THE HEBREW ACADEMY OF THE CAPITAL DISTRICT WAS ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE JEWISH YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AN EDUCATION INTEGRATING THE INTELLECTUAL RIGOR, ETHICAL NORMS AND SPIRITUAL WARMTH OF THE JEWISH TRADITION WITH THE VALUES OF THE AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC HERITAGE AND THE WISDOM OF THE WESTERN INTELLECTUAL TRADITION. THE ACADEMY'S GOAL IS TO PRODUCE GRADUATES WHO ARE WELL GROUNDED IN JUDAIC AND SECULAR STUDIES AND PREPARED TO PURSUE BOTH AT MORE ADVANCED LEVELS, SENSITIVE TO ETHICAL AND MORAL DEMANDS IN THEIR DEALINGS WITH ALL PERSONS, COMMITTED TO THE RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS AND ZIONIST ASPIRATIONS OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE, LOYAL TO THE AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC WAY OF LIFE, AND POSSESSED OF A KEEN SENSE OF CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES AMERICAN, JEWISH AND UNIVERSAL IN WHICH THEY WILL PARTICIPATE AS ADULTS. CLASSES AT THE ACADEMY ARE SMALL, ALLOWING FOR AN INTIMATE TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP. IN THIS WAY, THE SCHOOL'S SENSE OF COMMUNITY, STRONG AS IT IS, DOES NOT OVERRIDE ITS RESPECT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.