![CarolNemoJenEpstein]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1661913036/davisacademyorg/hmrd2laqqyemn1uhza1f/CarolNemoJenEpstein.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1661913036/davisacademyorg/hmrd2laqqyemn1uhza1f/CarolNemoJenEpstein.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1661913036/davisacademyorg/hmrd2laqqyemn1uhza1f/CarolNemoJenEpstein.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1661913036/davisacademyorg/hmrd2laqqyemn1uhza1f/CarolNemoJenEpstein.jpg","width":1200}])
This is our story. A story that began over 30 years ago with a vision for a new Reform Jewish day school in Atlanta. It’s our story as founders, and it’s our collective story of The Davis Academy...
Davis Stories
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Davis, we are excited to present Davis Stories, a series of narratives told in first person by different voices of our kehilah (community). Parents, teachers, alumni, alumni-parents, students and friends share how The Davis Academy has made an impact on their lives. Davis Stories deepens the meaning of our mission and amplifies the excitement of our 30th milestone.
![Our Davis Story: Lisa and Steve Freedman]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1663675198/davisacademyorg/arsilhpagov6s5fvjcwg/LisaSteveFreedman.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1663675198/davisacademyorg/arsilhpagov6s5fvjcwg/LisaSteveFreedman.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1663675198/davisacademyorg/arsilhpagov6s5fvjcwg/LisaSteveFreedman.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1663675198/davisacademyorg/arsilhpagov6s5fvjcwg/LisaSteveFreedman.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1663675198/davisacademyorg/arsilhpagov6s5fvjcwg/LisaSteveFreedman.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1663675198/davisacademyorg/arsilhpagov6s5fvjcwg/LisaSteveFreedman.jpg","width":2200}])
Our Davis story began when our oldest daughter’s PreK teachers recommended that we “must look at The Davis Academy” during Parent-Teacher conferences, sharing “it provides just the right balance of structure and nurturing that Alexa thrives on.” So...
![JonahMedoff Class of 2016]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1665066225/davisacademyorg/hf9upvebihnjqq3rqtuc/JonahMedoff16.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1665066225/davisacademyorg/hf9upvebihnjqq3rqtuc/JonahMedoff16.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1665066225/davisacademyorg/hf9upvebihnjqq3rqtuc/JonahMedoff16.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1665066225/davisacademyorg/hf9upvebihnjqq3rqtuc/JonahMedoff16.jpg","width":1200}])
I can’t believe it has been 6 years since I’ve graduated from the Davis Academy. Having started in kindergarten, I’ve spent almost half of my life at Davis, and it honestly feels like I was just there not long ago, wearing my Davis shirt and khaki shorts, carrying my binder from class to class.
![MarissaJeremyShedrow]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1666198911/davisacademyorg/cs9l4w6ckpesl9kz8vkv/MarissaJeremyShedrow.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1666198911/davisacademyorg/cs9l4w6ckpesl9kz8vkv/MarissaJeremyShedrow.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1666198911/davisacademyorg/cs9l4w6ckpesl9kz8vkv/MarissaJeremyShedrow.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1666198911/davisacademyorg/cs9l4w6ckpesl9kz8vkv/MarissaJeremyShedrow.jpg","width":1200}])
Our Davis story begins with a lesson that no matter the plans you make and believe will happen, life will unfold and suggest a better way! Both of our children (Jacob now 8th grade and Hannah 5th grade) grew up attending...
![StacyBrown]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1667413026/davisacademyorg/koelpzlhudv2vtcasr5l/StacyBrown.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1667413026/davisacademyorg/koelpzlhudv2vtcasr5l/StacyBrown.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1667413026/davisacademyorg/koelpzlhudv2vtcasr5l/StacyBrown.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1667413026/davisacademyorg/koelpzlhudv2vtcasr5l/StacyBrown.jpg","width":1200}])
My Davis story began in the summer of 2007 when I was hired as the lower school media specialist. I came on board prior to the official post-summer “return to campus” date in order to familiarize myself with the school’s library collection.
![Mara Berman]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1668626629/davisacademyorg/xcjewz9sjazcuooxckui/MaraBerman.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1668626629/davisacademyorg/xcjewz9sjazcuooxckui/MaraBerman.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1668626629/davisacademyorg/xcjewz9sjazcuooxckui/MaraBerman.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1668626629/davisacademyorg/xcjewz9sjazcuooxckui/MaraBerman.jpg","width":1200}])
My Davis journey began in August of 2010. That was when my oldest child, Ella, started kindergarten at The Davis Academy. I held it together while I dropped her off in the morning carpool, and then the tears poured out. Had Justin and I chosen the right school for her?
