Smith Jewish Academy -

We took Grades 3 and up ice skating for some winter fun!

Shabbat shalom! Wishing our families a Midwinter Break as relaxing and fun as fifth grade had out in the snow! ⛄

Hebrew Champion – Aluf Ha’ivrit! We held a schoolwide Hebrew competition in honor of the birthday of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the reviver of the Hebrew language. Mazal tov to all of the finalists and to our winners Ruthie B. and Batya H.!

Our community is one of our greatest teachers.

To expand on first grade’s study of animals, last month SJA parent and veterinarian Colette Friedenson shared her expertise on animal care, modeling responsibility, kindness, and the power of a community invested in student learning.

Just in time for the Winter Olympics, third graders put science into motion and designed, built, and tested snowboards as part of their hands-on learning about forces 🏂

Kol hakavod to the sixth grade classes on the completion of the B'tzalel Project!

The annual project led students on a spiritual and creative journey that culminated in meaningful and beautiful talitot (prayer shawls)/wall hangings and thoughtful presentations as they prepare to become b'nei mitzvah.

See more pictures on our Facebook and Instagram!

📸 Kol hakavod to our 2026 Minnesota Scholastic Art Award photography winners!

Six Smith Jewish Academy seventh and eighth graders were recognized by Scholastic and earned Gold Key Awards, Silver Key Awards, and Honorable Mention Awards, a great achievement at the state level. These photographs reflect careful observation, creative risk-taking, and the confidence to see our world through a thoughtful and expressive lens.

1. The Light Within by Dalia D.
🥇 Gold Key Award

2. Symmetry of Self by Annie B.
🥈 Silver Key Award

3. Ocean Eyes by Miri O.
🥈 Silver Key Award

4. Weeeeeeeee by Benny G.
🏅 Honorable Mention Award

5. Golden Hour by Mia M.
🏅 Honorable Mention Award

6. Evergreen Essence by Noah H.
🏅 Honorable Mention Award

7. Pink Cloud by Dalia D.
🏅 Honorable Mention Award

8. Golden Hour by Annie B.
🏅 Honorable Mention Award

We celebrated Tu B’Shvat, the birthday of the trees, this week with joyful songs, meaningful art, and a festive seder 🌱

ROOTED in Jewish tradition and alive with creativity, our students connected learning, nature, and gratitude, PLANTING SEEDS of responsibility for the world they’re GROWING into.

One word: Naches. We could not be more proud of our sixth graders upon their completion of the B'tzalel Project, a Smith tradition of 31 years! But this is just a sneak peek. ... Check back later this week to see the beautiful talitot and wall hangings the students created in this spiritual and creative journey that is the B'tzalel Project.

🚐 The Gesher Express is off!

We're excited to now offer transportation between St. Paul and our Minneapolis campus. Week 1 of rides was a success, making an exceptional Jewish education more accessible to families throughout our community.

We're grateful to partner with the Minnesota JCC as we bring Smith Jewish Academy closer to home for more Twin Cities families.

THIS is what an SJA education looks like:
📚 Rigorous academics
💡 Creative problem-solving
👫 Students who think deeply and lead with purpose

Third graders dove deep into the study of sea lions and animal enrichment and engineered original enrichment solutions of their own. They presented their ideas with confidence and pride to school staff, then their parents, and finally a Minnesota Zoo representative as part of the ZOOMS STEM Design Challenge.

Best of luck to all of our third grade teams!

#smithja #STEM

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! The SJA seventh and eighth graders completed a successful run of Annie Jr.!

These incredible seventh and eighth graders put on more than a performance. Through our annual seventh and eighth grade play, students integrated visual arts, performing arts, and technology, all while building empathy, public speaking and practical skills, teamwork, and self-confidence.

And just like Annie, our students (and their families!) gain a found family here at Smith Jewish Academy.

Happy closing to the Annie Jr. cast and crew, faculty, and Graceful Monsters Educational Theatre Collective!

Curtain up! 🎭 Annie Jr. is starting now at Smith Jewish Academy, and we’re thrilled to welcome back some of our high school-aged alumni for dinner and a show.

It’s meaningful to see our graduates return to take their seats in the audience, reconnect, and cheer on the next generation of SJA performers. Once you’re part of the Smith community, you’re always part of the Smith community!

To our seventh and eighth graders: Break a leg! ☀

📦 127 boxes packed
🍚 27,432 meals prepped
🧒 75 children fed a daily meal for a year

While school was closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, our community was very much in action.

On Monday, 50 Smith Jewish Academy students, parents, and teachers honored Dr. King’s legacy through the mitzvah of feeding the hungry, volunteering together at Feed My Starving Children.

Guided by Jewish values and inspired by Dr. King’s vision of service and justice, our families are living out the belief that a day on is more powerful than a day off, turning compassion into concrete action and strengthening our shared responsibility to one another.

Today we honor the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., answering his call to lead with compassion, courage, and responsibility to one another.

Ahead of the long weekend, our students marked the day with meaningful learning and hands-on service, turning values into action:

💌 Creating cards for isolated seniors through Friends & Co
🥧 Writing notes to accompany Sweet Potato Comfort Pie deliveries for those facing challenging times
🥪 Preparing 1,000 sandwiches for neighbors in need through The Sandwich Project

Rooted in Jewish values and inspired by Dr. King’s vision, our students learned that service is not a moment — it’s a way of living. When young people are invited to care deeply and act boldly, they help repair the world, tikkun olam, one small act at a time.

Learning from within our community. 🎨 Fifth graders welcomed SJA parent and artist Sarah Weinman, who shared her portrait art and spoke about her journey as an artist. Moments like this reflect the strength of our diverse, talented community and the joy of learning from one another.

🏀 A great moment for SJA Athletics: All four basketball teams won their most recent games! As we reach the midpoint of the season, we’re celebrating the hard work and growth that define our athletics program, where students compete, learn teamwork, and build confidence and resilience across a variety of team sports. 🏀⚽🥏

We loved welcoming pre-K students from Beth El Aleph Preschool to Smith last month — and watching students explore, ask questions, and experience what makes our community so special. Moments like these capture the heart of Smith: a vibrant Jewish day school where every child is known, celebrated, and encouraged to grow.

At Smith, students engage in rigorous academics and rich Jewish learning within a caring, joyful community. As one parent beautifully shared, “I just want to say how grateful I am for this school, this community, and all that we are together.” That sense of gratitude and belonging is something we hear again and again.

If you’re curious about what a Smith education could look like for your child, we invite you to visit, tour, and see it for yourself. We’d love to welcome you into our community.

Learning comes alive when it’s personal. As part of their study of Native American peoples, our second graders welcomed Mr. Seth, who shared his family history and connections to the Ho-Chunk Nation. Students learned about powwows, lacrosse, traditional and modern Ho-Chunk culture, and Mr. Seth's family tree, deepening their understanding and respect for living cultures and lived history.

Take a sneak peek at one of our favorite SJA traditions — the B'tzalel Project 🎨 Our sixth graders are putting the final touches on their talitot (prayer shawls), to be presented later this month.

This annual sixth grade project takes students on a meaningful and personal spiritual journey as they prepare for their b'nei mitzvah through the arts and study of middot (virtues).