Upcoming Events

• Monday, May 1 - "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 1 and Thursday, May 4 - Boys' Night Seder @Skokie Kollel - 8pm (This a biweekly, recurring activity when school is in session.)

• Tuesday, May 2 - Grandparents Day

• Monday, May 1 - Thursday, May 4 - Girls' Varsity soccer Chicago Prep Conference Tournament

• Thursday, May 4 - Wednesday, May 10 - Boys' Baseball Chicago Prep Conference Tournament

• Motzei Shabbat, May 6 - Motzei Shabbat, May 13 - Girls' Varsity Soccer IHSA Regionals

• Tuesday, May 9 - Lag B'Omer

• Wednesday, May 10 - Charlotte's Web Presentation (see flyer below) - 6pm

• Thursday, May 11 - Oratory Fair - 6pm

• Friday, May 19 - Yom Yerushalayim

• Tuesday, May 16 - CIJE Innovation Fair @ICJA

• 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

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

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

• Sunday, June 4 - Graduation - 1pm

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

Students celebrated Israel's 75th Independence Day with special davening, a visit from Israel's Consul General, learning, fun activities, dancing, and a grand seuda.

On Wednesday, the 5th of Iyar, ICJA was transformed into a wonderland of Israel-related games and activities.

Following a special all-school davening, students heard from and spoke with Israel's Consul General to the Midwest, Yinam Cohen, and his wife Ayelet.

Students enjoyed a festive breakfast, then went to their first period classes to learn sources addressing the question of whether or not it's better to live in galut or in the Land of Israel.

The rest of the morning was devoted to a fun chagiga, as students stopped by various Israeli-themed stations. From building circuits with Mr. Sears as part of a "Start-Up Nation" station, to learning about halachot of the fruits of Israel with Rabbi Michael Myers and Rabbi Reuven Brand, Rosh Kollel of the YU Kollel, to making homemade pita and eating it with homemade hummus, students enjoyed dozens of activities. One highlight was riding Humphrey the Camel in back of the building.

Thank you to Mrs. Alissa Zeffren for organizing this amazing event. Thank you to seniors Charlie Ernstein, Carmel Schreiber, Tehila Weiner, Zach Miller, Andrew Bersson, Adina Margolin, and Toibeh Sarah, and to juniors Evan Comrov, Yonah Rubin, Aryeh Neiger, Rina Neiger, Benjy Baronofsky, Jordana Zwelling, Noa Gavant, and Ayelet Appel for setting up the school. Thank you also to Rabbi Segal, for grilling chicken for the delicious lunch, and for all the teachers who helped fun this wonderful program.

ICJA’s Yom Ha’Aatzmaurlt celebrations are sponsored by the Gertz family in memory of Doris and Paul Rosenberg.

Pictured above: sophomores Ezra Comrov and Avi Meyer, freshman Daniel Allswang, Mrs. Ayelet Cohen and her husband Consul General Yinam Cohen, and senior Caleb Gutstein

Pictured above: seniors Sam Gurvich, Noah Fensterheim and Yaakov David learning with Rabbi Menachem Rosenbaum, Rabbi Reuven Brand from the YU Kollel, and Rabbi Michael Meyers

Pictured above: freshmen Dina Gottlieb and Mina Brandes learning about circuits from Mr. Allen Sears

Pictured above: senior Caleb Gutstein getting into the Yom Haatzmaut groove

Pictured above: juniors Jordana Zweling, Taly Benzaquen, Noa Gavant, and Ayelet Appel, and senior Kayla Kupietzky

Pictured above: freshmen Yair Bell and Judah Well riding Humphrey the Camel

Pictured above: juniors Taly Benzaquen, Ayelet Appel, and Noa Gavant

Pictured above: Counsul General Yinam Cohen, junior Dory Marshall, senior Yaakov David, and junior Millo Benmelech

Pictured above: seniors Rachel Adar and Yael Kolsky riding Humphrey the Camel

At lunchtime, students enjoyed a gala Israeli-style all-school barbecue lunch, with a live band and dancing. The ruach was incredible and students danced up a storm.

Pictured above: juniors Benji Baronofsky and Yitzchak Mishkin at the lunch buffet

Pictured above: girls dancing after lunch

Pictured above: senior Noah Strahlberg and the rest of the boys dancing after lunch

On יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן, Tuesday, April 25, students marked Israel's Memorial Day with Rabbi Reuven Brand, Rosh Yeshiva of the YU Torah Mitzion Chicago.

