Upcoming Events

• Wednesday, February 22 - Sunday, February 26 - Ladies Aces' Varsity Basketball RASG Tournament, Miami

• Motzei Shabbat, February 25 - Aces play Harvest Christian for the regional championship - at Walther Christian Academy, 900 Chicago Avenue, Melrose Park, 8pm

• Monday, March 6 - Ta'anit Esther - 2pm dismissal

• Tuesday, March 7 - Purim - no classes (To order an Academy Associates Purim e-card, click here.)

• Wednesday, March 8 - Shushan Purim Program - trip to Whirlyball followed by faculty-student basketball game at ICJA, lunch, and Purim shpeil - Click here to sign up.

• Wednesday, March 8 - ICJA Takes the Stage girls' event: Annie at the Cadillac Theater, 7:30pm

• Thursday, March 9 - Israel Advocacy Meeting with Charlotte Korchak, Director of International Student Programs at StandWithUs Israel

• Wednesday, March 15 - ICJA Takes the Stage, Commemorating the Life of Batsheva Chaya Stadlan, z"l, generously sponsored by The Rella Klepak Foundation for Education in the Performing Arts, 7pm

• Tuesday, March 21 - Springboard Chicago's celebration of 18 Under 18 (including seniors Hadassah Bernstein and Hersh Linzer) at Pinstripes in Northbrook - click here to RSVP.

On Monday, ICJA hosted ATT's Teacher Educational Conference, helping teach best practices.

On Monday, February 20, students enjoyed a day off - while their teachers were hard at work, learning about new innovations in teaching at ATT's Teachers' Educational Conference, held here at ICJA.

The full-day conference featured over 30 different sessions, addressing questions including effective classroom communication, learning styles and strategies, and innovations in fostering a love of learning. Over 300 teachers, including ICJA's, gained valuable insights and new practical skills.

On Monday, students learned about current issues facing Israel from an expert in our community.

During lunchtime on Monday, the Israel Advocacy Club enjoyed a meeting with ICJA grandparent (and parent of alumni) Marc Sommer, president of the pro-Israel advocacy organization and PAC "To Protect Our Heritage."

Mr. Sommer quoted Megillat Esther and drew twelve lessons about advocacy. He explained how we can learn from the way Mordechai and Esther campaigned for and saved the Jews in the Megillah to help ourselves, in modern day times, to advocate against anti-Semitism and on behalf of Israel.

Students shared interactive projects exploring Emunah.

Mrs. Friedman's 10^th Grade Navi students are studying Shmuel I. They reflected on Yonatan's intense emunah, faith and belief in Hashem, through creating interactive collages. Yonatan was willing to take on 30,000 Philistine chariots (the equivalent of modern-day tanks) and 6,000 Philistine horsemen with no one other than his armor bearer because he believed that God can "save through many or through few." Students wrote about Yonatan's emunah and then considered their own faith and connection to Hashem.

Below are a few students' collages. When you click on the glowing buttons, text will pop up explaining the students' own thoughts and connections to Hashem.

Emunah Project by Sarah Levitt 

Emunah Project by Rachel Sommer 

Emunah Project by Dana Kalutsky 

Students analyzed Haman's plan to kill the Jews.

For the past few months, Mrs Pogonitz's freshman boys' honors Nach class has been learning Sefer Esther. As the month of Adar began this week, students are in the middle of perek chet, in which Mordechai and Esther are working with Achashveirosh to prevent Haman's plan for the Jews' destruction.  

Pictured above: Zachary Fogel and Natan Miller learning parshanut b'chavruta

On Wednesday, sophomores learned about suicide prevention and how to identify "SOS" (signs of suicide).

On Wednesday, Erika's Lighthouse co-sponsored a vital program for sophomores, in partnership with Elyssa's Mission, a Chicago-area education program to help empower teens, parents, and others to recognize mental health challenges.

Students learned about "SOS" (signs of suicide) and rehearsed strategies to help support friends and get help from appropriate adults.

"This program taught us what we can do as a friend, and when to tell a trusted adult to get them the help they need." - sophomore Tali Weiss, club leader, Erika's Lighthouse

(Pictured here: Health teacher Mrs. Julie Avner, LSW, speaking to sophomores at the event)

On Wednesday, female students celebrated Rosh Chodesh Adar with an ICGC Chaburah.

During lunch on Wednesday, female students celebrated Rosh Chodesh Adar with a lunchtime Chaburah sponsored by ICGC.

Students enjoyed pizza and a d'var Torah by sophomores Allie Stein and Hadar Simkovich (pictured here). Allie and Hadar spoke about Yosef and Esther and how we can learn from their examples to use our talents in the best ways possible.

Students enjoyed a festive Rosh Chodesh Adar this week.

On Rosh Chodesh Adar this week seniors brought ruach to the school by dancing through the hallways and into classrooms, singing Purim songs. Some even dressed up in costume. It was a fun introduction to a festive month.

Pictured above: senior Noah Fensterheim with Rabbi Leonard Matanky

Pictured above: seniors singing and dancing

On Sunday, February 19, freshmen boys and dads davened at the Congregation Shalom Ahavas Achim.

