One of the many moving stories that Mr. Starck told our students was how his parents tried to help him save his tefillin by giving them to him to hold just before they were forced off the cattle car that had transported them to Auschwitz. Mr. Starck was forced to give up his tefillin in Auschwitz. Later, the Chuster Rav, one of Mr. Starck's fellow prisoners, was able to find a tefillin shel yad, and Mr. Starck's first act after liberation as a free man once again was making the bracha over tefillin.

Students in Rabbi Simkovich's junior girls' accelerated Talmud class are learning Masechet Megilla.

Toibeh Sarah Gersten explained that the class had learned how Elisha became known as Elisha "Ba'al Knafayim" - Elisha, "Man of the Wings."

When the Romans decreed that anyone putting on tefillin would be killed, Elisha resisted and wore tefillin. A Roman soldier witnessed him breaking the law in this way and began chasing Elisha.

Running for his life, Elisha removed his tefillin and held them in his hand. When the Roman soldier demanded to know what was in Elisha's hand, Elisha replied he was holding the wings of a dove. Miraculously, his tefillin changed into a dove's wings, saving Elisha's life.

Pictured above: Audrey Perlman. Pictured below: Charli Ernstein asking a question, with Kayla Kupietzky next to her, and the class listening to Rabbi Simkovich.

Students in Rabbi Rosen's sophomore boys' Prophets class studied the episode of the Witch of Endor from Samuel Aleph this week.

Rabbi Rosen discussed the role of Divine revelation in Judaism. "Part of the uniqueness of Judaism... (is) we're the only one of the major religions in which there was a mass revelation" to the entire Nation of Israel, instead of to a few select disciples or prophets, as is the case in some other religions.

Pictured below: Millo Benmelech (left) and Hayden Gradstein (right)

Students in Mr. Sears' Conceptual Physics class this week put the lessons they've learned about movement into action this week, coding a realistic movement of a ball hitting a wall and then bouncing off of it.

Using the software language VPython, students predicted the path a ball would take.

Pictured right: junior Jordyn Baker's program

Pictured below right: juniors Jordyn Baker and Rachel Adar

Pictured left: junior Zachary Miller working on his code

Students in Mr. Sears' honors physics class held their egg drop this week, dropping eggs from a height of 8' in holders that they created.

Pictured left: junior Emma Felix drops her egg from off a ladder in the physics room

Pictured below left: juniors Moshe Osgood and Rina Yahav with their egg holder

Pictured below right: juniors Yonatan Nudman, Daniel Carl and Josh Felix

Some student reports on the egg drop experiment are available to view online.

Juniors Gabe Simon's and Avi Zeller's report can be read here.

The report of Juniors Yael Kolsky and Adina Margolin - whose egg did not so much as crack - can be read here.

Juniors Emma Felix's and Carmel Schreiber's reports can be viewed here.

Students in Rabbi Isaacs's sophomore boys' Chumash class discussed a link between Parshat Beha'alotecha and Parshat Shlach, which follows it.

Parshat Behaalotecha describes Miriam contracting tzaarat after speaking lashon hara. Students consulted Rashi and discussed Rashi's comments that the spies described in Parshat Shlach should have learned from Miriam's example and refrained from speaking lashon hara.

Students also discussed the fact that lashon hara is damaging to the speaker, whether or not their words directly harm the object of their slander.

Pictured above: Rami Ripstein, discussing Rashi's comments.

Students met for Israel Advocacy Club on Wednesday, April 27, and bade goodbye to the graduating seniors, for whom this will be the last meeting.

Seniors Sarah Friedman and Hannah Rothner (pictured below) gave a presentation updating club members about current events, including recent aggression from Israel's Lebanese border.

At the conclusion of this week's ICGC meeting, board members presented gifts and tributes of appreciation to the club's graduating seniors.

Pictured right: sophomore Jordana Zwelling with senior Maya Wasserman.

Pictured below left: sophomore Jordana Zwelling with senior Carly Sorscher.

Pictured below right: sophomore Julia Bellows with her sister, senior Laura Bellows.

Mrs. Lynn Kraft, ICJA's Tanach Chair and Mechanechet, and Mrs. Alise Gold, Mechanechet, were accepted into the OU's Foundations of Community Mental Health Support Fellowship. The program is comprised of weekly remote classes throughout the Spring and Summer, and includes a conference during the Summer for in-person learning.

The Fellowship teaches educators about common psychological problems, supportive counseling skills, and the impact of distressed family relationships, and provides support and guidance to educators in helping students and others facing mental health challenges.

Click here for more information about the fellowship. Yasher koach Mrs. Kraft and Mrs. Gold!

My father, HaRav Ben-Tzion Rosenthal, z"l, represented a legendary paragon of brilliance, "hasmoda" (fervor) and "Ahavas Torah" (love of Torah). His raison d'etre always underscored the importance of "mesiras nefesh" (overcoming obstacles) for Torah learning, even in the most difficult circumstances...

