girls are taking math, not at Akiva,
offerings," said Gordon. "This gives
but at Oakland Community College.
her more opportunities to show col-
Isaac Lakritz, who has three chil-
leges what she can do."
dren at Akiva, said he is troubled by
Not everyone is dissatisfied with
Akiva's high school. A 1998 graduate,
the school's "level of education, which
Miriam Segelbaum, now a freshman at
needs to be upgraded in many signifi-
cant areas."
Lakritz said he has tried to
motivate other parents to join in
efforts to make changes but has
concluded that most people,
including board members, are
hesitant to rock the boat.
"I know a number of people
who would like to enhance cer-
tain aspects of the school, yet do
nothing," Lakritz said.
Parents who moved their chil-
dren from Akiva in the past year
say it was done mainly to provide
more academic and extra-curricu-
lar opportunities.
Richard Stiennon transferred
his son from Akiva to public
school after seventh grade
because "Akiva doesn't have the
resources for high school."
Sarah Gordon would have
preferred to keep her ninth grade
daughter, Elizabeth, at a Jewish
day school but transferred her
from Akiva to West Bloomfield
High School this year.
"Akiva is a great school, but
we were concerned about how
Rabbi Karmi Gross leads a class.
colleges see a school with so few

Wayne State University, said she liked
everything about Akiva, especially its
atmosphere.
Executive Committee member
Janis Roszler has four children at
Akiva, including a daughter in ninth
grade. She likes the sense
of family and school
spirit there. Although
satisfied, Roszler con-
cedes that she would like
§ to see Akiva grow and be
able to offer a greater
variety of courses and
teachers.
Junior Shira Traison, a
Hillel graduate, trans-
ferred to Akiva this year
from West Bloomfield
High School. "I liked
public school but I wasn't
learning enough Jewish
and wanted to be in a
Jewish atmosphere," she
said. "I'm really happy I
switched because I like it
a lot. I don't get to pick
between five different
English classes but my
English class is an AP
class here."
According to its cata-
log, Akiva offers AP
English, AP biology and
AP American history "in
years when there is suffi-

cient interest and demand" for them.
Lake and Gross declined to provide
information about the number of
Akiva students taking AP exams each
year and their average scores. They also
declined to provide average Scholastic
Aptitude- Test (SAT) scores or results
from other standardized tests adminis-
tered at Akiva.
However, in an October interview,
Gross said, "The high school is really
excellent. Academically, there have
always been stars, and we're finding
the kids are very good. We consider
this a college prep program, and our
record is stellar. Our SAT scores are
always 100-200 points above the
national average, and our acceptance
rates into colleges are very high. Our
acceptance rate at U-M is incredible."
Adding that top yeshivas in Israel
were "beating down our doors" to
recruit Akiva students for post-high
school programs, Gross said the school
should be judged by its end product,
the graduates.
"I couldn't be prouder of the
type of student coming out of
Akiva," he said. "They're bright,
committed and knowledgeable. In
general, we hear phenomenal feed-
back from our graduates."

Teacher Turnover

Faculty turnover is relatively high and

The Challenge Of Money

A

kiva needs to raise over a
million dollars — and
quickly — if it wants to
move into its new build-
ing by fall 1999.
Last summer, the United Jewish
Foundation purchased the
Congregation Beth Achim building
in Southfield and said that Akiva
could use the space rent-free.
However, the school is being
required to pay for maintenance
and the renovations necessary to
transform the building from syna-
gogue to school.
According to Akiva President
Michael Greenbaum, the school has
received pledges of approximately
$825,000 so far and hopes to raise
$1.2 million more. That is in addi-
tion to the $1.35 million expected
from the sale of Akiva's current
building to developer Jeffrey

Surnow, assuming Surnow obtains
zoning approval to build a shop-
ping center on the site.
Of the $825,000 raised,
$450,000 came from the estate of
Sue Ann Jacobs, a woman who was
not directly connected to Akiva,
but had relatives involved in the
school. According to Greenbaum,
Dr. Richard Krugel, Federation
Planning and Allocations steering
committee chair, was Jacobs' physi-
cian and suggested a bequest to
Akiva when she came to him
requesting advice about her estate.
Akiva also received a major gift
from Irving Palman, who
Greenbaum described as "an elderly
man who has befriended Akiva."
Greenbaum noted that the capi-
tal campaign, launched a few
months ago, is not interfering with
Akiva's regular fUndraising efforts
for operational expenses. Although

he did not provide details, he said
revenues from Akiva's recent
"Chinese Auction" fundraiser were
comparable to past years. Akiva also
holds a fundraising dinner each
spring and for the past year and a
half has been bringing in additional
revenues by operating a weekly
bingo game in Madison Heights.
In an interview last February,
then-President Stuart Teger would
not provide detailed donor infor-
mation, but said that Akiva raises
more than half its funds from peo-
ple who are not Akiva parents or
alumni.
Asked his strategy for raising the
$1.2 million for the new building,
Greenbaum said, "We have a
prospect list of people we approach
for direct solicitation, and we are
also approaching board members,
the parent body and alumni."
Because Akiva is a constituent

agency of the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit, while the
Federation's Allied Jewish
Campaign is held, the school's capi-
tal campaign and regular fundrais-
ing efforts (except for the bingo
games, which continue year-round)
for operational costs now are on
hold until the end of March.
Akiva plans to start renovations
of the building this winter, on the
assumption that it will raise the
remaining funds while the work
proceeds.
Renovations will include wiring
the entire building for the Internet
and installing athletic facilities.
Since. 1980, Akiva has been located
on Southfield Road in the 71 year-
old former Anne Lathrup
Elementary School, which is consid-
erably smaller than Beth Achim and
costly to heat and maintain. Fl

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