Detroit in Farmington Hills administers
MEAP, Metropolitan and Iowa tests as appro-
priate to its first- through eighth-graders. The
Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit, a
West Bloomfield-based Jewish high school that
began this year with ninth and 10th grades,
recommends its students take Ile MEAP test,
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Preliminary
Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT), Advanced
Placement Test (APT), and the ACT and
PLAN college admission tests. Southfield-based
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, whose students range
from nursery through grade 12, administers the
PSAT and MEAP, and encourages high-school-
ers to take the SAT.
Li
Dr. Charles Domstein
The Akiva Family
Ironically, even though the academic curriculum
hasn't met the expectations of some parents over the
years, traditionally, Rabbi Tsaidi says, most Akiva
graduates been accepted at their first-choice colleges
and college-level yeshivot. The majority of the
school's graduates choose to attend school in Israel
for their first year.
Daniel Greenbaum of Southfield, one of this year's
12 Akiva graduates, will attend Yeshivat Hakotel in
Israel. He will then join countless other Akiva gradu-
ates at the University of Michigan.
Georgette Kleiman of Southfici i, who graduated
in 1998, transferred for next year from Stern College
Rabbi Yi gal Tsaidi
in New York to Columbia University's School of
Engineering. 1999 graduate Irvin Schlussel of
Southfield attends the Wharton School of Business
at the University of Pennsylvania.
"Rabbi Tsaidi has brought a renewed energy to
Akiva," says Leslie Kleiman, Georgette's father.
"Both he and Dr. Domstein are very qualified at
what they do."
Kleiman's youngest daughter, Cara, was a member
of Akiva's b'not mitzvah class. His middle daughter,
Audrey, studies in Israel.
Akiva parent Michelle Stiennon of West Bloomfield
says her oldest child left Akiva after seventh grade for
public school because of limited resources for older
students at the private school. Now in 10th grade, he
continues his Judaic learning with a partner.
As far as her future plans for her fifth- and sec-
ond-graders, only time will tell, she says.
"The upper school suffers from the fact that it's
so small," she says. "There are still things to be
improved -- some parents feel there's not enough
emphasis on English education — but the school
seems to be on the right track."
"I am constantly impressed with what my chil-
dren know," says Laurie Goldmeier of
Southfield. "The current administration is reflec-
tive of what Akiva parents are. They represent all
the good things I want for my kids. My children
are proud of being Orthodox Zionist."
Other Voices
This week, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit raised Akiva's $419,000 allocation for 2000-
2001 to $435,760 for 2001-2002. Last year's special -
Federation grant of $250,000 may be renewed next
fall for $150,000-$200,000, says Jordana Weiss, the
Federation's assistant director of planning and
agency relations.
The special grant is intended to assist the 37-year-
old school during a cash shortfall situation, to allow
rebuilding the fund-raising base and increasing the
enrollment.
"They've already made significant progress toward
STRIVING on page 16
Yeshivat Akiva's 2001 b'not mitzvah
class members included Mika Wexler,
Southfield; Shira Borzak,
West Bloomfield; Kayla Carmen,
Cara Kleiman, Netta Schechet,
Hattie Platt and Vicki Beneson,
all of Southfield; and Leora Flatt,
Ahuvah Blumenfeld and
Dena Cohen of Oak Park.
Akiva sixth-grader Cara Kleiman of
Southfield enjoyed the b'not mitzvah
class even though it was after school
and involved more homework.
Kleiman learned about Leah in the
Bible, "how nice she was and what
mitzvot she did."
In addition to the Akiva ceremony,
Kleiman's family celebrated her corn-
ing of age in December with a Friday
evening service at the school, where
she presented a d'var Torah (speech
about that week's Torah portion). The
next morning, they sponsored a
Kiddush and luncheon at their syna-
gogue, Young Israel of Southfield.
After the May 10 event, the
Schechet family of Southfield celebrat-
ed the bat mitzvah of their daughter,
Netta, with a private party on May 13.
The class "sets you on the right path
for adulthood," Netta Schechet said.
6/22
2001
15