Journeys
A Trip Takes You Somewhere.
A Journey Changes You.
At JCHS, every grade embarks on an experiential Journey designed to complement classroom learning while helping students grow as individuals and as a community. Each experience challenges students to step outside their comfort zone, deepen relationships, and discover new perspectives through adventure, reflection, and meaningful conversations.
From building community in ninth grade to exploring identity, peoplehood, and purpose in the years that follow, each Journey is intentionally designed to meet students where they are—and prepare them for where they're going next.
9th Grade
Journey
Camp Newman
11th Grade
Journey
Israel
10th Grade
Journey
Zion National Park
12th Grade
Journey
New Orleans
Four Years. Four Journeys.
9th Grade Journey
Camp Newman
The first Journey focuses on one simple but powerful idea: creating a community where every student belongs.
Through outdoor challenges, team-building activities, wilderness experiences, and shared reflection, students begin building the relationships that will define their four years at JCHS. Along the way, they explore how kindness, responsibility, and shared purpose strengthen both individuals and the community around them.
Students explore questions such as:
What does it mean to discover my Emet (inner truth), and how might I overcome obstacles that stand in the way of that discovery?
How can we build a community inspired by Gemilut Chasadim (acts of kindness and compassion) that supports every individual?
What is the power of Kavanah (intentionality) in shaping the kind of person, student, and community member we hope to become?
10th Grade Journey
Zion National Park
Surrounded by one of the country's most breathtaking landscapes, students discover how challenge, adventure, and nature can inspire personal growth.
Working alongside professional outdoor guides, students hike, climb, and canyoneer while developing resilience, trust, leadership, and confidence. The experience encourages positive risk-taking, thoughtful reflection, and a deeper appreciation for the connections between self, community, and the natural world.
Students explore questions such as:
How can nature help us discover our authentic selves and our B'tzelem Elohim (shared humanity), while deepening our responsibility L'dor V'dor (from generation to generation)?
How can positive risk-taking help build a Kehillah Kedosha (an inspired and caring community)?
What can a special place—HaMakom HaZeh ("this place")—teach us about growth, transformation, and the next chapter of our lives?
11th Grade Journey
Israel
The eleventh-grade Journey brings students face-to-face with the people, places, history, and complexity of modern Israel. Whether visiting for the first time or returning with new perspective, students experience Israel as a living expression of Jewish history, culture, and identity.
Through meaningful conversations, immersive experiences, and guided reflection, students deepen their understanding of Israel's diverse society while strengthening their connection to Klal Yisrael (the Jewish people).
Regions Explored
The North: Community, environmental stewardship, security, and shared responsibility.
Tel Aviv: Modern Israeli culture, innovation, diversity, and social justice.
Jerusalem: History, religion, politics, identity, and the many voices that shape Israel today.
The Journey brings classroom learning to life, helping students develop informed perspectives, meaningful relationships, and a deeper connection to Israel and Klal Yisrael (Jewish peoplehood).
12th Grade Journey
New Orleans
As seniors prepare for life beyond JCHS, the final Journey challenges them to thoughtfully engage with a new community through service, cultural exploration, and reflection. New Orleans offers a unique setting to examine resilience, history, identity, and the ways communities preserve traditions while adapting to change.
By working alongside local organizations, meeting community leaders, and experiencing the city's rich cultural heritage, students begin considering how they will contribute to the communities they join after graduation.
Essential Questions
When learning the history of a place, where should the story begin? How does the past shape the present?
How can Mesorah (the passing of traditions from generation to generation) help communities preserve culture, identity, and resilience?
What does it mean to enter a community as a learner, a partner, and a responsible global citizen?
