Jewish identity, community, and personalized learning made Smith the right choice for the Goldstein family.

As we looked ahead to the fall and saw how much our youngest two were learning at their Jewish preschool, we realized we wanted them to continue that experience into kindergarten. Once we made the decision to enroll them at Smith, transferring our oldest two felt like a natural next step. From the very beginning, we’ve felt welcomed into a community of families who share our Jewish values.

While some might have concerns about a smaller school, we’ve found the opposite to be true. The smaller class sizes give teachers the opportunity to really engage with each child — quickly understanding how they learn and the best ways to connect with them. We especially appreciated participating in our daughter’s student-led conference, which gave her ownership over her learning and created space for open dialogue between student, parents, and teacher — reflecting the strong partnership that defines the Smith educational experience.

Some of our most meaningful moments have come through shared Jewish experiences. The fourth grade Havdalah ceremony — where the class sang the blessings they had practiced together in beautiful harmony and shared artwork they created — was truly special. Whether it’s Davening & Donuts on Wednesday mornings or Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday afternoons, these moments are constant reminders that our kids are exactly where they should be. We recently asked Jordyn what has been the most surprising thing for her at Smith and she said, "Hebrew class, it's my favorite!"

At a time when our community faces real challenges, we believe one of our most important responsibilities as parents is to help our children develop a strong Jewish identity. When they head out into the world, we want them to know who they are and what they stand for. We feel confident that the education and values our children are gaining at Smith will prepare them not only to navigate challenges, but to be sources of light wherever they go.

Aaron and Michelle Goldstein joined the Smith Jewish Academy community seeking a strong Jewish and secular education for their children. Today, they are proud parents of four daughters at Smith and active leaders in the Twin Cities Jewish community, where they work to strengthen Jewish life for future generations.

We’re so grateful to the Goldstein family for sharing their “Why Smith” story and helping others see what makes this community so special. If you’d like to share your own Smith story, we’d love to hear from you.