Message From Jonathan, Shana, Jacob, Layla & Hershel Thomas

 

1. It is an absolute privilege to see you being honored by Ida Crown Jewish Academy. Mommy, when we look at everything you do, we are inspired by the sheer volume of Chesed you perform daily. You are involved in so many vital organizations, yet you always put family first, filling our home with warmth and, of course, your famous chicken soup. We loved how our friends would constantly come over for Shabbos just to have a taste of it! We were always impressed by how you made our friends feel seen with your thoughtful questions. However, looking back now through the lens of you becoming Madam President, we have serious suspicions. We're pretty sure you were just using that soup as a brilliant ploy to extract the inside scoop from ICJA students on how to run the school!

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Message From Jonathan, Shana, Jacob, Layla & Hershel Thomas

 

3. Even when you were surprisingly asked to take on the role of art teacher while on the Skokie community mission in Israel, you were absolutely delighted with the opportunity to become part of the solution.

 

 From the classroom and beyond, you have shown us that you don't just paint the pictures to show us their layered strokes and hidden beauty, you actively try to solve the problems that lie within them. You have taken this position and used it to make Ida Crown a more beautiful place, showing us all how God is beneath every brushstroke of life. 

 

Our family originally moved to Chicago because of ICJA, and we remain incredibly grateful to the school and its administrators for the foundation they provided us. 

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Message From Jonathan, Shana, Jacob, Layla & Hershel Thomas

4. Having you on the board led to moments we will cherish forever, especially the unforgettable highlight of you standing on stage to take a selfie with your graduating sons. Who knows? Maybe Daddy will become president of Ida Crown by the time Jacob graduates, just so he can get a selfie with him, too! Speaking of presidents...Daddy, thank you for always having Mommy's back, and for your unwavering support for us all. Stepping up as the President of Congregation Or Torah is no easy task, and seeing you take on that responsibility is a testament to your own deep commitment to our community. But of course, we already knew that about you. Seeing how you always walk through the door or come downstairs and immediately ask Mommy, 'What can I do to help?' shows how you are always ready to lend a hand, even when you're exhausted. The love you show, and the helpful example you set daily, has taught us all what true partnership and family look like.

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Message From Jonathan, Shana, Jacob, Layla & Hershel Thomas
 

5. Together, you both lead by example every day
and have shown us how to live a life of
impact, integrity, and unconditional love.

 

We are incredibly proud to be your children
and to call you Mom and Dad.

 

With all our love (and ahava),

Jonathan, Shana, Hershel, Jacob, and Layla

 

 

 

Mazal Tov Melissa and Harris Perlman

on receiving this well-deserved Crown Service Award.

 

This honor is a beautiful reflection of the values you embody and the example you set for your family and our community. It has been a privilege to serve alongside you on behalf of the school and to witness your dedication, thoughtfulness, and commitment firsthand. Your generosity and willingness to give of your time and energy so selflessly are deeply appreciated and have made a meaningful impact on so many.

Perhaps most meaningfully, you exemplify the value of kibbud av v'em - not only in the respect and care you show within your own family, but in the way you model those values for the next generation. Through your actions, leadership, and quiet dedication, you help strengthen the foundation upon which our children learn what it means to live with responsibility, compassion, and kavod for others.

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On a personal level, your influence has extended beyond your students. As a newer teacher myself, I have deeply appreciated your mentorship, generosity, and example. The wisdom you share so naturally, the standards you uphold, and the care you bring to your work have not only shaped your students, but have guided and inspired fellow educators as well.

Great teachers are remembered not only for what they teach, but for how they inspire others to grow. You have clearly done that for countless students and colleagues alike.

Thank you for the lasting impact you continue to make after so many years of devoted teaching. May you continue to inspire generations of students and teachers with strength, wisdom, and passion.
With admiration and gratitude,

Julie and Nathan Thomas
 

With deep gratitude and admiration to the Administration and Faculty of ICJA, There are very few institutions that become more meaningful the closer you get to them. ICJA is one of those rare places.

Our family has had the unique privilege of experiencing the school from nearly every possible perspective. We have been prospective parents, parents, board members, board president, and now a teacher. Through every lens, our appreciation has only deepened. The closer we have come to understanding what it takes to build and sustain this school, the more impressed and grateful we have become.

 

You have created an environment that our alumni miss long after graduation, that our rising senior still genuinely loves going to every day, that our rising eighth grader eagerly anticipates joining, and that I myself feel privileged to walk into each morning as a teacher. That kind of culture does not happen accidentally. It is built intentionally, patiently, and with extraordinary people at its center.

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