CONTACT: Alex Stroker                                          CONTACT: Beverly Rosen
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia                  Akiba Hebrew Academy
215-832-0577 office                                                  (610) 667-4070 ext. 116 - office 
267-255-6911 cell                                                     (215) 840-5348 - cell
astroker@philafederation.org                                     bevrosen@akibaweb.org
 

Akiba Hebrew Academy Receives $5million Gift from The Barrack Foundation
(Largest Gift in the History of the School)

 Akiba Hebrew Academy’s Board of Directors formally announced that it approved a $5 million dollar gift from The Barrack Foundation, headed by Leonard and Lynne Barrack.

Mr. Barrack, communal leader, noted attorney, and distinguished philanthropist, is a graduate of Akiba, and the gift represents the largest contribution in the school’s history. The Barrack Foundation gift includes a name change in memory of Leonard Barrack’s brother. Akiba will be formally renamed the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy at a ceremony to be announced at a later date.

“As an Akiba alumnus, I have always held my alma mater in very high regard,” comments Leonard Barrack. “My seven years as a student at Akiba have taught me to uphold the sacred Jewish traditions and values and have influenced my life in so many positive respects. Lynne and I want to make sure that the school continues to remain vibrant and strong for many years to come and continues to offer high quality Jewish education to our community. I can’t think of a better way to honor the memory of my brother.”

According to the conditions of the gift agreement, 90 percent of the funds will go toward establishing a scholarship program, The rest will go toward continuing to build faculty enhancement programs. The agreement stipulates that the school set up a committee to develop criteria for both financial aid and merit scholarships. The other 10 percent will go toward continuing to attract only the highest quality faculty members through salary enhancements, stipends and bonuses.

 “We are delighted by The Barrack Foundation’s gift to our school and very proud that Len is an Akiba graduate,” reports Rabbi Philip D. Field, Akiba’s Head of School. “He is a major leader in the legal and Jewish communities here and nationwide, and as such, brings a great deal of pride to his alma mater. The Barrack Foundation gift will open the doors to our stellar school to a wider array of Jewish youth. It will provide more students the opportunity to experience the academic excellence in a pluralistic Jewish environment, assuring the continuity and vibrancy of our Jewish community.”

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The Barrack Foundation gift also supports one of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s major community priorities: supporting and strengthening Jewish Day School education. “One of Federation’s strategic priorities is to support high quality Jewish Day School education,” shares Ira M. Schwartz, Federation’s President and CEO. “Federation is thrilled to be able to facilitate this very generous gift of $5,000,000 to provide need-based and merit-based scholarships. We’re excited to partner with The Barrack Foundation and the school to ensure the standard of excellence, that the institution is well known for, continues well into the future.”

Mitchell R. Cohen, President of Akiba’s Board of Directors, agrees. “We are honored and privileged to partner with The Barrack Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia to make Jewish Day School Education more accessible and a priority for our community. Akiba has been in the forefront of quality day school education since 1946. As we mark our 60th Anniversary, this very generous and historic gift assures that Akiba’s traditions of excellence will continue to benefit students for generations to come. We look forward to working with The Barrack Foundation and Federation in their dedication and commitment to our Jewish Day School education.”

Established in 1901, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia is the central non-profit Jewish community organization in the Greater Philadelphia area. Its mission is to identify and prioritize the important issues and needs the community, then organize and mobilize human and financial resources to successfully impact them. Federation focuses on Jewish education, human services, family and economic need and provides support for Israel and for Jews at risk elsewhere in the world. Visit us at www.jewishphilly.org

Akiba, the oldest, pluralistic Jewish Day School high school in North America, provides a dynamic dual curriculum of college preparatory and Jewish students to coeducational students in grades 6-12. Akiba welcomes students from every spectrum of Jewish observance and life.

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