Last Tuesday, our Purim festivities lasted all day! From our eighth graders reading Megillah, seventh graders reciting poems, and sixth graders performing skits to the full student body participation in a Purim shpiel, activities with the b'not sherut, a Purim feast, costume parade, and even a student vs. staff basketball game! The day was full of ruach (spirit), joy, and community as we celebrated Jewish survival and resilience.
Sharon & Mark Rosenblum and Hayley and Phil Rosenfield are our Smith Annual Benefit co-chairs!
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We are honored to serve as co-chairs of The Smith Annual Benefit. Together, we are leading a fundraising team of 46 passionate friends of the school who, like us, believe that a strong day school is the foundation of a strong Jewish community. This year’s benefit will transform Smith Jewish Academy into a playful, grown-up take on the classroom experience — celebrating curiosity, creativity, and community through hands-on “lessons” designed to inspire connection and support.
For our families, Smith Jewish Academy has become more than a school — it has become a second home. While we come to this work from different experiences, we share the same goal: a strong, thriving school. As new Smith parents, we did not fully understand the importance of supporting the Annual Fund at first. We are grateful now to see how critical this support is in ensuring that every family who wants a Smith education for their child is able to access one.
We are proud to take on this work together, guided by the belief that a strong Jewish school is at the heart of a strong Jewish community. Supporting Smith Jewish Academy is our way of investing not only in our own children, but in the future of the entire Twin Cities Jewish community.
We believe deeply in Smith’s mission to provide academic excellence, nurture Jewish identity, and foster a meaningful connection to Israel — pillars that prepare our children to become leaders and mensches in the world. We invite you to join us on Sunday, April 19, for an evening filled with joy, purpose, and impact, and to stand with Smith Jewish Academy as we strengthen our school and our community for generations to come.
An invitation will be coming soon, and you can start registering now! Your sponsorship at any level is your ticket in. Head to smithja.org/page/annual-benefit for more information and to make your contribution.
***
We are honored to serve as co-chairs of The Smith Annual Benefit. Together, we are leading a fundraising team of 46 passionate friends of the school who, like us, believe that a strong day school is the foundation of a strong Jewish community. This year’s benefit will transform Smith Jewish Academy into a playful, grown-up take on the classroom experience — celebrating curiosity, creativity, and community through hands-on “lessons” designed to inspire connection and support.
For our families, Smith Jewish Academy has become more than a school — it has become a second home. While we come to this work from different experiences, we share the same goal: a strong, thriving school. As new Smith parents, we did not fully understand the importance of supporting the Annual Fund at first. We are grateful now to see how critical this support is in ensuring that every family who wants a Smith education for their child is able to access one.
We are proud to take on this work together, guided by the belief that a strong Jewish school is at the heart of a strong Jewish community. Supporting Smith Jewish Academy is our way of investing not only in our own children, but in the future of the entire Twin Cities Jewish community.
We believe deeply in Smith’s mission to provide academic excellence, nurture Jewish identity, and foster a meaningful connection to Israel — pillars that prepare our children to become leaders and mensches in the world. We invite you to join us on Sunday, April 19, for an evening filled with joy, purpose, and impact, and to stand with Smith Jewish Academy as we strengthen our school and our community for generations to come.
An invitation will be coming soon, and you can start registering now! Your sponsorship at any level is your ticket in. Head to smithja.org/page/annual-benefit for more information and to make your contribution.
Learning comes alive right in our hands!
Kindergartners explored how clothing was made long ago in social studies then stepped into the Makerspace to card and spin wool and try their hands at weaving. Through hands-on discovery and an interdisciplinary approach, with every thread history became something students could see, feel, and create.
Smith Jewish Academy alumni go on to become leaders! Julia perfectly encapsulates our vision — embracing heritage and leading with purpose — in serving our community at the JCRC. Mazal tov, Julia!
Do you see any seven-year-olds in this photo? We only see 100-year-olds! It’s not Purim yet, but first grade dressed up for the 100th day of school.
They celebrated with 100th Day Olympics activities plus a math challenge, counting to 100 by different numbers and showing just how much they’ve grown in 100 joyful days of school.
They celebrated with 100th Day Olympics activities plus a math challenge, counting to 100 by different numbers and showing just how much they’ve grown in 100 joyful days of school.
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.
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!
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
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.
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.
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
📚 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!
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! ☀
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.
🍚 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.
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.
