Dear MJDS Family,

I never planned on sending my kids to a Jewish day school. I was educated at public schools, and I thought my children would be as well. But I also never planned on experiencing the magic of MJDS.

It started when my daughter Aly was in kindergarten. I was a working mom, so I wanted to send Aly to a school that allowed her to stay late on the days I was working. I investigated my options, and MJDS allowed me to build my week around my work schedule--so I decided to send her there. Once I started at MJDS--I never looked back.

The magic of MJDS is difficult to put into words. For my kids it began with the teachers, and went from there. The teachers at MJDS were truly special. They were able to relate to each child--embracing their unique personalities--and building on their strengths. The teachers knew each child intimately-these relationships were deep and real. I remember my daughter Aly would literally cry her eyes out at the end of each year because she did not want to leave her teacher for that year. Additionally, I was always amazed at conferences because the educators knew so much about my children. I knew my kids were in the hands of people who truly cared about them. The education itself was also top notch for kids of all abilities. As an example-the teachers were consistently able to take the kids with strength in a subject and push them--challenge them--while teaching other children at a more typical pace. Each child was made to feel special and no one was ever made to feel unimportant or invisible because of their abilities. When I dropped my kids at the front door in the morning, I drove off to work with the calmness and confidence I needed to work a worry-free day. What an incredible feeling that was!

The Jewish studies and Hebrew programs were outstanding. I never expected my kids to find this part of the curriculum one of their favorites, but the teachers found a way of engaging the students with the stories of Jewish history. This gift is priceless and my kids are so grateful to have this Jewish background as they make their way through their teens and twenties. Firstly, they not only have the gift of Hebrew, but they also have the benefit of being adept at learning a language. My son Jake takes Chinese in college, and it is a class he really excels at. He attributes this success to the learning of a language at an early age. Additionally, my daughter Aly is intimately involved with Jewish causes in her new home--Chicago. She actively participates in The Chicago Jewish Federation and a Chicago young Jewish leaders group, and most of her new friends are Jewish. My son Danny has taken Hebrew and Judaica for his college culture requirements. He is also the president of the Israeli Business Club. Their strong relationship with Jewish culture was started and nurtured at MJDS.

As for me, MJDS was the impetus to learn more about my Jewish heritage. My kids were learning all about the Jewish culture, and this necessitated my practicing our Jewish traditions regularly at home. We started robustly celebrating the Jewish holidays, and we consequently developed many family traditions that we have continued practicing all these years and that have made our family closer, stronger, and simply happier.

Sending my children to MJDS was one of the best decisions I ever made. For so many reasons, it has helped shape my kids into the happy and successful adults they have become, and really helped mold us into the tight knit family we are today.

Judy Coran