For more than 60 years, Kadimah Academy has been providing an excellent secular and Judaic education to Jewish students from throughout Western New York, from Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. With our dual curriculum of Hebrew and Judaic Studies melded with a robust General Studies program, our students – boys and girls together – developed a strong foundation in their traditions and heritage while also learning the knowledge and skills to excel in any academic or professional pursuit of their choice in the future.
Students and teachers come from diverse Jewish observance and cultures, forming a family whose members respect one another because of their differences – not in spite of them. By focusing on the individual gifts and needs of each student, our teachers cultivated a caring family of learners who are committed to responsible citizenship, the performance of mitzvot, and support for the State of Israel and its people.
In September 2019, Kadimah shifted its focus and direction in recognition of changed demographics and finances. Rather than operating our own school, we have partnered with The Park School of Buffalo, a century-old private, independent, progressive school in Amherst, N.Y., in an innovative venture that is unique in North America. Through the Kadimah Scholars at Park School program, our students are now full Park students, where they learn Hebrew and Judaic Studies from former Kadimah teachers both during the regular school day and through supplemental “club” periods on two days after-school, while also participating fully in activities, clubs and sports at Park. Our students and faculty pray every morning, celebrate Shabbat and the holidays, and even share our religion and culture with the entire Park community, which has welcomed us with open arms.
Kadimah Academy remains a separate, independent nonprofit organization, chartered under New York State Religious Corporations Law, with a new focus on providing scholarships to Jewish students to attend Park, and to support the program through continual fundraising, marketing, recruitment, alumni relations and community engagement. Our mission is to ensure that Jewish education in Western New York is supported and strengthened in the future, while we maintain our goal of developing the future leaders of tomorrow’s Jewish community.