Photo credits to Donna Klein Jewish Academy
Donna Klein Jewish Academy in Boca Raton
Donna Klein Jewish Academy is an innovative and inclusive school in the heart of the South Florida. They take pride in helping each child grow and learn to love the world around them. This academy’s diverse community of families has been successful in creating uniqueness and a sense of belonging for all their members.
The Academy is situated on a thriving, 100-acre property in South West Palm Beach County. The school was founded in 1979 with a goal of building an inclusive, warm and diverse environment where students could learn and thrive. It is known as one of the largest Jewish campus in the country providing variety of resources to its students.
They offer a rigorous, stimulating, and balanced education for students from preschool through 12th grade. Our mission is to prepare students to become ethical, engaged global citizens who are intellectually curious and passionate about learning.
Donna Klein Jewish Academy offers a dual curriculum of Judaic and secular studies, with an emphasis on developing each student’s sense of self-esteem and responsibility to society, while promoting leadership skills and academic excellence. Donna Klein provides an excellent foundation for continued learning at college or university.
The Academy was established in 1979 with 50 pupils in grades 1 through 6, and was an idea of the parents led by Shirley Enselberg. After first discussing the necessity of a Jewish school in South Palm Beach County at a parlor meeting, they raised funds and sought out classroom space to start what has now become one of the most prestigious and well-known schools in the area.
The following academic year saw the relocation of the campus to a newer, larger facility at 414 NW 35th St. This move was not only due to the increased demand for students, but also because of the need to consolidate campus-wide resources as well as increase sustainability.
In this east Boca location, an educational journey truly began as South County Jewish Community Day School took shape. Enrollment had grown to 65 students by September 1982.
Samuel Klein, with the help of his family, changed the name of our school to Donna Klein Jewish Academy in 1987 in honor of his late wife, Donna. Before she passed away, she was a huge advocate for students and spent much of her time reading books to them.
With his extraordinary $1 million gift, Mr. Klein has increased the Federation’s capital campaign to $6.5 million, nearly enough to start building on the Richard and Carole Siemens Campus which would be a new home for the expanding school.
It’s a beautiful building on a beautiful campus. It’s worth a visit.
Source: Donna Klein Jewish Academy
Harlan Kilstein has been a Boca Resident since 1997. He know the ins and out of Boca
