What makes a JCHS education not just different, but truly transformative? Welcome to Thinking Out Loud — where we dive deep, ask big questions, and explore what shapes learning at JCHS. Each week we talk with a member of the JCHS community about what really matters in learning and the uniquely JCHS approach to education. Check back each Tuesday for a new episode.
Episode 7: Why the Humanities Matter: Finding Meaning in Learning with Dr. Camilo Jaramillo, Dean of Humanities
What does it really mean to study the humanities in a world driven by data, speed, and technology? In this episode of Thinking Out Loud, Dr. Camilo Jaramillo, Dean of Humanities at JCHS, explores how literature, history, and art help students make sense of themselves and the world they live in. From mock trials and creative projects to deep dives into the ideas that have shaped society, Dr. Jaramillo reveals how JCHS students learn to think critically, communicate powerfully, and see connections others might miss. Tune in to hear how moments of discovery in the classroom spark curiosity and empathy that last a lifetime.
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify
Episode launch date: October 28, 2025
Episode 6: Grades vs. Growth: What Are We Really Assessing? with Michael Brody, Assistant Head of School
What if grades reflected only what students truly learned—not compliance or point-chasing? In this episode, Michael Brody, Assistant Head of School at JCHS, shares the school’s “Grading for Learning” philosophy, which prioritizes mastery over noise like attendance penalties or extra credit. He explains how policies like retakes and rewrites encourage intellectual risk-taking, while AP courses focus on authentic, college-level learning rather than test prep. Michael offers insight into how JCHS balances rigorous academic standards with fostering intrinsically motivated learners who love learning for its own sake.
Watch on YouTube | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify
Episode launch date: October 19, 2025
Episode 5: How Do We Engage in Conversation Around Israel? with Adi Alouf, Director of Student and Jewish Life
How do you teach young people to navigate one of the most polarizing topics of our time in a productive, healthy, and thoughtful way? In this conversation, JCHS alum and Director of Jewish and Student Life, Adi Alouf, shares the story behind the school’s weekly “Lunch and Learn” series, launched after October 7, 2023. She explains why cultivating humility, curiosity, and engagement with complexity is so important. From weekly Lunch and Learn conversations to the life-changing Israel Journey, she offers a vision of education that builds resilience and depth.
Watch on YouTube | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify
Reading List: Lunch & Learn: A Model for Israel Education by Adi Alouf and Keira Gerstley for The Lookstein Center
Episode launch date: October 12, 2025
Episode 4: When Torah Feels Foreign: Finding Our Way In with Tamar Rabinowitz, Dean of Jewish Studies
What if reading Torah could make us more humble, responsible, and courageous? In this episode, Dean of Jewish Studies Tamar Rabinowitz explains how slowing down, listening deeply, and engaging multiple voices in dialogue can shape a person’s character as much as their intellect. Her teaching emphasizes humility, responsibility, and moral courage—qualities urgently needed in a world of quick takes and easy answers.
Reading List: From Consumption to Production: Equipping Students to Create Torah by Tamar Rabinowitz for The Lookstein Center
Watch on YouTube | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify
Episode launch date: October 6, 2025
Episode 3: Seeing the World in a New Way with Jennifer Sturgill, Dean of Visual and Performing Arts
How does the tension between structure and freedom allow for creativity to thrive? In this episode, Dean of Visual & Performing Arts Jennifer Sturgill explains her philosophy of teaching art as an exploration of open-mindedness. She illustrates this approach through a “notan” paper-cutting project, showing how structure, freedom, and attention to detail combine to spark creativity and confidence.
Watch on YouTube | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify
Episode launch date: September 30, 2025
Episode 2: Where Great Colleges Say Yes, with Lauren Cook, Dean of College and Gap-Year Advising
In this week’s episode, JCHS’s Dean of College and Gap Year Advising Lauren Cook discusses what makes the college counseling process at JCHS unique, emphasizing its highly personalized nature, focus on “fit,” and grounding in Jewish values. She explains how JCHS students stand out to colleges due to their strong academic preparation combined with deep introspection and “life prep.” Ms. Cook also details the diverse range of colleges graduates attend and offers observations on JCHS’s success in college admissions stemming from its reputation for graduating mature, engaged, and community-oriented individuals.
Watch on YouTube | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify
Episode launch date: September 22, 2025
Episode 1: Education with Soul–Why JCHS Feels Different, and Is, with Rabbi Howard Jacoby Ruben
In this episode, we sit down with Rabbi Howard Jacoby Ruben, the Head of School at JCHS, who shares how a culture of courageous questioning, deep learning, and joyful belonging shapes everything from classroom discussions to community life. We’ll explore how the approach to learning at JCHS allows students to do more…. be more… as they enter into centuries-old conversations, wrestle with justice, and grow into original thinkers ready to engage the world with empathy and purpose.
Watch on YouTube | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify
Reading list: An Ethic of Excellence by Ron Berger; The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt
Episode launch date: September 16, 2025
