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5 Cheshvan 5780
October 23, 2020

Dear ICJA Family:

Shabbat is coming, as is the culmination of another successful week of learning. But as you know, it has been a week of challenges as more students are out of school either because COVID of concerns. Most cases have been when a student or family member shows symptoms that are COVID-like and remain at home until an alternative diagnosis is given or a negative PCR COVID test is returned. 

We truly appreciate everyone’s continued cooperation. We know it’s not easy, but if everyone is careful both in and out of school, we will continue to meet in person. Yet, we have one more request that can help many more students stay in school – please get a FLU SHOT! Why? Because the flu may cause COVID-like symptoms, everyone can be in school if you can avoid the flu.

Monday, we will be sending a brief survey to all of our parents and students to receive some interim feedback on how things are going. When you receive it, please take a few minutes to complete the form. Your feedback is important to us!

As per the Illinois State Board of Education, our locker bays have been closed since we reopened in August. As a result, our students have been schlepping their things from class to class. And it’s not been easy, and we appreciate their flexibility. But what about their winter coats? On Tuesday, we will be setting up coat racks for students to use. Students will be assigned to a specific coat rack based on their first-period classroom. The coat racks will also be spaced out so that there won’t be a lot of students gathering in one place to hang up their coats. 

One more thing is happening as the weather continues to change, no one wants to spend time outside in the tents, which means that students will be inside for their free periods and will need to reserve a space for their free-periods. The office sends out a link every week, but in case you missed this week’s email, here is the link – https://www.signupgenius.com/go/icja_week_10-26 . But please remember, these free periods cannot be used as places for eating lunch. In the building, lunch may only be eaten in students’ assigned rooms and with adult supervision. 

Candle Lighting tonight is at 5:36 pm. And I invite you to listen to this week’s drasha – it’s about failure and the necessary “grit” to move forward. Click here to listen.

Have a great Shabbat. 

Stay safe, stay connected, and be inspired!

LAM
Rabbi Leonard A. Matanky, Ph.D.
Dean, Ida Crown Jewish Academy 


4 Cheshvan 5780
October 22, 2020

Dear ICJA Family:

A few years ago, in an attempt to reach out directly to all of our students, I began holding semi-monthly Town Hall meetings for all of the grades. Each week I meet with a different grade to share some current information about the school and hear from them concerns and questions, ideas and suggestions.

Today I had met with the Junior girls and thus completed meeting with the 12th and 11th grades. Most of the meeting was talking about different aspects of school impacted by COVID restrictions. How we need to be extra careful at lunch, the need to be concerned not only in school but also at home, who needs to stay home, who needs to quarantine, and who can come to school – many of the topics I addressed in yesterday’s update.

But I also asked them to think of ways to connect outside of classes and not only on screens. While it’s true that more than 40 students came to a zoom Israel Advocacy Club meeting this week, and tonight is a Keshet Peer Buddy meeting, we need to find ways to do things that are safe but not on screens.

One of the examples I gave them was an art project that Mrs. Wainkrantz did with her classes. In the past, this project was done in the Art room. But this year, it was in the wrestling room, where we have tables and chairs set up, and each student could be creative and safe. It was a great lesson that she offered and a model of how things can stay the same despite the differences. 

I hope that in addition to the programs that we are working on, our students will use their creativity to suggest ideas to us. As I told them – please share whatever they can imagine with either their mechanichim (Mrs. Gold, Mrs. Kraft, Rabbi Fox, and Rabbi Stromer) or with our activity programmers (Rabbi Fox and Mrs. Zeffren). 

Earlier today, you should have received an email from me about registration for our upcoming parent-teacher conferences (November 8). If you did not see that email, please be in touch.

Also, yesterday we began to promote our major recruitment event, our Open House – November 18. This program promises to be a great event, and we need your help to spread the word to all prospective ICJA families. https://www.icja.org/admissions/open-house/. Please help ICJA to continue to grow!

Next week is a big week for many of our seniors who face the November 1st early decision college deadline. At ICJA, we have put a one-week moratorium on tests and major assignments for our 12th graders to let them focus a little more on the critical task before them. We wish them success in completing their essays and their applications.

Tomorrow is a “short Friday.” Dismissal is at 1:58 pm. We skip 2nd period, and in the afternoon, periods 10, 11 & 12 meet. Candle Lighting tomorrow is at 5:36 pm.

Stay safe, stay connected, and be inspired!

LAM
Rabbi Leonard A. Matanky, Ph.D.
Dean, Ida Crown Jewish Academy


3 Cheshvan 5780
October 21, 2020

Dear ICJA Family:

Today has been a great day, as I had a chance to visit some classes and see some great teaching in action – especially AP bio where I learned more about ATP then ever before. But this has also been a day where there has been an increased level of concern regarding the spread of the pandemic.

Bli ayin ha’rano student, nor member of faculty or staff has tested positive for COVID. However, just as the rest of the country has experienced an increase, our community has as well. Two parents have tested positive (their children are quarantined), and students at some of the other high schools who are friends of our students, have also tested positive.

It is for this reason that we continue to be grateful for your vigilance and support. But it is also the reason that I want to reiterate a few very basic rules.

1. Please take the self-wellness check very seriously! If you have any of the following symptoms: Fever, Loss of Taste or Smell, Trouble breathing, Sore throat, Diarrhea (if new and no other cause) or a Cough DO NOT COME TO SCHOOL. Contact Dr. Green rgreen@icja.org or me lmatanky@icja.org and arrangements will be made to remote in and next steps will be explained.

