AUGUST 17 • 2023 | 31
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is also taking
on the roles of
religious studies
principal and
oversees athletic
and theater
departments.
Weiler said as of
the 2021-2022
school year, FJA
had 18 AP courses and this year
will add AP precalculus, as well
as having two dual enrollment
courses with Lawrence Tech
under the guidance of Rapp.
This year, Weiler said FJA will
again offer the AP Capstone
curriculum based on two
yearlong AP courses: AP
Seminar and AP Research.
This year, just like last
year, students will have the
opportunity to leave the four
walls of school behind and
explore the world around them.
Thanks to a generous grant
from the William Davidson
Foundation, students traveled
last year to live and study with
Native Americans in Montana,
built homes for the homeless
in Portland, and explored
European destinations,
including Prague and Warsaw,
in addition to traveling to
Israel. All trips were framed
by Jewish texts and values and
focused on the identity of each
student.
“It was a huge hurdle to be
able to offer travel experiential
programming the year
after returning to school in
person full time following the
pandemic,
” Weiler said. “
After a
year when many of us did not
even leave our houses, it was
very exciting to be able to offer
our students the chance to learn
through travel.
”
To assuage the jitters of a
student who comes from a
public-school background,
Weiler said FJA offers them
multiple entry points to getting
the feel for attending a religious
school. Zman Kodesh, or holy
times, occur Monday through
Thursday where students have
choices to attend a beginner’s
minyan for prayer. At this
time, they learn the structure
of a prayer service or can
learn about the weekly Torah
portion. Also, Weiler said
there are a variety of levels
of Hebrew, Judaic studies
and Israel education courses
students can choose from to
build upon their
current skill and
knowledge levels.
FJA Director of
Admissions Rachel
Maxbauer said in
addition to getting
an education in
a smaller, more
personalized
setting, families enrolling their
students are seeking a sense
of Jewish community. As the
2023-2024 academic year gets
underway, Maxbauer said she
is already receiving calls from
prospective 2024-2025 students.
“Besides the advantages of
smaller classes where students
and faculty alike can engage
in deep, quality learning,
students enroll here for the
Jewish community,
” Maxbauer
said. “They want to come for
a feeling of safety. They want
an academic experience in a
FJA
Director of
Admissions
Rachel
Maxbauer
FJA General
Studies
Principal
Erika Weiler
ABOVE: Frankel Jewish
Academy juniors enjoy a
camel ride in Israel.
BELOW: Rising Hillel
Day School fourth-
graders Elan Tamaroff,
Ryan Bershas and
Nathan Parker.