Upon eating an apple dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah, the following prayer is recited: "May it be Your will, Adonai our G-d, and G-d of our ancestors, to renew for us a good and sweet new year."

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines the word renew as (1) to make (something) new, fresh, or strong again;

(2) to make (a promise, vow, etc.) again; (3) to begin (something) again especially with more force or enthusiasm.

Renewal. This is exactly what has taken place at the Jewish Academy of Orlando

over the past year. For the past 12 months, we have focused our attention on renewal. At the Jewish Academy of Orlando, we have renewed our commitment to Jewish education. We have renewed our focus on growth. We have renewed our commitment to excellence. We have renewed our focus on stability and viability.

Our focus on renewal is about making our school stronger. The strength of a school is found in many different areas: its teachers, its curriculum, its resources. By consolidating our school-program into our original space, we have recommitted to strengthening our program and our resolve to provide academic excellence to the Orlando Jewish youth.

Our focus on renewal is about the promise for the future. There is qualitative and quantitative data, which shows that the future leaders of the Jewish community in the United States are today's day school students! This is our mission and this is why we exist!

Our focus on renewal is to create an enthusiasm in our community about our school. Over the past few months, we have renovated our original space and we began the year excited and renewed for a new school year and a new beginning! We invite you to come visit us, see our new hallways, hear about our new programs and share in our enthusiasm!

Our theme at the Jewish Academy of Orlando this year is L'Ayla U'L'Ayla, two words, which are featured prominently in the High Holiday liturgy. While taking some liberties with the translation, L'Ayla U'L'Ayla means "Onward and Upward." As a school, as an essential component of our Orlando Jewish community, our school is moving onward and upward! We look forward to sharing with you our progress throughout the year and into the future.

Amanda Jacobson Nappi, co-President

L'Shana Tova Tikatevu! May it be a year of learning and growing for our entire Jewish community, and may we, together, move onward and upward!

Melanie Brenner, co-President

Amanda Jacobson Nappi, co-President

Alan Rusonik, Head of School