HEAD OF SCHOOL SEARCH

Dear JCHS Community,

One piece of ancient Jewish wisdom has quietly guided my work as an educator. Ben Zoma taught: Who is truly wise? One who learns from every person. Who is truly content? One who is satisfied with their portion. Who is truly honored? One who honors others. (Avot 4:1) It is a declaration of high ideals and, I have always thought, a precise description of what JCHS at its best aspires to. For nearly two decades, I have had the privilege of living inside that aspiration as your Head of School.

And so it is with a full heart — grateful and wistful in equal measure — that I am writing to share: I will complete my service as Head of School at the conclusion of the 2026-27 school year. I am sharing this now with the lead time this school deserves to find an extraordinary successor — which I am confident it will.

When I arrived, JCHS was still a fresh start-up — an audacious idea that a pluralistic Jewish high school could draw students from across the denominational spectrum and invite them to think seriously about who they are as Jews and as human beings. That idea has borne fruit, year after year. 

By the time I hand over this role, I will have handed diplomas to more than 800 graduates on behalf of this community. Each diploma represents a young person who has wrestled seriously with what it means to be Jewish — and found, at least in part, their own answer.

Everything I am proud of here was accomplished together. The faculty and staff who have given their professional lives to this mission with intellectual seriousness and daily generosity have been my greatest teachers. Ben Zoma would approve.

The families who entrusted us with what is most precious to them, the alumni who carry JCHS into the world, the donors whose belief made the audacious possible, and the board leadership whose devotion and wisdom have been a constant — all of you built this school as surely as any of us who worked in it. Ben Zoma says the honored person is one who honors others. I have been surrounded by people who enacted that teaching every day.

None of this has been without difficulty. We have navigated a recession, a pandemic, the financial complexities of a small independent school competing among the finest in the country, and the ongoing heartbreaks of the Jewish world — felt with particular acuity over the last three years. What I witnessed in those moments was more than institutional resilience. It was an authentic community: people showing up for one another when showing up required something real.

As I approach my 70th birthday, I am drawn toward what is next — not away from what has been. We have grandchildren in four cities and a life that spans the Bay Area and Israel, and there is more of that life I want to inhabit fully. I am not stepping away from Jewish life or Jewish education. I am stepping toward more of it, on different terms. Ben Zoma says the content person is satisfied with their portion. I am. This work, this community, this mission — second only to Debby and our family — has been everything.

JCHS is strong. Our students are extraordinary. Our faculty is exceptional. Our mission — to educate thoughtful, committed, pluralistic Jews — has never been more necessary or more alive. This letter joins messages from our Board Chair and Search Committee Chair about the path forward. JCHS is in excellent hands — from our remarkable and resourceful professional community to exemplary and visionary board leaders like Raphael Edelman and Jessica Minkoff, whose letters accompany this one. I am committed to supporting them and this process in every way I can.

Thank you. For the joy of this work. For the privilege of your trust. For everything you have given to JCHS — and, through JCHS, to me.

With deep gratitude and enduring affection for this school community — L’Shalom — Toward Wholeness,

Rabbi Howard Jacoby Ruben
Head of School

Dear JCHS Community,

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am writing to share news of a significant milestone for our school. We are beginning a global search for a new Head of School to lead the Jewish Community High School of the Bay (JCHS) into its next chapter, following the retirement of Rabbi Howard Jacoby Ruben at the close of the 2026-2027 school year.

For nearly two decades, Rabbi Ruben’s leadership has been the very heart of JCHS. To know Rabbi Ruben is to see the best of our school in action. He personifies the Middot we strive to instill in our students every day: integrity, kindness, and a deep love for Jewish life. His unwavering commitment to a truly pluralistic community has transformed JCHS into a place where diverse perspectives don’t just coexist—they flourish.

Rabbi Ruben’s calm demeanor and keen insights have guided us throughout his tenure. Whether navigating the complexities of COVID-19 or the heartbreak of October 7th, his steady hand allowed us to remain an oasis of learning and growth. We owe our unique culture and academic excellence to the tireless dedication and genuine love he has brought to this institution. Having touched the lives of nearly all of our graduates, his legacy is carried forward by every student who found their voice in our hallways.

As we navigate the opportunities and challenges before us, we look forward to working with all in the Jewish community to ensure that JCHS remains the dynamic Bay Area institution it has become over the past 25 years. While we will miss his daily presence, we are grateful that Rabbi Ruben will spend the next year and a half working closely with us to ensure a seamless transition for his successor.

We look forward to honoring Rabbi Ruben’s incredible tenure together as a community. We will keep you updated as our search progresses, and we thank you for your continued partnership.

Warmly,

Raphael Edelman
President, JCHS Board of Directors

Dear JCHS Community,

It is a privilege to chair the committee identifying the next Head of School of JCHS. After nearly two decades of Rabbi Ruben’s steadfast leadership, I hold both deep gratitude for our rigorous foundation and keen anticipation for our next era of growth.

Working alongside Ellen Finestone, Dr. Frayda Gonshor Cohen, Dr. Camilo Jaramillo, Yana Kalika, and Ted Maidenberg, we seek an insightful leader to carry forward our pluralistic vision. We have engaged a search firm and a professional consultant from Prizmah to work with us. Our formal launch begins with a mid-April listening session to define the qualities and expertise required for this role, a survey of current parents and alumni, with an appointment expected in the 2026-27 school year. We look forward to navigating this transition with the transparency and care our mission demands as we enter this important transition.

With gratitude and anticipation,

Jessica Minkoff
Search Committee Chair

The JCHS Head of School will be expected to lead with intentionality, ensuring that JCHS remains at the forefront of educational innovation while staying grounded in our core Jewish values. You will be seen as a bridge-builder, a strategic thinker, and a champion for every student’s individual path. You will find joy in the nuanced complexity of a pluralistic community and will strive to maintain an environment of excellence.

To learn more, please tap here for the Head of School Opportunity Statement.

To apply to become our next head of school, please send a cover letter and resume to Amy Wasser, Senior Director Field Advancement at Prizmah, Center for Jewish Day Schools: amyw@prizmah.org.

• Jessica Minkoff, Chair (Board Member; Parent of Leah ‘25, Noah ’27, Zoe ’30)

• Ellen Finestone (Board Member; Parent of Gabi ’17, Ethan ’20, Mia ’24)

• Dr. Frayda Gonshor Cohen (Board Member; Parent of Hoshaya ’27, Gavriel ’30)

• Dr. Camilo Jaramillo (Dean of Humanities)

• Yana Kalika (President & CEO at The Koum Family Foundation)

• Ted Maidenberg (Parent of Elana ’25, Maisy ’27)

• April 5, 2026: Head of School Search announced

• April 6, 2026: Head of School Opportunity Statement released

• Mid-April: Search Committee convenes a listening session

• Spring-Summer 2026: Application Period

• 2026-27 school year: Rabbi Howard Jacoby Ruben continues as Head of School and will work with the incoming Head of School to transition leadership.

• June, 2027: Rabbi Howard Jacoby Ruben completes his tenure as Head of School.