![Our Davis Story: Tamara & Brian Mand]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1670002019/davisacademyorg/yty3wg9dyjkmelwi0lfv/OurDavisStoryTamaraBrianMand.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1670002019/davisacademyorg/yty3wg9dyjkmelwi0lfv/OurDavisStoryTamaraBrianMand.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1670002019/davisacademyorg/yty3wg9dyjkmelwi0lfv/OurDavisStoryTamaraBrianMand.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1670002019/davisacademyorg/yty3wg9dyjkmelwi0lfv/OurDavisStoryTamaraBrianMand.jpg","width":1200}])
The Davis Academy will always be our home. Our family’s story at Davis began back in 2009 when we chose Davis for our oldest daughter, Emily. At the time, we considered several private schools in the Atlanta area and just felt that
![My Davis Story: Galia Sabbag]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1671470053/davisacademyorg/nvimgkadytmpwx0orif5/MyDavisStoryGaliaSabbag.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1671470053/davisacademyorg/nvimgkadytmpwx0orif5/MyDavisStoryGaliaSabbag.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1671470053/davisacademyorg/nvimgkadytmpwx0orif5/MyDavisStoryGaliaSabbag.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1671470053/davisacademyorg/nvimgkadytmpwx0orif5/MyDavisStoryGaliaSabbag.jpg","width":1200}])
Twenty-six years ago, I walked into the hallways of this amazing school as a new teacher - “hallways” that consisted of one floor of classrooms and a lunchroom in a trailer. There was no playground, however, the spirit and energy of The Davis Academy were then, as they are today, alive and palpable.
![Mark & Christina Kats]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1674071015/davisacademyorg/xr1gm6br6lxyezppqisa/MarkChristinaKats.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1674071015/davisacademyorg/xr1gm6br6lxyezppqisa/MarkChristinaKats.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1674071015/davisacademyorg/xr1gm6br6lxyezppqisa/MarkChristinaKats.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1674071015/davisacademyorg/xr1gm6br6lxyezppqisa/MarkChristinaKats.jpg","width":1200}])
Sharing holidays, and life-cycle events together have made us feel connected to something greater than ourselves, the Jewish community around us. Davis has been more than a school for our children, it has become our Kehilah, an extension of our family.
![Our Story: Karl & Julie Altmann]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1675273644/davisacademyorg/n4okgwgnimahwfubizb2/OurStoryKarlJulieAltmann.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1675273644/davisacademyorg/n4okgwgnimahwfubizb2/OurStoryKarlJulieAltmann.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1675273644/davisacademyorg/n4okgwgnimahwfubizb2/OurStoryKarlJulieAltmann.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1675273644/davisacademyorg/n4okgwgnimahwfubizb2/OurStoryKarlJulieAltmann.jpg","width":1200}])
While choosing Davis for academics was an easy decision for us, it was the Kehillah of families that comprised Davis that ultimately made the biggest impact on us.
![ZoeLightClassOf2012]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1676476413/davisacademyorg/fvalz4ksdq9ilqjd2ukj/ZoeLightClassOf2012.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1676476413/davisacademyorg/fvalz4ksdq9ilqjd2ukj/ZoeLightClassOf2012.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1676476413/davisacademyorg/fvalz4ksdq9ilqjd2ukj/ZoeLightClassOf2012.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1676476413/davisacademyorg/fvalz4ksdq9ilqjd2ukj/ZoeLightClassOf2012.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1676476413/davisacademyorg/fvalz4ksdq9ilqjd2ukj/ZoeLightClassOf2012.png","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1676476413/davisacademyorg/fvalz4ksdq9ilqjd2ukj/ZoeLightClassOf2012.png","width":1650}])
Davis solidified for me what it means to be part of a Jewish community; first by being connected to the other students and families, and ultimately seeing how we are connected to the people who came before us as well as to Jewish people all over the world.
![BillieGreenberg]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1677698517/davisacademyorg/hrnepau4oijtbttczcel/BillieGreenberg.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1677698517/davisacademyorg/hrnepau4oijtbttczcel/BillieGreenberg.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1677698517/davisacademyorg/hrnepau4oijtbttczcel/BillieGreenberg.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1677698517/davisacademyorg/hrnepau4oijtbttczcel/BillieGreenberg.jpg","width":1200}])
“For everything, there is a season.” This is the season for The Davis Academy to take stock of those who have served with dignity, those who have achieved academic excellence, and those who teach with a strength of purpose.