Mainline Hebrew School Will Change Its Name

by KYW’s Karin Phillips

The Akiba Hebrew Academy has received three generous monetary gifts in less than a year. However, one of the gifts will result in the changing of the school's name and some alumni are pretty upset about it.

Akiba Hebrew Academy has received a $5 million gift from the Barrack Foundation. That will result in a change in name from Akiba to the Barrack Hebrew Academy.

Head of the school Rabbi Philip Field says there are very mixed emotions:

“There's certainly a 60-year-old attachment to the name, Akiba Hebrew Academy, and we're working very hard to ensure that the values and the program that have always existed will continue to exist.”

Akiba alum Jennifer Etkin of Lafayette Hill was senior president of the class of 1993. She says she's one of many alumni opposed to the name change:

“Colleges know Akiba Hebrew Academy. They know what the school is about when you say Akiba Hebrew Academy. They're not going to recognize the new name. It will always be Akiba Hebrew Academy to me.”