IDA CROWN JEWISH ACADEMY

Upcoming Events


  • Monday, May 22 - "Academy Sports Academy," a weekly workshop for boys ages 10-17 at ICJA (see flyer below for more details) - 5:45-7:15pm


  • Tuesday, May 23 and Thursday, May 25 - Boys' Night Seder @Skokie Kollel - 8pm (This a biweekly, recurring activity when school is in session.)


  • Friday, May 19 - Yom Yerushalayim


  • Sunday, May 21 - Concert for Women and Girls with Israeli Singing Sensation Inbar Tabib '95 - 7:30pm (There is no charge but registration is required - click here to register.)


  • Sunday, May 21 - Tuesday, May 23 - Columbus Baseball Tournament


  • Tuesday, May 23 - Bonnie Dayan, z"l Visual Arts Awards winners announced (Please stop by the Art Room to view the paintings that have been entered into the contest.)


  • Friday, May 26 - Saturday, May 27 - Shavuot Break


  • Monday, May 28 - Memorial Day (no school)


  • Thursday, May 30 - Thursday, June 1 - Senior Retreat - click here to sign up (To discuss financial assistance for this event, please email Michael London, mlondon@icja.org.)


  • Sunday, June 4 - Graduation - 1pm


  • Monday, June 12 - Edward A. Crown Scholarship Dinner - click here to register

Evening of STEM Innovation

ICJA students hosted peers from three other schools, showcasing innovative projects.

ICJA’s Evening of STEM Innovation, held Tuesday night this week, was a huge success, as students from ICJA, Hanna Sacks Bais Yaakov, Bais Yaakov HS, and Northwest Yeshiva HS in Seattle showcased innovative prototypes they’ve invented to solve real-world challenges.


Yasher koach to ICJA seniors Ilan Blumenthal for winning Most Innovative prize for his toilet sensor and flusher, Daniel Carl and Zachary Goldberg for winning Best Investment prize for their color sensor for the color blind, and ICJA junior Gabriella Zipperstein and ICJA senior Charlie Singer for winning Best in School prizes for their gas leak identifier.


Thank you ICJA science teacher Mr. Jonathan Keller for organizing this major event. This inspirational program was supported by The Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education.


(Pictured above: seniors Charlie Singer, Avi Zeller, and Daniel Carl)

Pictured above: senior Moshe Drutman explaining his prototype basketball fidget game to hone hand-eye coordination by shooting mini basketballs in a mini hoop

Pictured above: senior Andrew Bersson with the prototype he developed with junior Gabriella Zipperstein of a soap/lotion dispenser

Pictured above: students displaying their projects during the girls' portion of the evening, which preceded the boys section

Pictured above: senior Menachem Reed with the protorypte he developed with senior Yonatan Nudman of a plant watering device that measures the soil's moisture and determines when to add water

Ms. Susan Sennett's Freshmen Western Civilization Classes at the Art Institue

On Tuesday, ICJA's freshmen visited the Chicago Art Institute, connecting a year's worth of learning in Ms. Susan Sennett's Western Civilization Classes to art.

On Tuesday, ICJA freshmen visited the Art Institute, viewing art and artifacts they've long learned about in school, from ancient Greek and Roman art to Medieval arms, Renaissance paintings, and post-War Surrealism.

Pictured above: Jesse Goldberg, Zachary Fogel, Yoshi Bernstein, and Yair Bell

Pictured above: Ariella Pullin, Esther Fretzin, and Libby Bleichman

Pictured above: Gabriel Boshes, Natan Miller, Eli Fretzin, Jesse Goldberg, and Noah Lehrfield

Mrs. Alise Gold's 11th Grade Girls' Chumash Class

Students had a rare chance to perform a mitzvah they've been learning about in Sefer Devarim.

Junior girls in Ms. Alise Gold's Chumash class have been learning Sefer Devarim, and recently presented reports on different mitzvot to their classmates.


Taly Benzaquen's presentation was on the mitzvah of shiluach hakan (sending off a mother bird before gathering her eggs). A few days later, students noticed a bird sitting on her eggs in ICJA's sports field. After receiving Rabbinic advice, the class decided to perform this mitzvah (without taking the eggs: they fulfilled the mitzvah by temporarily sending away the mother bird, who then returned to her nest).


It was a fortuitous case of our students being able to put into practice what they'd just been learning.


Pictured above: Maayan Dallal, Dina Osgood, Shayna Weinstein, and Taly Benzaquen

Ms. Kathleen Kelly's 10th Grade Art Class

Students are completing their unit on portraiture.