At the age of 18 my father received semicha from HaRav HaGaon Zvi Yechezkiel Michalson, z"l and from other well-known rabbonim in Warsaw.

When I was about 10 years old, I tried to read the sefer that my father wrote, "Tenuvas Tziyon."

The only part of the sefer that I could decipher was the preface... I still remember the sinking feeling that I experienced when I read the paragraph about my father's first wife and two children.

In his sefer "Tenuvas Tzion" my father prefaces the tragic loss of his family by citing a pasuk from Tehillim: לוּלֵ֣י ת֭וֹרָתְךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ֑י אָ֝֗ז אָבַ֥דְתִּי בְעׇנְיִֽי (If I had not delighted in your Torah, I would have been lost in my affliction - Psalm 119:92).

My father's two daughters, Frayda (5 years old) and Feiga (7 years old) died of starvation in Siberia. A year later, my father's first wife was niftar (passed away). My father writes: "I resumed learning Torah with a great diligence. I taught shiurim to several students. The zechut of Ahavat HaTorah saved me from falling into despair."

In the aftermath of his tragic loss, my father eventually ended up in Samarkand, where he was appointed "Chacham" (spiritual leader) by the the Buchara Yidden. In the capacity of their "Chacham", my father built a kosher mikva, and taught them how to...sell chometz.

...I would be remiss if I did not share the following miraculous story... My father relates an unbelievable story that took place at the beginning of WWII.

Suddenly, the Nazi became silent. The picture of the Amshinover Rebbe was in his hand. Quietly and respectfully, he examined the picture. He kept muttering to himself "A Yid from the East". He quietly returned the picture and ordered me to go outside. (P.S. If anyone wants to see the picture, you are welcome to contact me. - Mrs. Wainkrantz.)

Before learning in Warsaw, my father learned in the city of Zembrove (with) Reb Dov Menachem Regensberg, z"l. HIs son, HaRav Chaim Dovid Regensberg, z"l, the Rosh Yeshiva of HTC, helped my father immigrate to Chicago... My father eventually became the Rav of Congregation Shaarei Torah Anshei Maariv...

Most importantly, my father did not give up on rebuilding his family. After the war, he married my mother in the city of Katovitz, Poland. Several years after their chasuna (marriage), my parents were blessed a baby girl....

My father, z"l, was always passionate about Emet (truth). That encompasses Torah Emet, an honest approach to learning Torah...that does not allow shortcuts or superficiality.

Also, steadfast Emuna (faith) that (God) is always there even when He seems to be hiding.

In the words of the Klausenberger Rebbe, z"l, "We now have the responsibility to fill the void left by those 6 million and all that they and their offspring would have accomplished."

And in the words of Rav Michael Ber Weissmandel, z"l, who cited the words in the Kedusha prayer, "Let us make a Kiddush Hashem in this world - just as the 6 million who died Al Kiddush Hashem (for the sake of G-d) are sanctifying Hashem's name up in the Heavens."

Wednesday, the 26th of Nisan, April 27, 2022, by Debra and Kenneth Polin and Family in loving memory of Donald Aaronson, z"l.

For more information or to sponsor a day of learning, please contact our Director of Development, Deva Zwelling, at (773) 973-1450 ext. 115, or dzwelling@icja.org.

Sophomores & Juniors, we are excited to announce that this year's Sophomore & Junior Fridayton will take place on Friday May 13. The Fridayton will include a trip to Skyzone in Vernon Hills as well as a Friday night Shabbat program, including davening, dinner, and oneg. Drop-off and pickup from school on Friday will be at regular times.

The cost of the event is $40- please sign up here by Monday, May 2. We hope that everyone can attend!

Students can submit poetry, prose, essays, photography and more. Click here to submit your work.

(Charlotte's Web is supported by the Susan and Joseph Ament Fund.)

ICJA parents" join with other day school parents as we celebrate our unified commitment to Jewish education and come together in support of the 2022 JUF Annual Campaign. Click here to register.

IDP is calling all high school students: Bnei Akiva Chicago is flying to New York! For more information, phone Ari at 773-407-9628 or click here to sign up.

Click here to reserve a place or sponsorship.

Over Chanukah, ICJA gave its Class of '21 alumni a Chanukah gift: a brand-new directory that lists ICJA alumni who live in Israel and have graciously offered to open their homes to recent ICJA '21 grads who are currently spending a gap year in Israel this year.

The directory was sent out to the emails of '21 grads that we have on file. If you have any questions or would like to update our contact information to help recent ICJA grads obtain a copy, please contact Dr. Yvette Miller, ICJA Director of Communications, at ymiller@icja.org.

We are still taking submissions from alumni who are willing to host, to include in future copies of this directory.

Win-win! You can support Ida Crown Jewish Academy, while shopping via Smile.Amazon.com