Last Sunday, February 19, freshmen boys and fathers davened together at Congregation Beth Shalom Ahavas Achim in Chicago. Aaron Katz led tefilla (pictured).

After Shacharit, Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik, the Rav of Kehilat Beth Sholom Ahavas Achim, spoke with our students about his illustrious rabbinic family.

In honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar this week, students and their fathers enjoyed a special bagel breakfast together and shared Purim-themed divrei Torah.

This was the 23rd Chicago-area synagogue that freshman boys have davened in since Rabbi Louis Fliegelman started this Sunday-morning program last year.

Pictured above: Boaz Stopek with his grandfather, Edward Stopek; Rabbbi Soloveitchik; Aaron Katz and his father Lev Katz; and Natan Rine and his father Mr. Yudi Rine

Wrestling Aces Took 2nd at Wittenberg!

Yasher koach to ICJA's Wrestling team for taking 2nd place in Wittenberg last weekend! The Aces triumphed over SAR by a wide margin, losing out to Frisch for the number one spot.

Gabriel Klein (106) and Menchem Reed (113) won their weight classes. Ari Klein (113), Benny Lowenthal (138), Millo Benmelech (170) finished 2nd. Aidan Zuckerman (132), Avi Zeller (152), Phil Maiman (160), and Gabe Simon (220) took 3rd. Moshe Osgood (126), Sam Gurvich (145), and Dory Marshall (182) took 5th. Michael Matveyev (126) was 7th.

ICJA alumnus Ezra Kapetansky '12 wrote about this year's remarkable wrestling season for the Jewish Link; read his article here.

This Motzei Shabbat, the Aces will vie to become the Regional Champions.

This past Tuesday evening, the Varsity Aces basketball team defeated Northshore Country Day, putting them in the running or the regional championship. This motzei Shabbat, February 25, at 8pm, they will be playing against Harvest Christian for the regional championship. The game will be at Walther Christian Academy, 900 Chicago Avenue, Melrose Park.

This week we caught up with ICJA's popular Navi and Biology teacher, Mrs. Beth Pogonitz, and asked her a few questions about herself.

Where did you grow up, and where do you live now?

I grew up in Chicago. My parents also went to the Academy, so my kids are 3rd generation Ida Crown students. My husband and I live in Skokie. Our three oldest kids recently got married, our three middle kids are in college, and our youngest is a junior at ICJA. 

How did you decide to go into teaching - both Tanach and science?

Growing up, my parents' Shabbat table always had lively Torah discussions led by my father, who is a talmid chacham. We would share divrei Torah, and he would send us to look for answers to his questions in the mefarshim. (My students will not be surprised to know that my father's favorite peirush is the Malbim!) Four of my parents' children are now in Jewish education.

My interest in biology was sparked in Mr. Newman's freshman class at Ida Crown, and when I was in high school, I had planned to become a biomedical engineer. Although I ultimately chose to teach Tanach, I continued to take science courses in college, and I have continued to take biology courses as an adult because I just love it. When a section of biology became available for me to teach, I jumped at the opportunity. I am lucky to be in a situation where I can indulge multiple passions.

What do you love most about working at ICJA?

I love my students! They amaze and challenge me, and they make me see the text in so many different ways.

I also love the camaraderie and the collegiality among the faculty and staff. 

And my teacher and mentor, Rabbi Myers, is just a few classrooms away. I knock on his door very frequently to ask him questions!

Can you describe a favorite ICJA memory?

I used to chaperone the varsity girls basketball team to their tournaments. I have so many incredible memories from those trips. 

Do you have any hobbies?

So many! Active hobbies include running and CrossFit. I also love reading, music, theatre, and going to sporting events - whether professional teams or my students' teams. After Rabbi Rosen, I am probably the loudest teacher cheering. (But I don't bring pom-poms like Ms. Goldstein does.)

Is there anything about you that most people don’t know that you’d like to share here?

I first met my husband at a student's hockey game!

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!

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.

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

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

This week's sponsors include:

Monday, the 29th of Shevat, February 20, 2023, by Barbara and George Hanus, in memory of John Hanus, z"l, Moshe Yehuda ben Dovid Ha Lavi, in commemoration of his 55th Yahrtzeit, which is observed on Rosh Chodesh Adar

For more information or to sponsor a day of learning, please contact our Director of Development, Deva Zwelling, at (773) 973-1450 ext. 115, or dzwelling@icja.org.

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.

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 ites 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.

Support ICJA Academy Associates with your Mishloach Manot this Purim!

We have opened submissions for this year's edition of Charlotte's Web, and we want to hear and see your work. Our theme this year is Time: Past, Present, and Future. However, please submit any piece of prose, poetry, or artwork even if it does not align with the theme. We will do our best to incorporate at least a part of it.

Click here to submit artwork and writing. If you have any questions, please email charlottesweb2223@gmail.com.

Charlotte's Web is funded by a grant from The Susan and Joseph Ament Fund.

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

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.