The San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA) is a private, independent Jewish day school currently located in the Carmel Valley community of San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

. The school is composed of two schools: Golda Meir Lower School for grades K-5 and Maimonides Upper School for grades 6-12.

SDJA’s curriculum is based around Torah (study, learning), Avodah (worship, service), and Gemilut Hasidim (acts of loving kindness). As a pluralistic Jewish day school

Jewish day school

A Jewish day school is a modern Jewish educational institution that is designed to provide Jewish children with both a Jewish and a secular education in one school on a full time basis, hence its name of "day school" meaning a school that the students attend for an entire day and not on a part time...

, SDJA is not affiliated with any one synagogue or movement of Judaism

Judaism

Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...

.

SDJA began as a small neighbourhood school in rented facilities on the property of Congregation Tifereth Israel in 1979. In 1999, San Diego Jewish Academy built a 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) campus in Carmel Valley

Carmel Valley

The Carmel Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Monterey County, California, east of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The AVA is home to a number of wineries and vineyards, as well as the town of Carmel Valley Village...

. The campus has expanded to 56 acres (226,624.2 m²) after a donation of 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) in 2006 by Irving and Eleanor Jaffe of Boca Raton, Fla., 4 ½ acres of which were turned into athletic fields. The campus also includes a newly built gym that opened in 2008.

Notable alumni

Several Alums have received both national and international recognition. Among the notable alumni of the San Diego Jewish Academy are Greg Silverman, Executive Vice President of Creative Development at Warner Brothers, Keith D. Black

Keith D. Black

Keith D. Black is a South African-born film screenwriter, best known for co-writing Princess and House of God .-Early life:...

, television and film writer.

Football

The San diego Jewish Academy Lions are the only Jewish football team in the USA. They are an 11-man competitive team that has taken 3rd place in their league and made an appearance in the CIF playoffs.