Upcoming Events

• Wednesday, April 30 - Yom HaZikaron

• Thursday, May 1 - Yom Ha'Atzmaut (all-school chagiga all morning)



• Monday, May 5 - Grandparents Day 1-3:30pm (registration and valet parking open at 12:30pm; see brochure below - click here to sign up)

• Wednesday, May 14 - Torah Awards 6pm

• Wednesday, May 28 - Physics Day for juniors

• Tuesday, May 27 - Thursday, May 29 - Senior Retreat

• Sunday, June 1 - Tuesday, June 3 - Shavuot Break

• Wednesday, June 4 - Study Day (no classes)

• Thursday, June 5 - Wednesday, June 11 - Finals Period

• Sunday, June 8 - Class of 5785 / 2025 Graduation 1pm

• Tuesday, June 17 - Dr. Edward A. Crown Annual Scholarship Dinner honoring Ald. Debra Silverstein (Crown Service Award), Daniel Harris (Crown Leadership Award), and Rabbi Yishai Broner (Educator of the Year) - Click here to register and/or buy an ad (See brochure below: 70% Give-Get credit for all reservations and ads received by May 10; 50% after that date)

Click here to view ICJA's cafeteria April menu.

Students honored Yom HaShoah by reflecting on antisemitism today.

On Thursday, students observed Yom Hashoah with a fascinating conversation between ICJA alumna Alison Pure-Slovin '75, Midwest Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and Jeff Schoep, the former leader of America's largest neo-Nazi organization (pictured above).

Students listened as Mrs. Pure-Slovin asked Mr. Schoep about his formerly extreme anti-Jewish and racist views and how he eventually rejected neo-Nazism and became an advocate for inclusivity and efforts to counter radicalization. Everyone has the power to stop hatred, Mrs. Pure-Slovin noted, and urged students to do all they can to prevent prejudice, bullying, and hatred in their day to day lives.

Students posed many questions following the talk, asking Mr. Schoep about neo-Nazism and antisemitism today.

This program is sponsored in memory of Rabbi Shlomo Hirsch Koller, hy"d and his sister Etka Koller-Cykornik, hy"d, by Sharon and Seymour Gertz and the estate of Margalit bat Rav Shilem Gertz z"l .

Pictured above: junior Gabe Boshes asking a question

Pictured above: senior Simcha Seruya asking a question

Pictured above: sophomore Dov Kaiserman asking a question

Yasher koach to 18 ICJA juniors for being recognized in this prestigious state contest!

Eighteen ICJA students have been recognized by the Letters About Literature competition, a statewide reading and writing contest sponsored by the Illinois Center for the Book, the Illinois State Library, the Illinois Secretary of State, and the Illinois State Librarian. Competing students submit an essay in the form of a letter to an author explaining how a book they wrote resonated with the student and affected their life.

Yasher koach to Jonah Strahlberg who was recognized as a finalist in the competition, and to the following who received Honorable Mentions: Yair Bell, Rivky Belsh, Yoshi Bernstein, Elisheva DeAngelis, Miriam Falk, Zachary Fogel, Eli Fretzin, Esther Fretzin, Ami Gavant, Channie Gelerinter, Yehuda Goldstein, Noam Hellman, Jack Marshall, Natan Miller, Ariella Pullin, Ben Rosenburg, and Avi Rubin.

Yasher kochacha, too, to Mrs. Tirza Kahan, who provided editing and feedback for students' entries and whose 11th grade English classes saw a 100% success rate in this year's contest.

In the wake of Pope Francis' death, students researched previous Papal Conclaves.

With the Vatican announcing an upcoming Papal Conclave to select a new Pope, freshmen in Mrs. Rachel Polsky's World History class decided to brush up on previous Papal Conclaves and the diverse issues they tackled.

Students selected different Conclaves to research, then presented their findings to their classmates, noting the principal Cardinals involved, which issues were addressed in their Conclave, and major decisions that resulted from the Conclave they researched.

(Pictured above: Eli Comrov and Atara Ehrenreich presenting about the Papal Conclave of 1492)

Pictured above: Emily Itzhaki, Shireli Litwack, and Michal Belsh presenting about the Papal Conclave of 1378 which resulted in the Papal Schism

Pictured above: Mijael Pliego, Elior Ginsberg, and Avi Friedman presenting about the Conclave of 1458

Pictured above: Talia Bajtner who presented, along with Abby Monteros and Molly Zayan, about the Papal Conclave of 1655

Students are learning Megillat Ruth before Shavuot.

Freshmen in Rabbi Joel Gutstein's Navi class began learning Megillat Ruth this week, in anticipation of Shavuot next month.

Students took turns reading the Megillah and Rashi's commentary, then explaining and discussing the Megillah's ideas and language.

Pictured above: Mason Gorenstein

Pictured above: Samuel Bajtner

Pictured above: Eitan Spolter

Students analyzed different ways to conduct a marriage ceremony in the Gemara.

Sophomores and juniors in Rabbi Menachem Rosenbaum's honors Gemara class are learning Masechet Kiddushin.

