Our Mission
Portland Jewish Academy provides an academically rich, values-based education that supports the social, emotional, and spiritual growth of children from infants through eighth grade. As a community day school that welcomes students and families of all backgrounds, PJA inspires Jewish engagement, and cultivates a sense of belonging in a welcoming and inclusive community.
Our Vision
Grounded in their foundational Jewish education, shared values, and commitment to service, Portland Jewish Academy alumni are empowered to think for themselves and work for the world.
Our Middot - (Core Values)
לימוד Limmud – Study
“Turn it over and over again for one can find everything in it.” (Pirkei Avot 5:26)
PJA believes in education for the whole child and supports multiple approaches to learning. Love of life, Judaism, and learning are integrated into all aspects of our school community.
כבוד Kavod – Respect
“Who is worthy of respect, one who respects all humans.” (Avot 4:01)
As a community we learn to treat ourselves, others and the world with dignity and respect.
אחריות Akhrayut – Responsibility
“It is not on you to finish the work, and you are not free to neglect it.” (Pirkei Avot 2:21)
At PJA, we are guided and inspired to take responsibility for the world in which we live. Through acts of Chesed - kindness, and Tikkun Olam - repairing the world, we see ourselves as agents of change who can achieve social justice and pursue peace.
קהילה Kehillah – Community
“Bless all of us, as one, in Your light.” (Amidah prayer)
Jewish learning and engagement enhances our participation in a variety of communities, and encourages a sense of belonging and connectedness.
הודיה Hodayah – Appreciation
“I give thanks before you everlasting God, you have returned my soul to me with compassion.” (Modeh Ani prayer)
Our PJA community nurtures a sense of appreciation and gratitude for the world around us, inspired by Jewish thought and learning.
זהות Zehut – Identity
“Beloved is the human, for they were created in God’s image.” (Avot 3:14)
Our middot serve as a foundation to form and build identity, both as a school and as individuals. We seize the opportunity to explore who we are, what we stand for and what we believe.
PJA Diversity Statement
"Every person is created from the stamp of the first person, yet no two people are exactly alike."
- Mishna Sanhedrin 4:5
Guided by our middot (values) and our mission, we share a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice. With Jewish life at our center, we aspire to ensure a genuine sense of belonging in all members of our community. We honor and teach the importance of the vast expansiveness of human diversity.
As a school community, we are committed to creating and sustaining an accessible, supportive, welcoming, and compassionate environment for all. We recognize and respond to individual and institutional prejudices, both overt and subtle. We demonstrate our commitment to tikkun olam (repair the world) through anti-bias curriculum, admission and employment practices, and social action. We are committed to ongoing professional learning to align our practices with our values. We recognize that the advancement of these goals is a process, and we choose to bring courage, reflection and curiosity to this work.
