There was laughter and there were tears. But more than anything, an overwhelming feeling of excitement and accomplishment marked the New Atlanta Jewish Community High School's (NAJCHS) Inaugural Evening of Honor on Sunday, March 30, 2003. Almost 600 people attended the celebration, which recognized community leader Gerald Cohen for his seven decades of community service.

Clare Habif, Chair of the Evening of Honor, served as the master of ceremonies. Speakers included Jack Halpern, President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta; Head of School, Simcha Pearl; Mark Cohen, President of the Board of Trustees and of course, the guest of honor himself, Gerald Cohen. The NAJCHS Ensemble provided music, and a rousing performance by the School's Acapella Choir was one of the highlights of the evening.

The Evening of Honor also celebrated the amazing success of NAJCHS, which pioneered the concept of the transdenominational Jewish high school (where the rich mosaic of Jewish philosophies, beliefs and practices coexist) on a national basis. Notable achievements include:

• Dramatic, consistent growth in enrollment, which has increased 600% since 1997. NAJCHS now approaches maximum capacity in its current space with 116 students.
• One hundred percent acceptance rate of our graduates to four-year colleges, including outstanding institutions such as Boston University, Columbia University, Emory University, Harvard University, the University of Michigan and Washington University. Many students also received merit scholarships.
• Since its founding in 1997, a total of six students have received the prestigious National Merit Finalist awards. In 2003 alone, NAJCHS received the highest percentage of any high school senior class in Dekalb County (public or private) gaining this honor.

NAJCHS' paradigm-shifting transdenominational philosophy has received national and international recognition. Communities such as Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco have embraced NAJCHS as a role model.

Proceeds from the Evening of Honor will benefit the school's scholarship fund. Determined that the ability to pay will not be a barrier in any child receiving a Jewish education, NAJCHS currently provides 20 percent of the student body with financial aid.

New Atlanta Jewish Community High School is one of Federation's local beneficiary agencies, and received an allocation of $71,154 in FY03.