Cover Story

DREAM COME TRUE

from page 87

provided to take on leadership roles. This year, these
The 21 young people graduating from JAMD on
philanthropic funding to make pluralistic day
roles include co-presidency of the Spanish club,
June 10 are in the process of choosing from among
schools a reality.
which has adopted a bilingual preschool in Detroit.
many of these elite colleges and universities.
"We have very good evidence over the last half-
Horowitz is the only JAMD student this year, and
"They are a super-motivated group of bright
century that Jewish day schools provide the strongest
one
of the few teens in metro Detroit, to participate
kids,"
said
Rabbi
Buckman.
possible environment not only for disseminating
in this year's annual March of the Living, which
About half of JAMD's seniors — 11 in all —
Jewish education but also Jewish identity," said
takes teens to Poland each year to commemorate the
Jonathan Woocher, president of the New York-based went to Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit
Holocaust before ending in Israel. Because of the
in Farmington Hills, a K-8 day school associated
Jewish Education Service of North America.
world situation, Detroit's Federation is not sponsor-
with Judaism's Conservative movement. Five came
"Our society provides many opportunities to learn
ing a delegation this year, so Horowitz signed on
to JAMD from Orthodox day schools, either in
about the larger world," Woocher said. "Day schools
with
a team from Florida.
metro
Detroit
or
elsewhere
in
the
United
States,
and
provide the opportunity for students to gain fluency in
Not all JAMD graduates came to the school for its
the remaining five graduated from secular schools,
Jewish culture so they can continue their lives with a
opening year. Monica Woll of West Bloomfield, who
real knowledge of Jewish texts, a real understanding of either public or private.
went to Hillel Day School, attended Andover for
JAMD 12th-grader Jason Garden of West
Jewish history — and, most importantly, Jewish values
two years before making the switch as a junior.
Bloomfield was looking for a place to further his
that have not only been taught, but also caught."
"I wanted to be part of the Jewish community,"
Jewish education and strengthen his Jewish roots
The Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education
said
Woll. "Plus, I know, for me, I'm a lot more
when
he
signed
on
as
a
sophomore
that
first
year.
(PEJE) provided JAMD with a startup grant of
motivated
in smaller classes.
"I
was
also
looking
forward
to
being
a
pioneer,
$250,000, one of only two matching grants it
"The JAMD teachers care not only about your
doing something special, starting up clubs, begin-
approved for day high schools throughout North
studies, but what's going on with - you outside
ning sports teams," said Garden, who attended
America. The Boston-based organization, a collabora-
school. You don't have to be super-motivated to
Hillel through eighth grade and completed ninth
tive initiative of philanthropic partners committed to
come here — if you're not motivated, a lot of the
grade at Andover High School in Bloomfield
strengthening Jewish day school education in North
times they'll motivate you."
America, also provided an experi-
Senior Vadim Avshalumov, who
enced madrich (leader) to shepherd
went
to Yeshiva Beth Yehudah in
the fledgling school through its first
Southfield, said JAMD teachers
three years.
really know about what they're
"We were thrilled with everything
teaching, and they care about their
they did during the period of the
subjects."
grant," said PEJE program officer
Bonnie Hausman, who coordinates
the organization's high school pro-
Staff Matters
grams.
When asked to name their favorite
Robert Aronson, Federation's chief
teachers, JAMD students rattle off
executive officer, said the Jewish
the names of nearly all 36 members
Academy "has already made tremen-
of the staff.
dous contributions to the Jewish
But one whose name comes up
community.
again and again is Jerry Gutman,
"Their students have a vastly
who teaches global politics, econom-
increased sense of Jewish responsibil-
ics and Advanced-Placement
ity," said Aronson, who serves on
Government as well as coordinating
the school's facilities committee.
all
the school's advanced placement
"They take very seriously their com-
programs.
mitment to Israel as shown by their
Gutman came to JAMD with 40
participating in the Washington
years of experience in public educa-
Danniell Nadiv, 15, of Huntington Woods prays in tefillin and a tallit as part of the •
March for Israel and their partner-
tion, including 20 as department
egalitarian minyan.
ship with a school in the Central
chair of social studies at Oak Park
Galilee. They give their own time to
High School. He went on to direct
visit the sick and elderly. Their
the Center of Advanced Studies and
knowledge and respect for Jewish
the
Arts,
a
half-day
program that brought together
Township.
life and texts is profound."
students from five Oakland County public school
Garden said he found exactly what he was looking
Along with proven effectiveness in imparting Jewish
districts for classes their home districts couldn't pro-
for — and more.
education, day high schools can have great success in
vide.
"It's a very diverse group of students," he said.
teaching secular subjects, as indicated by the college
Not every JAMD student is a high achiever,
"Everyone is interested in learning about everyone else."
acceptance rates of their graduates.
Gutman
said.
Before
joining
JAMD,
Adam
Horowitz
of
West
PEJE researchers prepared a chart last summer list-
"JAMD
is not going to be a Cranbrook, a
Bloomfield
had
always
attended
public
school.
ing colleges and universities attended by graduates of
Country Day, in the sense that you have to take a
"In my freshman year at West Bloomfield High
the class of 2002 at six high schools receiving PEJE
School, I became more and more interested in really battery of tests to get in," he said. "We have kids
support. Among the many schools on the list were
who have some academic problems, some sort of
learning to speak Hebrew," Horowitz said. "A lot
Boston University, Brandeis University, Brown,
learning disability.
came from my involvement with BBYO [B'nai
Columbia University, Harvard University, Oberlin
"I ask myself, 'What do they need to know?'
B'rith Youth Organization]."
College, University of Michigan, University of
Whatever
the situation, whoever the kid, I'm not
After
his
bar
mitzvah
at
Congregation
Shaarey
Pennsylvania, Vassar College, Yeshiva University and
going
to
teach
them nonsense."
Zedek,
Horowitz
said,
he
"completely
forgot
every-
Yale University, along with numerous deferrals to
This will be the last year at JAMD for Carim
thing I learned."
attend universities and yeshivot in Israel.
Calkins, who has worked part-time as biology and
"Now I can speak Hebrew, chant Torah, pick up
physics instructor and part time as director of cam-
anything written in Hebrew and understand it."
pus affairs since the school opened.
A Sampling Of Seniors
Horowitz also enjoyed the opportunity JAMD

CC

5/ 9

2003

88