Over 500 Ida Crown Jewish Academy supporters, including many students and alumni, gathered at the school’s new site in Skokie last Sunday to celebrate the groundbreaking. The state-of-the-art facility, located at 8255 N. Central Ave., is set to be finished in January 2016.

Gathering for the historic occasion on Sunday’s sunny, crisp day were dignitaries, including: Skokie’s Mayor George Van Dusen-who offered welcoming words to the ICJA community, State Representative Lou Lang and Michael Lorge, Corporate Council for the Village of Skokie.

Ida Crown Jewish Academy and Jewish Federation leaders along with the ICJA senior class at the groundbreaking ceremony for the school’s future building on Nov. 2.

Lead donor Lester Crown spoke to a standing-room-only crowd on behalf of the Crown and Goodman family. He mentioned how proud Col. Henry Crown and Irving Crown — Lester Crown’s father and Charles H. Goodman’s father-in-law — would have been. He also said, “Education is the most important thing we can do as far as our future is concerned.”

“What the Academy has done in crowded corridors and insufficient space is academically and athletically incredible,” Crown said

Lead gifts for the project were provided by the Crown and Goodman Family and Rabbi Morris Esformes through the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago’s Centennial Campaign.

Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation President Dr. Steven B. Nasatir also spoke, offering a historic perspective to the occasion. “It’s a great day for the entire Jewish people,” he said.

Steven Landes, chairman of the Associated Talmud Torahs, recalled the rich history of ICJA, dating back to 1942 and then the groundbreaking of the building at Pratt Blvd. in 1966. He also recognized the Jewish Federation’s dedication to Jewish education, saying, “no Federation in the entire Jewish world has done more to embrace and sustain Jewish education.”

Senior student Anat Berday-Sacks, who comes from Indianapolis, spoke on choosing to attend the Academy from out of town. (Read her speech.)

Rabbi Leonard Matanky, dean of ICJA, recalled his memories of the Pratt Blvd. groundbreaking, offered words of Torah and thanks to the dedicated leaders who helped ICJA reach the groundbreaking occasion. (Read his speech.)

Finally, Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz, head of the rabbinical court for the Chicago Rabbincal Council and the rabbinical court of America, offered words of blessing for the occasion. Following the ceremony, community leaders, alumni, staff, students and families all gathered at the construction site for digging, complete with ceremonial shovels and hardhats.

ICJA thanks the donors who have made its dream a reality, the lay leaders who worked tirelessly for a campaign that unexpectedly spanned a decade and to the staff who worked so hard to make the groundbreaking so meaningful. View photos of the event here.