2. If you were in direct contact with a person who tested positive, you may have to quarantine for 14 days – let us know. But if you were in direct contact with a person who was in direct contact with a person tested positive (i.e. you were “twice removed”) and you do not have symptoms – you can be in school.

3. Masks and social distancing in not only for inside the building. It is best if masks and social distancing can also be observed outdoors whenever people are present. 

Currently there are two sources of the spread in our community – gatherings of friends and smachot where people are not socially distanced and masked. If you choose to participate in either type of these events you are risking not only your health but the health of your family and the school community.

PLEASE help us fulfill the Torah requirement of ונשמרתם מאוד לנפשותיכם – of creating a safe and healthy ICJA community.

On a lighter note, tomorrow is picture day (outside) and there will be a 11th grade girls Townhall meeting in the gym during 5th period.

Also, please keep your eyes open tomorrow for a special email with instructions how to sign up for parent teacher conferences.

Shabbat Shalom, stay safe, stay connected, and be inspired!

LAM
Rabbi Leonard A. Matanky, Ph.D.
Dean, Ida Crown Jewish Academy


2 Cheshvan 5780
October 20, 2020

Dear ICJA Family:

I was walking down the hall this morning when I was stopped by Mrs. Pederson and Rabbi Drutman, who said: “you just missed a great class!” Which is not that unusual because great classes happen all the time at ICJA. But Rabbi Drutman and Mrs. Pederson teach in the afternoon and not in the morning. 

I must have looked puzzled, so they explained that they were coming back from Mrs. Pogonitz’s Chumash class, where they are studying about Noach and the rainbow. 

During class, Dr. Kahan had taught a Ramban, and then Mrs. Pogonitz added several other commentaries. During math, Mrs. Pederson will demonstrate the veracity of light refraction with Snell’s Law, and Rabbi Drutman will deal with the physics of a rainbow. Kol Hakavod to these teachers, especially Rabbi Drutman, who conceived of this cross-curricular project of Math, Chumash, Navi, Rishonim, Achronim, geometry, trigonometry algebra, calculus, and optics. What a great learning experience!

Earlier today, our 12th graders who will be inducted into the National Honor Society, were informed of this honor. Mazal tov Ayden Allswang, Alyssa Amrami, Noa Brasch, Noah Brody, Pelah Cohen, Shira David, Aharon Falk, Daniella Glass, Benjamin Grey, Enon Gurvich, Abigail Koenig, Dafna Kutliroff, Ronen Lavi, Samantha Levy, Meira Linzer, Dahlia Matanky, Simone Miller, Zoe Nussbaum, Sarah Rosenblum, Rachel Schwartz, Isaac Shiner, Tali Yeger and Isaac Zipperstein.

Tomorrow morning, the 9th-grade boys will begin their day with a special program with Rabbi Fox and Rabbi Stromer. It will occur, socially distanced, in the gym, and include some learning, some games, and then outside for a special treat.

Tomorrow is also an early dismissal day. We will skip 8th period, and school will conclude at 4:58 pm.

Please don’t forget that Thursday is picture day. All students need to be in appropriate school uniform for their pictures – which will be taken outside in our tents.

Stay safe, stay connected, and be inspired!

LAM
Rabbi Leonard A. Matanky, Ph.D.
Dean, Ida Crown Jewish Academy 


1 Cheshvan 5780
October 19, 2020

Dear ICJA Family:

Welcome back to week #8 at ICJA! Since my last update, four more students have enrolled in our online band program, nearly 40 ICJA girls participated in the ICGC Motzaei Shabbat Zumba program, 54 students participated in a Student to Student orientation (including 19 from other schools, including RZ, Glenbrook, Payton, Jones, Highland Park and three from out of town!), we’ve held two more town hall meetings, and our in-school all-school mincha met for the first time! 

This is just another way of describing that our students continue to learn, connect, be inspired, and even thrive despite the challenges of COVID. All of which would not be possible without the exceptional faculty, staff, parent body, and students of ICJA. Your commitment to maintaining every student’s safety and finding new ways to make the ICJA experience meaningful, enlightening, and, yes, enjoyable is amazing.

Nevertheless, we must remain vigilant in protecting all who enter our building. For this reason, we need your help to make sure that if a student or a household member develops any symptoms that might be COVID-like, the ICJA student remains home and remotes into classes. If you have any questions about remoting in, please contact me (lmatanky@icja.org) or Dr. Green (rgreen@icja.org). 

But this is not just true of students, because we ask this same level of vigilance from all of our staff. For this reason, from time to time, a teacher may have to teach from home. Whenever that happens, we will ensure that an adult is in the classroom overseeing both safety and technical needs. (BTW we are always on the lookout for TA’s for classes. If you know of someone who might be available to work either in the afternoon or the morning and has good technology and organizational skills – please let me know.)

Tomorrow is an early dismissal day. We will skip 3rd period, and school will conclude at 4:58 pm.

Finally, tomorrow is the first day of the 38th World Zionist Congress. One hundred and twenty-three years ago, the first Congress took place in Basle, Switzerland, and was presided over by Theodore Herzl. This Congress will be for the very first time virtual, and presided over by Avraham Duvduvani, the first Religious Zionist to sit in “Herzl’s Chair.” But even more, because of our Religious Zionist community’s efforts (and our votes), this year’s Congress will lead to greater opportunity and support of our yeshivot and seminaries, communities, and ideals. I am honored to be one of the delegates to this Congress and to watch history being made. We truly live in exciting times!

Stay safe, stay connected, and be inspired!

LAM
Rabbi Leonard A. Matanky, Ph.D.
Dean, Ida Crown Jewish Academy 

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