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) My Dad, My Depression
In the www.jevvish.com Jbooks
channel, David Mogolov reviews
Lost in America: A Journey with My
Father by Sherwin B. Nuland, who
says he wrote the book to "help me
come to terms with my father ... to
finally make peace with him, and
perhaps with myself"
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Torah With A Twist
Akiva combines religious and secular studies in innovative curriculum.
principal.
Tuition varies by grade
level, with a maximum of
fter three decades in
$8,400 for students in
Jewish education,
grades 9-12. About 20
Rabbi Yigal Tsaidi
percent of those enrolled
took some time this summer
receive scholarships.
to recharge his educational
"Our philosophy is that
batteries in Israel.
no child will be deprived
Just being in the Jewish
of a Jewish education
state is a source of inspira-
because of finances," Dr.
tion, said Rabbi Tsaidi, who
Domstein said. "We work
is beginning his fifth year as
with any family who
educational director of
wants to enroll their chil-
Southfield's actively pro-
dren and feels they can-
Zionist Yeshivat Akiva. But,
not afford the tuition.
in addition, he attended a
While they are waiting to
two-week course for Jewish
hear from the scholarship
day school leaders offered by
committee, which is fully
Ramat Gan's Bar-Ilan
confidential, their child is
University Lookstein Center
in class."
for Jewish Education in the
Among the newly hired
Diaspora.
staff members at Akiva is
Educators there explored
Leon Klein, a former
ways to integrate Judaic and
principal at Larson
general studies — while
Middle School in Troy,
finding ways to use informal First-graders Peninah Barash of Oak Park and Sarah Rubin
who teaches mathematics
education to make classroom of Bloomfield Hills are ready for school at Yeshivat Akiva.
and computer science.
studies come alive.
"It's a real coup for us
At Akiva, this philosophy
to
have him on staff," Dr.
Larry Loewenthal and family of
begins immediately with a pilot pro-
Domstein
said,
"He has shown he
Southfield brought Lookstein con-
gram involving grades 4-6.
can work with students whatever
sultants to metro Detroit for an in-
"For example, when we study
their level. We have a class of eighth-
depth analysis of the school.
about Noah's Ark in Judaic Studies,
Since then, Akiva has continued to graders doing math on a college level
the same students will be studying
— statistics, calculus, advanced
grow in programming as well as in
animals in science," Rabbi Tsaidi
trigonometry — as well as those
size.
said. "In math, they could be learn-
who need a little extra help.
Before school opened Aug. 25,
ing how to measure the volume of
Most Akiva graduates go to Israel
teachers attended workshops to help
the Ark; in music, sing songs about
for a year after 12th grade, Dr.
them implement informal education
Noah, about animals. And, at the
Domstein said, and all who want to
into the curriculum without losing
conclusion, this age group will go to
return
have been accepted for
sight of the school's mission or
the zoo.
delayed
entry to colleges in the
diluting Torah learning.
"We're taking some of those things
United States. For the past few
kids like so much about camp and
years, the majority of the graduates
Progress Report
integrating them into general stud-
have attended the University of
ies," Rabbi Tsaidi said.
Michigan, Yeshiva University in New
Akiva begins the 2004-05 school
What does that mean? Well, for
York
or Yeshiva's Stern College for
year with 332 students: 80 in pre-
the first time, students in Akiva's
Women. Last year, two students
school, 152 in grades 1-6, 100 in
high school can look forward to
chose to go directly to college in the
grades 7-12. Last year's opening day
informal color wars — right on the
United States, one to U-M-
enrollment stood at 309.
Southfield campus.
Dearborn and one to Oakland
"The preschool was larger, even
Yeshivat Akiva has been associated
Community College. ❑
though we eliminated the class for
with the Lookstein Center for about
2-year-olds," said Dr. Charles
four years, when a grant from Dr.
Domstein, Akiva's general studies
DIANA LIEBERMAN
Special to the Jewish News
A
))