This week they evaluated the complex role of a "pruta" a small amount of money, in the betrothal process. Students learned Tosafot and other commentaries about whether one may pay his bride half of a pruta at the time of betrothal, and promise to pay the balance of the pruta later on.

Learning b'chavruta, students discussed this question with each other and together as a class, bouncing ideas off each other and collaborating to help propel the class's learning forward.

(Pictured above: junior Ezra Mauer)

juniors Michael Matveyev, Yoshi Bernstein, and Natan Miller

Pictured above: juniors Yedidya Bechhofer and Yehuda Goldstein

Pictured above: juniors Ami Gavant and Ben Rosenburg

Juniors discussed the Shemona Esrei's bracha for refuah (healing).

Juniors in Mrs. Lynn Kraft's AJSP class are learning in depth about the brachot in Shemona Esrei. This week, they embarked on learning about the bracha for refuah.

Students brought in their own learning and ideas before diving into sources about this crucial blessing. Students began this week by sharing their own thoughts about why and how humans can ask Hashem for healing, and drew parallels to other brachot they've already explored in class.

Pictured above: Jayden Perlman

Pictured above: Raeli Lopin

Pictured above: Penina Benjamin

Students wrote up their observations of combustion reactions.

Sophomores in Mrs. Chavee Gottlieb's honors Chemistry class are learning about five different types of chemical reactions: Synthesis Reactions, Decomposition Reactions, Combustion Reactions, Single-Displacement Reactions, and Double-Displacement Reactions.

This week, students observed as Mrs. Gottlieb performed various types of Combustion Reactions. Students discussed how they knew that chemical reactions had taken place, how to express the reactions in chemical equations, and wrote up their observations in lab reports.

Pictured above: students observing a reaction

Pictured above: Mrs. Gottlieb lighting dried Licopodium on fire

Pictured above: Aryeh Lowenthal and Ami Appel

Students learned the halachot of using different beauty products on Shabbat.

Sophomores in Mrs. Kochava Yitzhak's Advanced Jewish Studies Program (AJSP) class got a hands-on lesson in the halachot of using various different beauty products on Shabbat.

Students learned the Gemara's different categories of products that one might use on Shabbat, and why or why not they are allowed. They then brought in some of their favorite products and had fun discussing the halacha of using each one on Shabbat. Students placed products that are forbidden d'oraita on one table; and placed products that are prohibited d'rabannan on another table.

In a fun and wide-ranging discussions amidst lots of laughter, students were able to ask about using different beauty products and toiletries on Shbbat and explore why or why not they are allowed.

Pictured above: Naomi Blajchman with Mrs. Yitzhak

Pictured above: Sarah Cherney with Mrs. Yitzhak

Pictured above: Chavi Campbell with Mrs. Yitzhak

This week we caught up with ICJA's new Math Tutor, Mr. Jeff Sirkin, who is available to help students every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Students with questions about math and statistics have a new tutor to turn to. Mr. Jeff Sirkin is available every Tuesday and Wednesday from 11am to 2pm in the Math & Science Commons to help students with homework and test prep.

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

I grew up in St. Louis. Today I live in Chicago with my wife Sandra Sirkin, ICJA Class of 1972, and our daughter, who's an 8th grader at Akiba Schechter.

Where did you work before coming to ICJA?

I attended college in Wisconsin and University of Wisconsin, Madison, then completed graduate degrees there and at Northwestern University.

For most of my career - over 25 years - I worked as an actuary for Aon, one of the largest insurance consulting and brokerage corporations in the world.

I've also worked as a tutor, teaching students math and statistics. I've tutored all ages, from 4th grade through to doctoral students.

Do you have any hobbies?

Yes, I enjoy reading, especially mysteries. I also enjoy walking and biking and playing bridge.

What do you think of ICJA so far?

It's a great place. I encourage students to come see me every Tuesday and Wednesday for math and statistics help. I'm here for you!

This week's learning dedications include:

Thursday, the 26 of Nissan, 5785, April 24, 2025, by Sharon and Seymour Gertz and the estate of Margalit bat Rav Shilem Gertz z"l, in memory of Rabbi Shlomo Hirsch Koller, hy"d, and his sister Etka Koller-Cykornik, hy"d

Wednesday, the 25 of Nissan, 5785, April 23, 2025, by Noam Stadlan and Marianne Novak, Zehavya ‘13 and Hillel ‘19, to celebrate the life of Batsheva Chaya Stadlan, zl, ‘16, on the occasion of her 8th yahrzeit

Friday, the 20th of Nissan, 5785, April 18, 2025, by Betty Weiss, in honor of engagement of Elliot A. Weiss '11 to Amy Marks, M.D.

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.

Watch "Oh the Places You'll Go," our video for prospective students - and share it with people you know who'd like to learn more about ICJA!

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!

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.

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.

Registration and Valet Parking will open at 12:30.

Click here or on the brochure above to register and/or buy an ad for the Dr. Edward A. Crown Annual Scholarship Dinner honoring Ald. Debra Silverstein (Crown Service Award), Daniel Harris (Crown Leadership Award), and Rabbi Yishai Broner (Educator of the Year)

70% Give-Get credit for all reservations and ads received by May 10; 50% after that date

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 '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.