Jewish
Leadership Academy
Educating and inspiring the
Jewish leaders of tomorrow
The Jewish Leadership Academy is a world-class Jewish Middle and Upper School dedicated to developing the skills, curiosity, and potential of Miami’s most ambitious students for a life of purpose, commitment, and service.
Conveniently located in the Miami Shores area, JLA offers a bold vision for a new Jewish Day School that challenges the Jewish community’s most ambitious students academically while inspiring them to live a life of service to others.
Core Values
אקדמיות
Academics
Challenging inquisitive minds to think critically and creatively in pursuit of the highest academic standards across all disciplines.
יהדות וציונות
Judaism & Zionism
Engaging the mind and stirring the soul to connect with the Jewish past and the Jewish present, the Jewish people and the Jewish State, through the broad and embracing lens of Modern Orthodoxy.
שרות ומנהיגות
Service & Leadership
Putting values into action by embedding leadership training and community service into the heart of the educational program.
An Environment of Excellence
JLA believes that school is an intricate ecosystem in which every element has the potential to enrich and enhance the others. At the core of this virtuous cycle are four foundational components:
1Students
JLA is committed to admitting and embracing mission-appropriate students irrespective of their ability to pay.
In order to enrich the depth of class conversation and the ability for students to learn from their peers, the JLA student body will consist of young Jewish men and women from diverse religious and socio-economic backgrounds who demonstrate exceptional academic ability, potential for leadership, and a deep desire to learn and grow.
2Faculty
With an 8:1 student to teacher ratio, every JLA student will get the attention they deserve.
In order for students to unlock their full potential, they need caring teachers with the talent and skill to unleash it. Faculty at JLA will be carefully selected for their ability to challenge, encourage, and inspire our unique student body.
3Curriculum
To deepen students’ understanding of their heritage and strengthen their connection to our homeland, all JLA students in grades 8-12 will spend the first 3.5 weeks of the school year in an immersive program in Israel.
Pairing talented students with talented teachers creates a learning environment that is deep, meaningful, and self-directed. All courses at JLA will be taught at an Honors or Advanced level, with special emphasis placed on Socratic seminars, project-based learning and inquiry-based learning.
4Campus
World-renowned architecture firm Gensler was selected for the design of the campus for its ability to stimulate and facilitate JLA’s unique educational program in a highly secure environment.
Research shows that the right physical environment can serve to increase motivation, collaboration, and student morale. The vision for JLA’s campus played out through a design competition amongst internationally-acclaimed architecture firms. Gensler’s portfolio includes projects at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California at Berkeley, New York University, and Georgetown Day School.
JLA is currently accepting applications for the 2023-24 academic year.