This week, sophomores in Ms. Kathleen Kelly's Art class completed pen-and-ink portraits that they've been working on for weeks, learning about shadows, color depth, perspective, and conveying emotion through art.

Pictured above: Ami Czako with Ms. Kelly

Pictured above: Sarah Lipson

Pictured above: Ezra Comrov

Mrs. Heather Hobbie's 9th Grade English Class

Students wrote creative writing pieces based on their visit to the Art Institute.

Freshmen in Mrs. Heather Hobbie's English classes were given an assignment before their trip to the Art Institute of Chicago this week: take a photo of a work of art that speaks to you. This week, students have been writing creative pieces about the artworks they chose. Some students chose to write poems based on their artworks; others wrote stories about what might have occurred before the action depicted in their artworks.

Pictured above: Ori Helman

Pictured above: Max Gorenstein

Physics Day

On Thursday, ICJA juniors headed to Great America to take readings on rollercoasters to analyze later in class.

On Thursday, May 18, juniors headed to Six Flags Great America for Physics Day. Students rode the roller-coasters while wearing sensors to record movement. Later on they will analyze the data they collected in class, measuring the rides' speed, acceleration, and G-force.

Pictured above: Yonah Rubin, Ayelet Appel, Noa Gavant, and Leeya Starck

Pictured above: data sensors

Pictured above: Hayden Gradstein, Sam Gorenstein, Joseph Rothner, and Yaakov Holman

Rabbi Louis Fliegelman's 9th Grade Boys' Davening

Last Sunday, freshman boys and their fathers gathered to daven together at Lincolnwood Jewish Congregation.

Each Sunday, freshman boys' davening teacher Rabbi Louis Fliegelman invites freshman boys and their fathers or other relatives to daven together at a different Chicago-area shul.


Last Sunday, students and family gathered at Lincolnwood Jewish Congregation, where they enjoyed davening then a gala breakfast and learning together.

Pictured above: Aaron Katz with his brother, junior Adam Katz, and father Mr. Lev Katz; Boaz Stopek with his father Mr. Jonathan Stopek and his grandfather and brothers; Noah Lehrfield with his father Mr. David Lehrfield and his grandfather Rabbi Joel Lehrfield, who was rabbi for 58 at the shul; sophomore Eyal Gutstein with his father, Dr. Daniel Gutstein and his brother, senior Caleb Gutstein; and Rabbi Louis Fliegelman

Rabbi Mayer Simcha Stromer's 10th Grade Girls' Accelerated Talmud Class

Sophomores in Rabbi Mayer Simcha Stromer's Accelerated Talmud class discussed what types of light may be used for Havdalah.

This week, students learned Rashi's comments on the sugyiot in Masechet Brachot that address which types of lights may be used to make Havdalah, and what conditions might invalidate Havdalah lights.

Pictured above:Eliana Levine and Simcha Seruya

Pictured above: Ella Kakon

Pictured above: Tali Weiss and Leah Rina Brochin

Senior Girls Invited to ICJA's Yom Hashoah Speaker's Home

On Thursday, ICJA's Yom HaShoah speaker, Rebbetzin Chaya Small, invited senior girls to her home.

Last month, ICJA students heard about the fascinating wartime experiences of Rebbetzin Chaya Small, whose family found refuge during the Holocaust first in Kobe, Japan, then in Japan-controlled Shanghai in China.


This week, Rebbetzin Small invited senior girls to her home to hear more about her experiences, to view her collection of Japanese art, and to eat a delicious home-prepared lunch with her.

Pictured above: Rebbetzin Small showing a Japanese sword to Kayla Kupietzky, Michal Bechhofer, and Adina Margolin

Pictured above: Adina Margolin, Kayla Kupietzky, Hadassah Bernstein, Carmel Schreiber, Michal Bechhofer, Toibeh Sarah Gersten, and Rebbetzin Small

ATT Award Winners

Eight ICJA students were honored at the ATT Annual Meeting Wednesday night - Yasher Koach!

At the ATT Annual Meeting Wednesday night, held at ICJA, eight ICJA seniors received awards.


Hadassah Bernstein and Toibeh Sarah Gersten received Eric & Gale, z"l, Rothner Israel Scholarships.


Michal Bechhofer and Gabrielle Rosenzweig received Yaakov L. Matanky Memorial Israel Scholarships.


Hersch Linzer and Adina Margolin were honored by the Dr. Jack & Dorothy Tresley Memorial Israel Scholarships Program


Menachem Reed received an Ofakim Israel Scholarship.


Yasher koach to our students.

