Ida Crown Jewish Academy, a Modern Orthodox co-educational Jewish college-preparatory high school that has served Chicago’s Jewish community for nearly 75 years, dedicated its new, state-of-the-art facility in Skokie on Sunday, Dec. 13. Nearly 1,000 community members, students, alumni and Jewish communal leaders joined the momentous occasion.

The Village of Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen welcomed Ida Crown Jewish Academy to Skokie saying that despite the dreary weather, “Today is a beautiful day in Skokie.”

“Quality is the one word that describes Ida Crown,” Van Dusen said. “The quality of teachers, the quality of parents, the quality of administrators and the quality of your graduates.”

“This is a great day for the entire Chicago Jewish community,” said Dr. Steven Nasatir, president of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago. “For 73 years the Ida Crown Jewish Academy has been a key gateway institution… It is also wonderful to know that by dedicating this spectacular, beautiful building today, we are helping to ensure that our Chicago Jewish community will continue to remain strong, united and committed to Jewish learning and devoted to Israel.”

“What has been done here on behalf of you, on behalf of the teachers, the administrators and especially the students, really provides the best secular education and the best Jewish education,” said Lester Crown.

Also speaking were Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz; Flora Weiss, sister of Rabbi Morris Esformes; Steven Miretzky, an ICJA alum, class of ’80 and one of the co-presidents of the ATT; and ICJA senior class presidents, Shoham Benmelech and Ben Kaplan.

Referring to the dedication’s coincidence with Chanukah, Rabbi Leonard Matanky, dean of ICJA, said, “As much as we celebrate the Academy today, as much as we regale in this new magnificent structure and the dream of all that it will make possible, we need to celebrate each and every day. Because every day at the Academy, miracles happen as we touch the hearts and the minds of men and women, and as we offer opportunities for growth and achievement that were unimaginable a generation ago.”

The new Esformes Family Campus of Ida Crown Jewish Academy, at 8233 Central Park Ave., occupies the former site of the Rand McNally corporate headquarters. It opens for the first day of classes after winter break on Jan. 4, 2016.

In addition to more classrooms, the new building has the latest science and technology facilities; expanded cultural arts, library, sports and extracurricular activities spaces; student and faculty lounges; and a central worship space to accommodate all students.

The building also will house the headquarters of the Associated Talmud Torahs, the governing body for Orthodox Jewish schools in the Chicago area, and the Keshet high school, a program for students with developmental delays.

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, which facilitated the project. The Centennial Campaign is intended to ensure a vibrant Jewish community for the next 100 years.

“This dream would not be a reality without the support and vision of the Crown and Goodman Family, Rabbi and Mrs. Morris Esformes, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, and the strong support of Ida Crown donors. Many thanks to all those involved in this tremendous effort,” said Matanky.

“We are excited that generations of Ida Crown students will have the opportunity to grow and thrive in this state-of-the art facility,” said David Strulowitz, who co-chaired the project’s capital campaign with Jacques Gliksberg.