It's never too late to celebrate a win — mazal tov to the SJA boys seventh and eighth grade basketball team on their 34-24 championship victory last month! With teamwork, determination, and heart, the Smith Lions rose to the moment and finished strong. Congrats to the champions and all of the SJA basketball teams on successful seasons!
“Shanghai had saved our lives.”
Life was hard — full of poverty, starvation, disease, and, for a time, bombing — but Shanghai, China, is where Manny Gabler survived the Shoah after his parents fled Germany and then Italy, where Manny was born.
Manny told his family’s story to our middle school students yesterday to ensure we can say that we have met a survivor and that we will never forget. He left us with this takeaway:
“This is the second time in my life that I’ve lived under an occupation. The Japanese was one of them, and ICE was the second one. And I want everyone to remember that … what people’s skin color, religion [is], it doesn’t matter: We’re all human beings, and I hope you take that away from this.”
What. An Incredible. Event.
Thank you to all who came out to the Smith Annual Benefit last weekend and supported our mission of making rigorous, joyful, Jewish education accessible for all.
What a delight to go back to school and enjoy mixology, games, live music, delicious food and drink, and more together as a community with a shared vision for a strong Jewish day school that brings academic excellence and Jewish learning to families across the Twin Cities.
If you want to be a part of that impact, you can still give! Join over 260 community members in supporting your community Jewish day school by going to smithja.org/page/annual-benefit.
Thank you to all who came out to the Smith Annual Benefit last weekend and supported our mission of making rigorous, joyful, Jewish education accessible for all.
What a delight to go back to school and enjoy mixology, games, live music, delicious food and drink, and more together as a community with a shared vision for a strong Jewish day school that brings academic excellence and Jewish learning to families across the Twin Cities.
If you want to be a part of that impact, you can still give! Join over 260 community members in supporting your community Jewish day school by going to smithja.org/page/annual-benefit.
.Today was filled with joy as HaMorah Wendy and our eighth graders led the school in spirited song, bringing voices together in celebration of Yom Ha-Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. Our full school community then gathered for a picnic and lively dancing, sharing food, laughter, and joyous pride and love — ahavat Yisrael. ✡️ Am Yisrael chai 🇮🇱
Today, our seventh grade students led a moving tekes (ceremony) in observance of Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. In this shared moment of remembrance, the students helped deepen our collective sense of belonging, responsibility, and connection to our homeland as we honored Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror. May their memories be a blessing.
Last night, over 300 members of our community came “Back to School” for the Smith Jewish Academy Annual Benefit and a taste of the curiosity, creativity, and connection that happens at our school every day. Here’s a sneak peek (more on Facebook!) at our back-to-school photos, and we can’t wait to share more photos showcasing all the fun we had in the classrooms, enjoying live music, fun games, delicious nosh, refreshing drinks, and the company of a supportive and driven community.
Together, we’ve raised over $410,000 through 260 donations, advancing our mission to provide academic excellence, nurture Jewish identity, and foster meaningful connection to Israel.
✨ And you still have time to be counted in the Annual Benefit total!
Head to the smithja.org/page/annual-benefit to make your donation to support academic excellence, Jewish learning, and affordability for families across the Twin Cities.
As Annual Campaign & Benefit co-chairs Sharon and Mark Rosenblum wrote, “A strong Jewish school is the heart of a strong Jewish community.”
Together, we’ve raised over $410,000 through 260 donations, advancing our mission to provide academic excellence, nurture Jewish identity, and foster meaningful connection to Israel.
✨ And you still have time to be counted in the Annual Benefit total!
Head to the smithja.org/page/annual-benefit to make your donation to support academic excellence, Jewish learning, and affordability for families across the Twin Cities.
As Annual Campaign & Benefit co-chairs Sharon and Mark Rosenblum wrote, “A strong Jewish school is the heart of a strong Jewish community.”
Shabbat shalom, and see you on Sunday when Smith goes back to school and celebrates our generous community. It is because of YOU, that together WE can make rigorous, joyful, Jewish education accessible for all.
Fifth grade took on the challenge of life beyond Earth, researching what it would take to live on Mars and bringing their ideas to life through collaborative design.
Working in teams, students explored science, engineering, architecture, and community wellness to imagine sustainable life on Mars. They then translated their learning into detailed 3D colony models, constructed from recycled materials, demonstrating creativity, problem-solving, and a deep understanding of what it means to build not just structures but thriving communities.