Letters About Literature Winners

Sixteen ICJA juniors were honored in this year's Letters About Literature state-wide awards!

Yasher koach to the sixteen ICJA juniors who received awards in this year's state-wide Letters About Literature competition!


Finalists included:

Shuli Falk, Jacob Friedman, Hayden Gradstein, Adam Katz, Dory Marshall, Arney Neiger, Rena Neiger, Aiden Novick, Yonah Rubim, Jordana Zwelling, and Noa Gavant


Semifinalists included:

Rotem Lavi and Jed Marcus


Honorable Mentions included:

Taly Benzaquen, Bella Schwartz, and Shayna Weinstein

ICJA Alumna in the News

Lily Brasch, '18 was named one of "36 to Watch in 2023".

Yasher kochacha to ICJA alumna Lily Brasch ’18, on being included in “36 to Watch in 2023” by New York Jewish Week. Lily is a role model and activist for those with disabilities, putting Judaism at the center of her work: “My Jewish identity is at the heart and center of everything that I do. People evolve and change, myself included, but honoring my Jewish faith is something that has never waved or changed. It’s at the center of everything I do.”


Pictured above: Lily (center) with her sisters Abby '19 and Noa '21


Read more about Lily in the New York Jewish Week here.

ICJA Uniform Exchange

We're accepting donations of gently-used uniform items at the front desk.

We are collecting gently-used ICJA uniform items for our Uniform Exchange. This program allows students to purchase low-cost used uniform clothing, raising money for ICJA's Parent Academy Associates, and eliminating waste and the amount of clothing that goes into landfills.


If you would like to donate, please bring your gently used items to the front office. Thank you.

ICJA Open House Video

Watch this year's Open House video

for prospective students - and share it with people you know who'd like to learn more about ICJA!

ICJA 80th Anniversary Video

Founded in 1942, ICJA is 80 years old this year. Please enjoy this 80th Anniversary Video which looks back on eight decades of excellence, close bonds, and memories.

Rabbi Berel Wein '50 at the ICJA 80th Anniversary Israel Reunion

Watch Rabbi Berel Wein's '50 inspiring remarks at the ICJA Israel Reunion, Jerusalem, November 2022!

ICJA 80th Anniversary Israel Reunion Video

Watch highlights of our inspiring Israel Reunion, Jerusalem, November 2022!

2022-2023 Learning Commons Passwords 

Be sure to pick up your updated ICJA Learning Commons passwords to access books and journals online!

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.

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.

School Announcements

Click here to purchase an ad and make dinner reservations.
Click here to sign up for the Senior Retreat!
Join ICJA's Raffle to win two tickets to IsraelClick HERE to enter the Raffle(One Raffle ticket $50 - two Raffle tickets $100)Drawing will be June 30, 2023

Community Announcements

The Associated Talmud Torahs of Chicago invites the community to its Evening with the Stars. Join the ATT as it presents student awards at its Awards Presentation and Annual Meeting, on Wednesday evening, May 17, 2023, at Ida Crown Jewish Academy, 8233 Central Park Avenue, Skokie. The program will begin at 7:15 pm. For more information, call the ATT: 773-973-2828.

Student Internship Opportunities


The YU Torah Mitzion Kollel is looking to hire 2 interns: one to help with program logistics and general office work and one for technology.


Program Logistics Intern

Responsibilities include: grocery shopping for events, ordering food for events, and stuffing envelopes for mailings. The work will be on an as needed basis, generally requiring no more than 2 hours on any given week.


Intern will report directly to the Director of Operations, who will meet with the intern periodically to explain assignments.  


Intern must have access to a vehicle.


Technology intern

Responsibilities include: Editing Audio and video clips, uploading media to Youtube and Podcasts, possibly some data entry. This position will include approximately 1 hour of tasks per week.


Intern will report directly to the Director of Operations, who will meet with the intern periodically to explain assignments.  


Familiarity with any form of editing software a plus but not required.


For more information or to apply, please contact Tracy Schultz, Director of Operations, admin@torahchicago.org

Introducing ICJA Bar Association for Alumni

Introducing ICJA Bar Association: a way for ICJA alumni
who are lawyers to form informal connections.

ICJA ISRAEL CONNECT:

Connecting ICJA Alumni in Israel

The first ICJA Israel Connect directory is out.

Last summer, ICJA gave its Class of '22 alumni the second 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.


The directory was sent out to the emails of '22 grads that we have on file. 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.


Ida Crown Jewish Academy
8233 Central Park Avenue
Skokie, Illinois 60076

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