The Place To Be

Majority of Jewish Academy's new students come from public schools.

DIANA LIEBERMAN

Special Writer

I

f any doubt remains about the future of the
Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit,
there was no sign of it on the face of Rabbi
Lee Buckman on the evening of Aug. 24.
Before introducing Israeli pop diva Neshama
Carlebach to an audience of about 250 students,
family and friends, the head of school gave copies
of the Tanach (Bible) to his 65 new enrollees.
The history of the Jews in the United States has
been one of ever-increasing assimilation, he told
them. "You are the first generation that is going
to reverse that trend."
JAMD begins its fifth year with 165 students in
grades 9-12 — a 20 percent rise over last year's
opening-day enrollment of 137.
But it's another statistic that fuels Rabbi
Buckman's optimism — about 60 percent of the 65
new students came to JAMD from public schools.
"It's really remarkable in an age when so many
young people are running away from religion to
see so many embracing religion on an intensive
level," said Rabbi Buckman, head of school since
before JAMD opened its doors in August 2000.
The Carlebach concert, held at Jewish
Community Center in West Bloomfield's
Handleman Hall, was sponsored by JAMD board
member Dr. Joel Kahn of West Bloomfield and
his family. The event followed a hectic week of
registration, orientation and team-building activi-
ties for the new students.

Why They Came

"I wanted a change — I like my friends but I
wanted to meet new people," said ninth-grader
Augusta Morrison of Huntington Woods about
her decision to enroll in the Academy from
Norup Middle School in Oak Park.
Morrison, who called her first days at JAMD
awesome," had never gone to a private school,
much less one with a dual curriculum. "I don't
know a lot of Hebrew, but, because it's a small

"

school, it seems like there will be a
Here To Stay
lot of support, a lot of give and
President Larry Garon of
take," she said.
Franklin has a few ideas
Leah Hurvitz of West Bloomfield
about why young people
entered the school this year as a
from public school back-
10th-grader. "I want to get in touch
grounds are choosing JAMD.
with my Jewish roots," said Hurvitz,
"We now have shown
who spent ninth grade at Andover
the community that we are
High School in Bloomfield
here to stay, through our
Morrison
Hurvitz
Township. She decided to make the
stellar college prep secular
change after spending time at
curriculum and our success
Tamarack Camps' Western trip last
in the art and sports —
summer with friends who already
our children are getting
attended JAMD.
into the best colleges,"
Ninth-grader Rachel Goutman of
Garon said. "And they are
Commerce Township, an Orchard
Jewishly involved. They
Lake Middle School graduate, heard
know what it is to be a Jew.
glowing reports about the Academy
They will one day end up to
from members of her BBYO chapter.
be leaders in whatever corn-
Her friend Samantha Freedman of
munity they end up in."
West Bloomfield didn't know anyone
Word also has gotten
at JAMD — but she's looking for-
around that JAMD students
ward to "getting a better education"
have superb relationships
and to working with the school's ten-
with their teachers, Garon
nis coach.
said. "They are always treat-
Teacher Rabbi Baruch Lazewnick
ed with great respect by
has seen an increasing number of
their teachers, and that
students like these, who come to
respect goes both ways."
JAMD without the all-encompassing
In the last decade, the
Hebrew, Bible and ceremonial back-
largest growth in Jewish
ground students acquire at Jewish
Rabbi Buckman Freedman
day school enrollment has
day schools, such as Yeshivat Akiva
been at the high school
or Hillel Day School of
level, according to Steven Kraus of JESNA, the
Metropolitan Detroit.
Jewish Education Service of North America.
JAMD has no trouble bringing them up to
"There have been certain community day
speed, he said.
schools that have really taken off," said Kraus,
"They take to it like a duck to water," said
who is JESNA's director of day school, congrega-
Rabbi Lazewnick, who teaches an Introduction to
tional and communal education initiatives. "And
Rabbinics course to integrate non-day school stu-
Detroit has been a very strong example."
dents into the Academy's rigorous dual curricu-
JAMD provides "a quality education, with top-
lum.
notch administrators, teachers and programs," he
The school will begin a study to determine
said. "It's a very happy place, a very intimate, fun,
"more than anecdotally" why students choose
exciting type of place. And they've been able to
JAMD, Rabbi Buckman said.
do it very quickly." ❑

Scholarship Fund Raised

The Jewish Academy of Metropolitan
Detroit has an extra $500,000 for scholar-
ship grants, courtesy of the Sam and Jean
Frankel Tuition Assistance Challenge Grant.
Last year, the Frankels promised to match,
dollar for dollar, any amount over $300,000
raised by JAMD toward tuition assistance
from Aug. 1, 2003-July 31, 2004. The
match was capped at $500,000.
"We raised a total of $800,000, so we

9/ 3
2004

16

have actually increased our scholarship fund
by $1.3 million," said JAMD president
Larry Garon. Tuition is $14,500.
The scholarship challenge was in addition
to a $20 million endowment fund set up by
the Frankels.
The Frankels will repeat the challenge
grant for the coming year, Garon said.
"We are extremely grateful to them, and
appreciate the wholehearted support they've
given the school," he said.

— Diana Lieberman, special writer

