AJA changed its mission statement in September of 2024—a move that administrators say reflects the school’s evolving values and places AJA’s mission under a clearer lens.
The retired mission statement, created in 2014 when Yeshiva Atlanta and Greenfield Hebrew Academy merged to create Atlanta Jewish Academy, was meant as a compromise between the values of both schools. The effect of this was a school that was unclear on its mission, specifically its religious observance. The old statement described the school as being “guided by Modern Orthodox values and principles,” which administrators and other community stakeholders said left much room for interpretation. To resolve this issue, a committee was formed in December of 2023 to improve the mission statement, headed up by Mr. Daniel Cohen, current AJA Board of Trustees Vice President.
At the time of the GHA-YA merger, the focus was compromise. Since Yeshiva Atlanta was Modern Orthodox and Greenfield Hebrew Academy was a pluralistic school, the two institutions had to find a middle ground in orthodoxy. To do this, a steering committee was organized, made up of current and past board members and supporters from both schools. A major point of contention, according to the Board President of YA Mrs. Nancy Weissman, was whether AJA should be called a Modern Orthodox school. Some members of the committee felt that it would “alienate” many people, so the committee came up with the phrase “guided by Modern Orthodox values and principles” to be less denominational and therefore more welcoming. In addition, Mrs. Judy Stolovitz, the Board President of GHA, emphasized that the phrasing gave room for the school to “evolve.”
Over time, the school did indeed evolve. Current AJA Head of School Rabbi Avi Levitt explained that it has become clear over the last three years that “more Modern Orthodox Jews are choosing this school” because of its unique combination of Zionism and Hebrew language, strong academics, and rich Torah learning, he said. According to AJA’s enrollment records, 82% of newly enrolled students this year attend a Modern Orthodox, Orthodox or Chabad synagogue, up from 66% in the 2021-2022 school year.
By September of 2024, the committee had the new mission statement approved, with a now clearly defined level of orthodoxy: Modern Orthodox.
The change to the mission statement reflects this shift in the school. Another reason for the revision was highlighted by BALD Consulting, a firm that specializes in branding and marketing. Throughout the 2021-2022 school year, BALD Consulting ran focus groups with parents and put out surveys to evaluate how community members perceived AJA. They concluded that many people felt the school was not clear about its own mission and some even “pointed to the lack of clarity” in the phrase “guided by Modern Orthodox values and principles,” according to Rabbi Levitt. Both these factors signaled the need for a change.
To make this change happen, Dr. Chanie Steinberg, current AJA Board of Trustees President, explained that a small committee of board members and parents in the school worked together under the leadership of Mr. Cohen to edit the mission statement. The goal was to make it more concise, so the school mission would be clearer. By September of 2024, the committee had the new mission statement approved, with a now clearly defined level of orthodoxy: Modern Orthodox.
Rabbi Levitt stressed, however, that the school will still “welcome anybody.” The difference is that now AJA is strictly beholden to Modern Orthodox principles (including halacha, shmirat hamitzvot, and mesorah) as opposed to the previous phrase which “would seem that when convenient, it would allow you to not be Modern Orthodox,” he said. The new mission statement is a “firmer commitment” to Modern Orthodoxy, and by extension the Torah and mitzvot, giving a clear standard for AJA’s future decisions. This standard will primarily help in “gray areas or questionable topics,” Dr. Steinberg explained, of which there have already been a few. Rabbi Levitt cited the Judaic studies hiring process and decisions the administration has made about how AJA would handle competition against schools with co-ed teams in contact sports. In the case of flag football, Rabbi Levitt held discussions to ensure that AJA’s high school team would only compete against other male athletes in accordance with halachic laws of shomer negiah.
With a clearer mission statement, AJA leadership hopes to not only make day-to-day decisions with more confidence, but also provide clarity for students, parents, and staff. By crystallizing its stance, AJA plans to take its next steps with a better sense of purpose and direction.
This story was published in Atlanta Jewish Academy’s Palette on April 5, 2025.
