Akiba Hebrew Academy (Merion, Pennsylvania)

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Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy is a pluralistic Jewish Day School, for grades 6 to 12, located in Merion, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1946. The enrollment was 318 students in the 2007-2008 school year. The current headmaster is Rabbi Phillip Field. Rabbi Field had intended to resign his office in July 2007, but because the Board of Directors could not decide on a suitable successor, Field agreed to stay on until July 2008. On October 25, 2007 the school officially announced its selection of a new headmaster: Dr. Steven Michael Brown. He will begin as headmaster July 1, 2008.

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[edit] Name Change

In February of 2007, Akiba accepted a gift of $5 million from The Barrack Foundation headed by Leonard and Lynne Barrack. Akiba agreed to change its name to the "Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy" named in honor of Leonard Barrack's deceased brother. Leonard Barrack became president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia in the fall 2007.[1] The new name was inaugurated on September 10, 2007 at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia's Radnor Campus in Bryn Mawr.[2]

[edit] Location Change

In July 2007, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia announced that it had purchased the former American College in Bryn Mawr, PA. The American College site is 35-acres on Bryn Mawr Avenue in Radnor Township. Akiba will be its first tenant.[3]

[edit] History

Akiba was founded by Dr. Joseph Levitsky and co-founded by Rabbi Simon Greenberg, Rabbi Elias Charry, and Dr. Leo L. Honor. The school first met at the YM & YWHA at Broad and Pine Streets in Center City Philadelphia. The first class had 20 boys and girls. Akiba spent four years at the YM & YWHA before it moved to Har Zion Temple at 54th and Wynnefield Ave where it was located until 1958.[4]

[edit] Alumni

Well known alumni include writer Mitch Albom, national journalist Jake Tapper, scientist Dan Bricklin, fiction writer David Goldstein, political columnist Samuel Abrams, author David Wolpe, sports radio host Rob Charry, actor Gideon Glick.

[edit] Athletics

Akiba men's sports teams (The Cougars) participate in the Tri-County Independent School League (TCISL). The girl's teams are members of TCISL as well as the Penn-Jersey League.

[edit] Drama Department

This years middle school musical will be Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Dewey Oriente. Dewey Oriente is a county renowned actor, known to be in many plays,and especially for his outstanding performance in The Little Mermaid. The Upper School musical will be "Oklahoma!", also directed by Oriente. and the ARC Performance will be Our Town directed by Dewey Oriente.It will be performed at the new Bryn Mawr campus on November 26-29. The Upper School Drama is Barefoot in the Park, directed by Adi Stein. For more information, go to http://jbha.org/student/AkibaHebrewAcademy-AkibaDrama.htm.

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ David Robinson, "New location and name planned for Akiba Hebrew Academy" The Main Line Times, (Volume 77, No. 28, July 12, 2007 - July 18, 2007) pages 10.
  2. ^ Michelle Mostovy-Eisenberg, "New Name Gets Inaugurated at Day School" The Jewish Exponent, September 13, 2007.
  3. ^ Richard Ilgenfritz, "Akiba to head to American College Site" The Main Line Times, (Volume 77, No. 28, July 12, 2007 - July 18, 2007) pages 1 and 2.
  4. ^ Esther M. Klein, A Guidebook to Jewish Philadelphia, (Philadelphia: Philadelphia Jewish Times Institute, 1965) pages 171 and 172.