WE DID IT! 🎉 TOGETHER! 🎉
Thank you for helping us SURPASS our Smith Annual Benefit fundraising goal of $400,000! Together, our community has raised $401,481 from 230 generous donors, an incredible reflection of shared commitment, purpose, and belief in the power of a Smith education.
There’s still time to take part. Your support helps make a Smith education accessible to all through $1.5 million in need-based scholarships while strengthening the kind of experiential learning that brings knowledge and values to life across every discipline.
No gift is too small, and a donation of any size is your ticket in to our fundraising celebration: The Smith Annual Benefit THIS SUNDAY, April 19.
🎉 Learn more and give today at smithja.org/page/annual-benefit
Thank you for helping us SURPASS our Smith Annual Benefit fundraising goal of $400,000! Together, our community has raised $401,481 from 230 generous donors, an incredible reflection of shared commitment, purpose, and belief in the power of a Smith education.
There’s still time to take part. Your support helps make a Smith education accessible to all through $1.5 million in need-based scholarships while strengthening the kind of experiential learning that brings knowledge and values to life across every discipline.
No gift is too small, and a donation of any size is your ticket in to our fundraising celebration: The Smith Annual Benefit THIS SUNDAY, April 19.
🎉 Learn more and give today at smithja.org/page/annual-benefit
Today we gathered to observe Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). It was a deeply moving day of reflection, education, and honoring the memory of the six million lives lost, while also celebrating the resilience of the Jewish people and empowering the next generation to carry our history forward into a brighter future.
Our sixth grade students led a meaningful multimedia and interpretive tekes (ceremony), weaving together poetry, dance, song, and prayer. Students also learned through discussions and activities in their classrooms to remember our history and collective responsibility to build a world of chesed (loving kindness) and g'vurah (strength).
And tonight, SJA families will light memorial candles bearing the names of individuals whose lives were lost during the Shoah, ensuring these individuals’ memories continue to burn brightly.
May the memories of the righteous be a blessing, and may our students carry them forward with purpose, compassion, and strength.
Our sixth grade students led a meaningful multimedia and interpretive tekes (ceremony), weaving together poetry, dance, song, and prayer. Students also learned through discussions and activities in their classrooms to remember our history and collective responsibility to build a world of chesed (loving kindness) and g'vurah (strength).
And tonight, SJA families will light memorial candles bearing the names of individuals whose lives were lost during the Shoah, ensuring these individuals’ memories continue to burn brightly.
May the memories of the righteous be a blessing, and may our students carry them forward with purpose, compassion, and strength.
As we welcome students back from Pesach break, we're looking back at our holiday preparations, when Smith students got to make their own matzah with Chabad Minneapolis’ Model Matzah Bakery!
From sorting grains and milling flour to rolling out the dough and punching holes into it, students got to engage in the step-by-step process of making matzah. This hands-on experience allowed the students to connect deeply with the process, the purpose, and the story of Passover.
We welcomed Good Shepherd fifth graders to join ours for a mini seder to experience and learn about Passover and Judaism and to learn from one another about our different faiths and shared values.
Good Shepherd said it best: "Experiences like this help our students build empathy, curiosity, and a greater sense of connection with others — what a wonderful day of learning beyond the classroom!"
Thank you, Good Shepherd, for being a part of our diverse learning community. We look forward to continuing the connection when we visit Good Shepherd next month.
Happy belated Easter to those who celebrated, and happy Passover!
Kindergarten is ready for Passover!
Through our dual curriculum, students brought together Jewish studies and the arts to design and create their own matzah covers, blending tradition with creativity. As they explored the meaning of the holiday, they also learned artistic techniques, resulting in practical pieces they’ll be proud to use at their seders!
Chag Pesach kasher v'sameach! Happy and kosher Passover!
Seventh grade has returned from their trip to Washington, D.C.! 🏛️🇺🇸
From hands-on workshops to powerful study visits at landmarks like the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and Arlington National Cemetery, our students experienced civics not as a textbook subject, but as a living, breathing responsibility. They examined how individual voices shape government, grappled with the complexity of creating just laws, and reflected on the values that sustain a democratic society. This kind of immersive, values-driven learning empowers students to think deeply, engage thoughtfully, and see themselves as active participants in something larger — grounded in identity, guided by purpose, and prepared to lead with integrity.
Thank you to Senator Amy Klobuchar for taking the time to meet with us!
