Student Life

What's it like at the CJA

The Calgary Jewish Academy curriculum is based on the following principles guided by our vision of engaging, empowering and educating our students. At the CJA, we strive to honour core Jewish values through an enriched Alberta curriculum while being inspired to learn about Jewish religion, heritage and culture. We endeavour to create a culture of Yiddishkeit and Menschlekeit so that our graduates are knowledgeable and compassionate citizens who are proud of  their heritage and identity.

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Daily Essentials

At Calgary Jewish Academy (CJA), students walk down the halls on Friday hearing the prayers of Shabbat, the sounds of locker doors and zippered binders creating a chorus with prayers thousands of years old. In this way, generational legacies are forged and nurtured, ensuring traditions and teachings of centuries past continue to find their place in the Jewish homes of tomorrow.

At CJA we offer a dual curriculum, which expands beyond provincial requirements. Our approach incorporates a full Judaic curriculum which explores the history, and the heart, of the Jewish people. Our educators strive to offer students a broader understanding of the world, so they may anchor their personal histories and experiences inside those of the collective. This creates more room for unique experiences and diverse expression.

Find information on your child’s grades, attendance, and more.

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Parent Resources

Daily Essentials

At Calgary Jewish Academy (CJA), students walk down the halls on Friday hearing the prayers of Shabbat, the sounds of locker doors and zippered binders creating a chorus with prayers thousands of years old. In this way, generational legacies are forged and nurtured, ensuring traditions and teachings of centuries past continue to find their place in the Jewish homes of tomorrow.

At CJA we offer a dual curriculum, which expands beyond provincial requirements. Our approach incorporates a full Judaic curriculum which explores the history, and the heart, of the Jewish people. Our educators strive to offer students a broader understanding of the world, so they may anchor their personal histories and experiences inside those of the collective. This creates more room for unique experiences and diverse expression.

Find information on your child’s grades, attendance, and more.

Login to Facts

Latest news

What’s happening at the CJA?

Generations Come Together for CJA’s Grandparents & Grandpals Day

November 3, 2025

Generations Come Together for CJA’s Grandparents & Grandpals Day

It was a beautiful morning at the Calgary Jewish Academy as students, grandparents, and grandpals came together to celebrate one of the school’s most cherished traditions, Grandparents & Grandpals Day. The event, which coincided with a special Shabbat celebration, highlighted the importance of l’dor v’dor, the passing of traditions, values, and wisdom from generation to generation. Throughout the morning, guests and students participated in a variety of engaging stations designed to spark connection and reflection. Students interviewed their grandparents and grandpals about their childhoods, family traditions, and Jewish memories. Together, they took part in mitzvah activities, explored the Scholastic Book Fair, enjoyed quiet reading moments in the PJ Library nook, and created keepsake crafts to take home.

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Calgary Jewish Academy Appoints New Chief Executive Officer, Jordan Balaban

October 24, 2025

Calgary Jewish Academy Appoints New Chief Executive Officer, Jordan Balaban

The Calgary Jewish Academy Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Jordan Balaban as the school’s new Chief Executive Officer. This appointment follows a review of the school’s leadership structure, leading to the adoption of a shared leadership model that pairs a CEO and Principal to ensure continued growth, operational strength, and academic excellence. During this period of transition, Nicole Weber provided crucial leadership as Interim Executive Director, helping to stabilize operations ahead of Principal Shelly Gelfand’s arrival in August 2025, and supporting the school’s progress through this year. We are deeply grateful for Nicole’s dedication and partnership, and are pleased that she will continue to contribute in a consultative capacity as needed. Jordan Balaban is a respected entrepreneur and community leader, serving as co-founder and President of Greengate Power, one of Alberta’s foremost renewable energy companies. Under his leadership, Greengate delivered nearly 1,500 MW of wind and solar projects, representing over $2 billion in investment.

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CJA Students Honour National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

October 6, 2025

CJA Students Honour National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Students at the Calgary Jewish Academy came together to acknowledge the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day dedicated to honouring the children who never returned home, the survivors of residential schools, and their families and communities. In classrooms across the school, students engaged in meaningful discussions about the importance of this day—listening, reflecting, and exploring ways to take action toward understanding and reconciliation. As a school-wide project, each student traced their hand, cut it out, and wrote a word or phrase representing their personal commitment and hope for reconciliation. These individual handprints were then assembled into a stunning set of large, vibrant wings, a powerful symbol of how the CJA community unites in remembrance, hope, and unity.

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