On Tuesday, יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן, students came together for a morning assembly to remember Israel's fallen, led by Rabbi Reuven Brand, Rosh Kollel of the YU Torah Mitzion Kollel of Chicago. Students listened to Rabbi Brand's descriptions of comforting families of terror victims and watched videos featuring those who've been killed in wars or terror attacks in Israel. Students davened and considered the myriad ways that כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה.

Pictured above: students singing Hatikva during the ceremony

Pictured above: Rabbi Reuven Brand recalling his experiences in Israel

Pictured above: the ceremony's opening slide

Pictured above: senior Michal Bechhofer leading the school in Tehillim

Pictured above: students viewing photos and bios of terror and war victims

Pictured above: senior Ori Wasserman leading the school in a Mishaberach

Students discussed the deeper meanings of the Purim lottery in Masechet Megillah.

Students in Rabbi Leonard Matanky's 12th grade girls' accelerated Gemara class have been learning Masechet Megillah. This week, they took advantage of ICJA's Learning Commons for a change of scene, where they discussed the deeper meaning of Achashverosh' and Haman's decision to decide on a day to anhilate the Jews based on a lottery.

Students are practicing "DBQ" essays ahead of the US History AP test next week.

When students take the AP US History exam next week, they will be asked to construct an argument using evidence from historical documents ("Document Based Questions," or DBQs).

This week they practiced answering the DBQ: "Analyze the extent to which the American Revolution represented a radical alienation in American political ideas and institutions. Confine your answer to the period 1775-1800." Best of luck in the exam next week!

Pictured above: junior Milo Benmelech and Ari Klein working on their DBQs

Pictured above: Gabe Klein and Joseph Rothner working on their DBQs

Students discussed the deal struck between King Shaul and King David in Sefer Shmuel Ale.

Sophomore boys in Rabbi Shlomo Rosen's Navi class are learning Sefer Shmuel Alef.

This week they discussed the complicated relationship between King Shaul and King David, and learned how Malbim viewed King David's relationship with his wife Michal.

Pictured above: Menachem Friedman

Pictured above: Gabe Aberman

Pictured above: Jacob Friedman

Last Sunday, freshman boys and their fathers were invited to daven together at Agudas Yisroel of West Rogers Park.

Last Sunday, students and family gathered at Agudas Yisroel of West Rogers Park, where they enjoyed davening then breakfast and learning with Rabbi Louis Fliegelman, freshman boys' daavening teacher.

Pictured above: Mr. Jonathan Stopek, Boaz Stopek, and Boaz's two younger brothers; Mr. Lev Katz and Aaron Katz, Dr. Mike Gelb and Elie Gelb, Avi Rubin and Dr. Robert Rubin, Rabbi Moshe Scheinberg; Mr. Joel Gorenstein and Max Gorenstein; and Rabbi Louis Fliegelman

Board members said farewell to graduating seniors in the Board's penultimate meeting of the year.

This week ICGC held its penultimate Board meeting of the year. In addition to planning upcoming events, members also said goodbye to three graduating senior Board members.

Pictured above: junior Jordana Zwelling presenting a card of thanks to senior Jordyn Baker

Pictured above: junior Rotem Lavi presenting a card of thanks to senior Adina Margolin

Pictured above: junior Julia Bellows presenting a card of thanks to senior Kayla Kupietzky

Students enjoy lunchtime lessons on piano, guitar, and drums.

Each Thursday during 5th and 6th periods, students can work with a professional music teacher in the ICJA band room, learning how to play - and how to improve - in drums, piano, and guitars. This Thursday, students jammed together as they played Beatles songs and jazz.

Pictured above: junior Jacob Friedman with music teacher Nadav Simon

Pictured above: junior Yitzchak Mishkin

Pictured above: sophomore Rachel Freed and junior Gabriella Zipperstein

ICJA's newest sports program teaches conditioning and core strength to community boys.

On Monday, nearly two dozen middle schoolers and ICJA students participated in ICJA's new Academy Sports Academy (pictured here). The coaches and current members of ICJA Wrestling Team put the participants through a challenging series of conditioning and core strength-building activities, from exercises to relay races to games.

Boys ages 10-17 are welcome to attend the "Academy Sports Academy" each Monday afternoon from 5:45-7:15pm while school is in session.

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.

This week's sponsors include:

Thursday, the 6th of Iyar, 5783, April 27, 2023, Henry ('73) & Lisa Goldberg,

Jonathan ('75) & Gelah Goldberg, and Devorah ('79) & Alan Aranoff in loving memory of their mother, Sonia Goldberg, a"h, שרה רות בת הרב חיים הלוי ע"ה ,on the occasion of her first yahrzeit.

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.

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!

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 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.

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.