Ida Crown Welcomes 58 Incoming Freshmen

By Hadassah Bernstein-

Ida Crown welcomed 58 incoming freshmen joining the school this year from the various middle schools in Illinois and throughout the United States. These feeder schools include Akiba Shechter, Arie Crown, Chicagoland Jewish Day School, Hillel Torah, Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov, Solomon Schecter, and Torah Academy of Minneapolis. Let us meet these new freshmen!

Chana Cantz from Akiba Schecter is fourteen years old, wants to be a fashion designer when she is older, and loves to dance. Chana says that as she starts high school and a new step in her journey, she is “feeling nervous but ready to go to high school.” She explained that as nerve-wracking as beginning high school can feel, she feels prepared to begin and succeed at Ida Crown. Chana is “most excited about new experiences and new people,” as she looks forward to branching out and getting to know students from other schools. 

Arie Crown graduate Nava Cohen will also be joining the Ida Crown class of 2024. Nava is fourteen years old, loves ramen, and is learning how to play the guitar. When asked about how coronavirus will affect her beginning of high school she stated “I think that coming into a new school can be exciting and fun. Since coronavirus has started, Ida Crown and other schools have taken major precautions that can make coming into the school different from other years. However, Ida Crown knows how to turn hard situations into good experiences for all of their students.” She said that although we are in a difficult situation, Ida Crown will do its best in order for the students to succeed which she learned from her sister and Ida Crown alumna Shira Cohen.

Another incoming freshman is Jacob Friedman from Hillel Torah. His favorite subject is English, he plays soccer, and he can play the recorder through his nose.  He said, “I decided to go to Ida Crown because of the balance between general and Judaic studies.” Because of the dual curriculum, Jacob said “I think that I will learn how to balance my life in the modern world because I will be able to focus on both Judaic and modern aspects of my life.” 

Moshe Weisenberg, another Arie Crown graduate, also looks forward to starting at Ida Crown. Moshe loves to play baseball and wants to play on the team at Ida Crown. He likes the color blue, and his favorite subject is math. Moshe is excited for new teachers, and he is especially looking forward to Western Civilization with Ms. Sennett. He has heard that she is a “funny and fun teacher” and that she teaches history with passion.

Hillel Torah alumna Rena Neiger also enjoys the subject of math, and her favorite basketball player is Luka Dončić. One aspect of Ida Crown that Rena is excited for is basketball. “I love basketball,” she explained.  “I can’t wait to play in high school with the sophomores. I can’t wait to practice with a new coach and play with different players. I think it’s going to be really fun to play four years of basketball at Ida Crown.”

Yonah Rubin, a Solomon Schechter graduate, also has a connection with basketball because he is the graphic designer for DePaul University basketball. Yonah loves to eat sushi, and his favorite subject is language arts. Yonah is “looking forward to meeting new friends and having a ‘social reset’.” He said that “coming from Solomon Schecter, I don’t know a lot of kids so I think it’s going to be nice to meet new kids.” 

 Netanel Barsky went to Akiba Schecter, recently turned fourteen years old, wants to be a businessman in the future, and loves to travel internationally.  Netanel said that “One of the biggest differences between middle school and high school is the level of independence that students have. I believe that responsibility is learned through practice, so with time, I know I will adjust to the new environment of Ida Crown.” 

Josh Paskoff, a Minneapolis native, is fourteen, graduated from Torah Academy, and loves to play baseball. When asked why he chose to attend Ida Crown, he responded “my siblings both graduated from Ida Crown. One reason that Ida Crown is the right fit for me is that it balances both the study of Hebrew and Judaism while also allowing the learning of English subjects” he explained. “I also am really excited to join the baseball team,” he added.

Emma Lookatch will be joining the class of 2024 as part of the Keshet program at Ida Crown. Emma is 15 years old and graduated from the Keshet Program at Solomon Schechter Day School. Her favorite singer is Luke Bryan, she loves to eat mac and cheese, and she performed in the Joffrey Ballet Nutcracker Childrens’ Cast for four years. Emma is looking forward to making new friends and participating in the Ida Crown Fashion Show.