Upcoming Events

• Friday, January 10 - Fast of Tevet

• Monday, January 13 - Tuesday, January 14 - Mobile Museum of Tolerance seminars for History classes

• Friday, January 24 - Tuesday, January 28 - Yeshiva Break (no classes)



• Wednesday, January 29 - Classes Resume

Click here to view the ICJA Cafeteria's January Menu.

Seniors enjoyed dinner and a live theater performance.

On Wednesday, ICJA girls enjoyed a delicious Sandwich Club dinner at school, then headed to the Paramount Theater in Aurora to watch a live production of Frozen.

It was a magical, fun evening filled with friendship, camaraderie, and lots of singing.

ICJA Takes the Stage, Celebrating the life of Batsheva Stadlan, z"l, is generously supported by the Ralla Klepak Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Thanks to Mrs. Deva Zwelling and Mrs. Caroline Soffer for arranging this fun event, and to all the chaperones and participants who made this evening so much fun.

Students discussed their favorite children's books - all in Hebrew.

Juniors and seniors in Mrs. Shelley Stopek's Hebrew class gave presentations to their peers today about their favorite children's books. Even though the children's books they discussed were written in English, the language in class was Hebrew, as students explained their books' plots, messages, and why students loved them.

(Pictured above: junior Penina Benjamin)

Pictured above: junior Yaffa Hoberman

Pictured above: junior Caley Gordon

Pictured above: junior Leah Jacobs

Students reviewed major concepts for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data.

AP Statistics students spent this week reviewing materials they mastered over the past semester.

Students discussed categorical and quantitative variables; marginal, joint, and conditional relative frequency; parameters vs statistics; resistant measure; variance and standard deviation; and other topics.

(Pictured above: seniors Yardana Schayer, Avi Meyer, Lauren Fensterheim, Hadar Simkovich, and Yossi Burstyn, with Dr. D'Anna)

Why was man created alone?.

Students in Rabbi Daniel Fox's Talmud class are learning Masechet Sanhedrin. This week they began a new Mishna and discussed a question posed in the text: why was man, unlike animals, created alone?

In an intense, in-depth conversation, students discussed various rabbis' answers why, including fostering unity among mankind and conveying the reality that each and every person contains worlds within them.

(Pictured above: freshmen Menachem Steinberg and Akiva Joseph)

Pictured above: freshman Bennett Kroll

Pictured above: freshman Zachary Kupietzky with Rabbi Fox

Pictured above: freshman Asher Segal

Students experimented to find the relative reactivity of different alkaline metals.

Sophomores in Mrs. Chavee Gottlieb's Chemistry class were asked this week: does the reactivity of alkali metals increase with an increase in atomic number? Students used their knowledge of electron configuration to predict that they would - then conducted an experiment to prove their hypothesis.

Working together, the class observed samples of lithium, sodium, and potassium, then cut and measured pieces of each metal with similar masses and added them to water along with a color indicator. Students then observed the energy released in each experiment and measured the length of time each metal took to react. They found that reaction times decreased when similar sized samples of metals with more layers of electrons, with potassium having the shortest reaction time and expending the most energy during its reaction.

(Pictured above: Ilya Friedman recording data)

Pictured above: the class preparing to measure sodium

Pictured above: potassium sparking and smoking as it reacts with water

Pictured above: Mia Saltzman recording data

Students celebrated the Final Day of Chanukah with a ruach-filled chagiga last week.

Last Thursday, the eighth day of Chanukah, students returned from Winter Break to a day filled with Chanukah celebrations.

Following davening, students enjoyed a doughnut breakfast. During an extra-long lunch time, students participated in a fun chagiga. Students enjoyed music, a gala milchig lunch, dancing, a photo booth, Chanukah cookie-decorating, and games. Students also had the opportunity to do a chesed project, packing bags for Chai Lifeline.

Thank you to the Student Activities Committee and to Student Activities Coordinator Mrs. Alissa Zeffren (who celebrated her birthday at the chagiga!) for putting together such a fun and meaningful event.

(Pictured above: seniors Avi Okner and Avi Meyer with Rabbi Rosenbaum)

Pictured above: seniors Daria Lennon, Talia Linzer, Rachel Sommer, and Dana Kalutsky serving lunch

Pictured above: boys dancing

Pictured above: juniors with Rabbi Daniel Fox

Pictured above: girls dancing

Pictured above: freshmen Dana Stein, Avigayil Loebmann, Ella Jankovits, and Ronit Kinar

Pictured above: seniors Gabe Aberman, Avi Meyer, Zev Margolin, Avi Okner, Koby Engel, and Aaron Hartman

Students learned the history of the number "e".

As students in Mrs. Marlene Wasserstrom's honors Pre-Calculus class begin learning about formulas for exponential functions, they first took out some time to learn the history of the number e, the mathematical constant that is the base of the natural logarithm and exponential function.

Students learned about past mathematicians who contributed to our understanding of e, including Leonhard Euler (1707-1783), John Napier (1550-1617), and Jacob Bernoulli (1665-1705).

Pictured above: sophomore Maya Kutliroff and junior Aiden Rich

Pictured above: sophomores Archer Gradstein and Aryeh Lowenthal

Pictured above: juniors Eli Fretzin and Dina Gottlieb

Students continued Sunday morning davening over Winter Break.