From hands-on workshops to powerful study visits at landmarks like the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and Arlington National Cemetery, our students experienced civics not as a textbook subject, but as a living, breathing responsibility. They examined how individual voices shape government, grappled with the complexity of creating just laws, and reflected on the values that sustain a democratic society. This kind of immersive, values-driven learning empowers students to think deeply, engage thoughtfully, and see themselves as active participants in something larger — grounded in identity, guided by purpose, and prepared to lead with integrity.
Thank you to Senator Amy Klobuchar for taking the time to meet with us!
Naches alert! We’re so proud to celebrate SJA alum Laila Schoenberger on her outstanding achievement at the Minnesota DECA State Career Development Conference earlier this month. Competing among students from across the state, Laila earned third place in the General/Home Service Lines Sales Demonstration, reflecting her confidence, skill, and dedication and embodying our school value of aspiring to excellence.
150 community members attended fifth grade’s Mitzvah Fair and together
🥫 Donated 86 canned food items
🐕 Created 44 chew toys for animal shelters
🪢 Made 81 friendship bracelets for children facing illness
🇮🇱 Wrote 57 cards for Israeli soldiers
💌 Sent 60 cards to isolated seniors
🛍 Prepared countless bags for people facing housing insecurity
💵 Raised $326 for tz'dakah through a bake sale
Kol hakavod to the fifth grade class for stepping into their role as the oldest students in our lower school and planning and leading a joyful and impactful Mitzvah Fair for the community, putting Jewish values into action.
While you're finalizing your March Madness brackets, our third graders are celebrating March Mathness!
All month long, multiplication is moving beyond the page and into the gym, where third grade is learning through kinesthetic math games that combine movement, teamwork, and repetition to help cement their multiplication facts through joyful learning experiences. When students are fully engaged, knowledge truly sticks!
All month long, multiplication is moving beyond the page and into the gym, where third grade is learning through kinesthetic math games that combine movement, teamwork, and repetition to help cement their multiplication facts through joyful learning experiences. When students are fully engaged, knowledge truly sticks!
Shavua tov (good week)!
Fourth grade led a beautiful Havdalah ceremony a couple weeks ago. Families came together to mark the close of Shabbat and celebrate a season of learning together.
Students shared songs and classwork, including the glass Havdalah drip plates they created with SJA grandparent and glass artist Claude Riedel — meaningful pieces they can continue to use to connect tradition and ritual, artistry, and hands-on learning as they welcome each new week.
You’re invited to go back to school with us at the Smith Annual Benefit on Sunday, April 19 — and your donation at any level is your ticket in!
(head to smithja.org/page/annual-benefit)
Join us in celebration of the community that makes this school possible and of the Smith Annual Campaign, which helps sustain everything that makes a Smith education possible — from academic excellence and Jewish learning to tuition assistance that keeps our community accessible to families across the Twin Cities.
Your support helps ensure that the next generation of Jewish children grows up with the knowledge, confidence, and sense of belonging our community depends on. Make your gift, and join us on April 19 as Smith transforms into a lively, after-hours school day for adults — complete with trivia, music, hands-on experiences, and plenty of ruach.
(head to smithja.org/page/annual-benefit)
Join us in celebration of the community that makes this school possible and of the Smith Annual Campaign, which helps sustain everything that makes a Smith education possible — from academic excellence and Jewish learning to tuition assistance that keeps our community accessible to families across the Twin Cities.
Your support helps ensure that the next generation of Jewish children grows up with the knowledge, confidence, and sense of belonging our community depends on. Make your gift, and join us on April 19 as Smith transforms into a lively, after-hours school day for adults — complete with trivia, music, hands-on experiences, and plenty of ruach.
For the seventh year in a row, Smith Jewish Academy third graders earned top honors in the Minnesota Zoo’s ZOOMS STEM Design Challenge!
Students researched about sea lions and the importance of enrichment in animal care, then designed, engineered, and presented their own enrichment ideas for the wellness of the zoo’s sea lions. Out of the 30 teams from across the state that advanced to the exhibition round in the elementary enrichment design category, our two finalist teams brought home two of the eight awards!
Mazal tov to Amira B., Arne D., and Eli W. for earning first place overall, and to Isaiah G., Rowan K., Eitan S., and Matan S. for receiving the Innovation Award.
Kol hakavod to Ms. Vlodaver and all of our third grade engineers! What an accomplishment, with curiosity, creativity, teamwork and hard work leading to great success!
