Quantcast
Schools

NEJA Breaks Ground on 7,000 Addition to West Hartford Campus

Breaking ground on NEJA’s new wing are, from left, Lindsey Rutka of Van Horst General Contractors LLC, Matthew Braunshweiger, Michael Black, Karen Goldberg, Henry Zachs, Juanita Moss, Hedyth Fishman, and Naty Katz. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

The New England Jewish Academy celebrated the beginning of work on a 7,000 square-foot educational lower school wing.

Kindergarten through 4th grade NEJA students perform at groundbreaking ceremony. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Stacey Dresner. Photos by Ronni Newton

Naty Katz, head of school for the New England Jewish Academy, welcomed members of the community to a groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 15 for a long-awaited 7,000-square-foot addition to the school’s campus in West Hartford.

“This is the day that God has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it,” he said.

“This is certainly a day of great celebration for our school as we are here, all together, on our beautiful campus,” Katz said. “Today we are putting shovels into the ground to launch the construction of the new educational wing.”

NEJA Head of School Naty Katz. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

The school’s new wing has been in development for the past three years, to make space for the students of the former Bess and Paul Sigel Hebrew Academy of Greater Hartford with whom the former Hebrew High School of New England merged in 2019 to create NEJA, a preschool through grade 12 Orthodox Jewish Day School in West Hartford.

Students in the lower school (preschool through eighth grade) remained at Hebrew Academy’s Gabb Road building in Bloomfield for two years, before moving into the HHNE building at the beginning of this school year. A few renovations were done to accommodate the younger students on the building’s first floor.

The new wing will feature six new classrooms, including three state-of-the-art Reggio Emilia early childhood classrooms, a new playscape for the younger students, a secure outdoor learning center, a resource room, and a library designed for young readers.

Attendees at the ground breaking for NEJA’s new wing review plans and renderings by Phase Zero Design of Simsbury. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

The architect on the project is Phase Zero Design out of Simsbury, and the construction company is Van Horst Construction of East Hartford.

“When it comes to learning Torah, it is like a tree – you  have to have strong roots. Without strong roots, your Jewish identity, your growth, your balance in life is challenging. That’s why we are all here today,” NEJA President Michael Black told the crowd. “We have a mission. We have a need in our community. We are about to add onto the school. We are going to have a state-of-the-art preschool. It is very exciting; more importantly it is going to be an opportunity for those roots to nourish.”

NEJA President Michael Black. Photo credit: Ronni Newto

The current enrollment of the school is at 119 students. There are currently 17 students in the school’s preschool, Black told said, but with the new preschool classrooms, they are hoping for a jump in the school’s enrollment.

“The whole reason for the expansion and the addition of the three preschool classrooms is to provide a pipeline of students,” Black explained. “As the preschool grows, the school will grow.”

The total cost for the project is $3.2 million, Black said. So far, $2.2 million of that has been raised. There are plans for an endowment campaign fund that would bring in an additional $1 million for the upkeep of the school.

Naty Katz, left and contractor Lindsey Rutka help guide a special groundbreaking effort by young NEJA students. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

New England Jewish Academy serves students in the West Hartford, Greater New Haven, and Greater Springfield communities, and members of those communities were on hand to witness the groundbreaking for the new wing. In addition to the speeches and groundbreaking, the crowd was treated to a d’var Torah from NEJA high school student Miriam Newman, and songs in Hebrew and English performed by NEJA’s lower school students.

NEJA is supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, Jewish Federation of Western Mass., Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, Harold Grinspoon Foundation, Jewish Family Services, and the Pava Tuition Initiative. Through the Pava Tuition Initiative, subsidies are offered to all Kindergarten through 12th grade students: a $10,000 subsidy for all kindergarten, first grade, and high school students; $7,500 subsidies for second through fifth grade students; and $7,000 subsidies for sixth through eighth grade students.

NEJA will hold its 5th Annual Fundraising Dinner on Wednesday, March 1, at Beth El Temple in West Hartford. The evening will include a cocktail reception starting at 6 p.m. and dinner. The entertainment will include a Family Feud-style trivia game. RSVP here, email [email protected]; or call 860-231-0317.

Kindergarten through 4th grade NEJA students perform at groundbreaking ceremony. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Henry Zachs was among the attendees at the groundbreaking for NEJA’s new wing on Feb. 15. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

The senior class of NEJA participated in the ceremonial groundbreaking on Feb. 15. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Renderings by Phase Zero Design of an addition to NEJA were displayed at the groundbreaking on Feb.15. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Renderings by Phase Zero Design of an addition to NEJA were displayed at the groundbreaking on Feb.15. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

About the author

We-Ha

We-Ha.com is the place to go for the latest information about West Hartford – a town that "has it all"! We-Ha.com is part of and proud of our community, and we bring a hyperlocal focus to news and features about the people, schools, businesses, real estate, sports, restaurants, charitable events, arts, and more. Contact us at: [email protected] or [email protected].

Leave a Comment

Translate »