Shmuel Kurtz's honors Hebrew class gave Hebrew-language presentations this week about their favorite children's books.
Students chose pictures to create a slide show that depicted their book's story, then described the plot to their classmates in Hebrew. Afterwards, students discussed the moral lesson of the book, again all in Hebrew. Students had a lot of laughs describing the amusing plots of their favorite childhood books.
(Pictured above: Ben Rosenburg discussing Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day)
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Pictured above: Eli Fretzin discussing Creepy Carrots | |
Pictured above: Yoshi Bernstein discussing The Giving Tree | |
Pictured above: Ezra Mauer discussing Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? | |
This Week's Learning Dedications | |
This week's learning dedications include: | |
Friday, the 12th of Kislev, 5785, December 13, 2024, by David & Laura Allswang and family, Elliot & Leah Allswang and family, and Shari & Azi Feifel and family, in loving memory of Harold Allswang, z"l, on the occasion of his 53rd yahrzeit
Friday, the12th of Kislev, 5785, December 13, 2024, by the Yellin Family in loving memory of our aunt Barbara Y. Rosenfield, z"l, Bryna Bat Devora Esther, an extraordinary woman of valor whose kindness, deeds, love and generosity surpassed all boundaries and left an indelible mark on her family and community, to commemorate her third yahrzeit.
If you would like to sponsor a Day of Learning, please contact our Director of Development, Deva Zwelling, at (773) 973-1450 ext. 115, or dzwelling@icja.org.
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Spotlight on ICJA Building Engineer Mr. Luis Rodriguez | |
ICJA's Building Engineer works behind the scenes, ensuring that our school's campus runs smoothly. | |
ICJA's award-winning building and beautiful grounds are kept in good shape by our dedicated staff of maintenance workers, overseen by ICJA's Building Engineer Mr. Luis Rodriguez. This week we caught up with Mr. Rodriguez and asked him a few questions about himself.
Where did you grow up? And where do you live now?
I grew up in Evanston and now live in Skokie with my parents.
Where did you go to high school?
I attended Evanston Township High School. My favorite subject there was auto mechanics. I still like fixing cars, but I don't always have the time for it these days.
What does Building Engineering entail?
I make sure that everything is working correctly as far as air conditioning, water, lights, etc. I also coordinate the facilities calendar here at ICJA.
What do you enjoy about ICJA?
I enjoy everything! I like the fact that it's a nice building and the fact that it's all technology run. I can monitor the school without physically being in front of everything. It's a 21st Century "smart" school.
I also like the fact the kids here treat the building with respect. I've heard horror stories about other places where the students don’t treat the school like it's important to them; here, the students do.
Do you have any hobbies?
Yes. I like playing Spanish music. I'm learning how to play the guitar. I'm also a sound engineer for a small band in Chicago called La Reserva. Oh, and I enjoy playing baseball too.
Is there anything that most people don't know about you that you'd like to share here?
Yes, I don't like having my picture taken.
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New ICJA Prospective Student Video | |
Watch "Oh the Places You'll Go," our newest video
for prospective students - and share it with people you know who'd like to learn more about ICJA!
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ICJA Seniors Israel Mission Video | |
Watch this moving video documenting some of the volunteer activities last year's seniors participated in during their month-long Mission to Israel 2023-4! | |
Learning Commons Passwords | |
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 her to pick up your updated passwords to access our online material. ICJA's subscriptions are available at icja.libguides.com/home.
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Enter to win $1,000 for Reviewing ICJA | |
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. | |
Send Your School News to the ICJA Newsletter | |
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.
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Dear NILI Community,
I am excited to announce the launch of the NILI Teens Leadership Fellows Program, a unique opportunity for high school girls to grow as leaders within the Jewish community. This program is designed to inspire and empower young women to discover their individual strengths, passions, and goals while building leadership skills to make a meaningful impact.
Program Highlights
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Fellows Application Now Open: All high school age girls are welcome to apply.
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Selection Process: The inaugural cohort of Leadership Fellows will be selected by a NILI committee.
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Monthly Leadership Sessions: Fellows will meet once a month to learn together, develop leadership skills, hear from guest speakers, and create impact projects in the community.
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Certificate of Completion: In June, we will honor the cohort’s achievements with a special certificate celebration.
First Meeting: Sunday, December 1st
Application Deadline: November 20th
To apply, please click the button below.
I encourage all high school girls who are interested in this leadership opportunity to apply!
Sincerely,
Alissa Zeffren
NILI Director
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Calling all 3rd – 12th grade students attending an ATT school! It’s time for the Pogrund Family Essay and Judaic Artwork Contests! Demonstrate your writing and/or art skills as you explore a Judaic topic. Winners receive a $50.00 check. Deadline for art/essay submission is Wednesday, January 15, 2025. FOR ESSAY/ARTWORK RULES AND GUIDELINES, visit www.att.org → For Students or call ATT at 773-973-2828 | |
ICJA ISRAEL CONNECT:
Connecting ICJA Alumni in Israel
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The first ICJA Israel Connect directory is out. | |
Last summer, ICJA gave its Class of '24 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.
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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.
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Ida Crown Jewish Academy
8233 Central Park Avenue
Skokie, Illinois 60076
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