Students continued the Veshinantam Levanecha davening and learning program over Winter Break. They visited ICJA Talmud teacher Rabbi Daniel Fox's shul, Darchei Noam of Glenbrook, in Northbrook, on January 22, and North Suburban Lubavitch-Chabad - Central Avenue Synagogue, in Highland Park, for davening, breakfast, and learning, on January 29.

Last Sunday, students, along with their fathers and other relatives, visited Congregation Khal Chasidim (pictured above), enjoying davening together, then shared breakfast and learning afterwards.



For more information about the Veshinantam Levanecha program, email Rabbi Louis Fliegelman at lfliegelman@icja.org.

Pictured above: freshmen and their families at Darchei Noam of Glenbrook

Pictured above: freshmen and their families at North Suburban Chabad-Lubavitch - Central Avenue Synagogue

Why don't we celebrate an extra day of Chanukah in Galut?.

On the final day of Chanukah last week, sophomores in Rabbi Netanel Isaacs's Chumash class discussed reasons that Chanukah is observed for eight days both in the Land of Israel and in galut.

Students learned the views of Rav Yosef Caro the Hida, Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai, and others about reasons that Chanukah is celebrated for eight days universally, unlike some other Jewish holidays.

Pictured above: Oren Goizman

Pictured above: Asher Gadd

Pictured above: Yair Elbaz

The Wrestling Aces earned several victories this week.

The ICJA continued its season Wednesday evening as it hosted a pair of Chicago public school teams, Sullivan and Roosevelt.

In the opener, the Aces took on a physical squad from Sullivan High School. Sophomore Megill Hamieri (113 - pictured here), Junior Adin Jones (132), Senior Aidan Zukerman (144), Senior Moshe Tarshish (165), Freshman Sammy Bajtner (175), and Sophomore Ayden Starck (215) claimed victories in the match. Sullivan, though, nipped Ida Crown in the final team score, 36-30.

The match against Roosevelt went almost entirely the Aces’ way. Hamieri, Jones, Zukerman, Tarshish, and Starck led the way in notching a second victory on the evening. In addition to their success, Sophomore Noah Ehrlich (120), Senior Avi Chen (138), Senior Jacob Friedman (150), Sophomore Levi Madoff (157), and Freshman Akiva Joseph (132) also emerged victorious. Ida Crown won the match, 54-30.

The Aces season continues on Thursday with a road trip to St. Francis in Wheaton. Next Monday, Ida Crown hosts St. Viator and Hammond Baptist. 

The Varsity and JV Aces wracked up three victories this week.

Yasher koach to the Basketball Aces on winning all their games this week!

On Monday, the Varsity Aces defeated Mooseheart 76-19. (Pictured here: senior Avi Okner during the game)

The Aces continued their winning streak Wednesday evening against Cristo Rey. The JV Aces won 34-13. Afterwards, the Varsity Aces defeated Cristo Rey 63-22.

This week's learning dedications include:

Thursday, the 9th of Tevet, 5785, January 9, 2025, in memory of those lost since October 7, 2023: 824 IDF soldiers; 911 civilians; 76 police officers and ISA agents. The strength of Am Yisrael is in the heroic brave and dedicated soldiers of the IDF that have given so much for our nation. May their memories be for a blessing. We pray that their families are comforted and blessed for the sacrifice they endure.  Sponsored by Jack and Annette Saltzman and family

Friday, the 3rd of Tevet, 5785, January 3, 2025, in memory of our beloved

husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather Stuart D. Perlman z"l

ישראל דוד בן בן ציון ז׳׳ל. Sponsored by the Perlman and Meisels Families

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.

This week we caught up with ICJA's popular Tanach teacher, Mechanechet, and new Assistant Dean for Student Life.

Mrs. Alise Gold, ICJA's popular Tanach teacher and Mechanechet, started her new role as Assistant Dean for Student Life this week. We caught up with her and asked her a few questions about herself.

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

I grew up in Northbrook. I went to Solomon Schechter then attended ICJA; I'm class of 2005.

Today I live in West Rogers Park with my husband Rabbi Yoni Gold and our children: Ayelet, who's 13; Nachi, who's 11; Noam, who's 10; Moshe, who's 7; and Tzipora, who's 5.

How did you decide to go into Jewish education?

I was inspired by my teachers at Ida Crown! One particularly inspiring teacher I had was Mrs. Sorah Weinkrantz. My teachers showed me what it looks like to really love what you're teaching and to show that love to your students.

What's one of your favorite memories of being an Ida Crown student?

When I was a student, I really enjoyed all the Shabbatons I went on. I still have a good group of friends I first met at ICJA who are still my close friends today.

What do you love about working at ICJA?

I love getting to know the students. I love the questions they as, and I enjoy getting to learn with them. I love working with Ida Crown Girls' Club. I also really enjoy the weekly ICJA girls' Shabbat Tehillim group that meets at my house every Shabbat at 4pm. (Any student is welcome to attend.)

How has your first week as Assistant Dean been?

It's been busy, and fun getting to see what goes on behind the scenes. I'm excited and love being a part of the school.

Do you have any advice you'd like to share with students?

Yes! Make the most of your time here with your friends. Really make sure to take advantage of all the opportunities that are given to you!

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

Before I wanted to be a teacher I wanted to be an FBI agent.

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!

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.

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.

Calling all 3^rd – 12^th 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 

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.