Dream Come 'True

With its first graduating class, JAMD marks
a milestone and builds toward the future.

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DIANA LIEBERMAN
Staff Writer

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some parents may have been nervous
about getting on board, not know-
ing where the school would stand
academically.
"ISACS accreditation gives us
added validity," she said. It also
adds credibility when students are
applying to colleges."
Since its inception, the Jewish
Academy's enrollment has risen to
four grades, with a total of 112 stu-
dents. Rabbi Lee Buckman, head of
school, doesn't want to tempt the
evil eye — but he's guardedly opti- .
mistic that next year will see 40 or
more freshman.
"Over 80 prospective students vis-
ited the school this year," he said. 'As
an estimate, for every two students
who visit a school, one enrolls."

ith a flurry of last-
minute activity and a
lot of hoopla, the
Jewish Academy of
Metropolitan Detroit opened its
doors to a class of 53 freshmen and
sophomores in August 2000.
It was the largest opening-day
enrollment of any multi-stream
Jewish day high school in North
America. Another record was set by
the amount of financial support
from the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit: $750,000 —
more than any other federation had
ever chipped in for a similar school.
Now metro Detroit's only pluralis-
Top row: Adam Greenbaum, Pele Browner, Ari Carmen, Jordan Weiss, Vadim
tic Jewish day high school, located
Avshalumov, Jason Garden. 2nd row: Rabbi Aaron Bergman, Daniel Gonik, Adam
on the Eugene and Marcia
An Auspicious Start
Gardin, Susan Goldis, Jill Salama, Dr. Helene Cohen. 3rd row: Alexis Sack, Frayda
Applebaum Jewish Community
To those in the know, it's tailed
Kresch, Stefanie Blechman, Meredith Cohen, Rabbi Lee Buckman. Bottom: Monica
Campus in West Bloomfield, is
"JAMD" — pronounced "jammed"
Woll, Arica Jacobson, Maggie Lee, liana Goldberg, Deborah Anstandig, Ilanit
ready to graduate its first 21 seniors.
— and, according to its mission state-
Shtull-Leber. Inset: Adam Horowitz
And on May 1, JAMD learned
ment, it's "an independent, coeduca-
that it had received unconditional
tional, Jewish day high school offer-
accreditation from the prestigious
ing a rigorous college preparatory
tion team included members of all segments of the
Independent Schools Association of the Central
curriculum integrated with an intensive Jewish
school community.
States (ISACS), the organization that accredits
Studies
program."
"It's a wonderful process," said parent Dan
Detroit Country Day School, Roeper School and .
JAMD
came into being just as America's Jewish
Kurzman of Huntington Woods, JAMD board treas-
the Cranbrook Schools locally. Led by Dr. Helene
educators were beginning to espouse the idea of day
urer. "It's a validation of the quality of our program
Cohen, head of academic affairs, JAMD's accredita-
school education as the best predictor of continued
as well as a system for self-reflection and growth."
involvement in Jewish society — and to find the
Lori Garon of Franklin, head of the school's par-
Related editorial: page 33
ent council, said that, faced with a startup school,
DREAM COME TRUE on page 88

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2003

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