Lunch and Learn: A Model for Israel Education
Adi Reicher Alouf is the Director of Jewish and Student Life at the Jewish Community High School (San Francisco). She loves teaching and learning in pluralistic community, and is committed to building many access points for Jewish engagement. Adi has an MA in Jewish Ethics from the Jewish Theological Seminary and spent years teaching Judaics in New York City.
Keira Gerstley (’25) is a 12th grade student at the Jewish Community High School of the Bay. She plans to pursue physics and Jewish studies in college and is passionate about exploring connections across disciplines, perspectives, and people. Keira is a dedicated dancer and part-time contemporary dance instructor.
Lunch and Learn is such a powerful space, and it’s a safety net—not because it’s purely Zionist, but because it’s a space where we can talk about things and not come to conclusions and not agree with other people. We’re talking because we’re talking, not because we’re trying to get somewhere, and that’s the point. It’s Lunch and Learn—not lunch and persuade or argue, or even agree. We pause our conversation when lunch ends, but the conversation itself doesn’t end. It’s this beautiful, beautiful space of us coming together to talk, and nothing else matters. – Eden ‘25
Who We Are
The Jewish Community High School of the Bay (JCHS) is a pluralistic, San Francisco-based school and community where diversity, both in Judaism and beyond, is not only celebrated but is also considered essential for deep learning. We are committed to teaching students to pursue multiple perspectives and engage respectfully in meaningful conversations as a path to developing their own beliefs. It is also a Zionist school, seeking to cultivate personal and collective relationships with Israel and graduate students who appreciate the interconnection of the Jewish people in Israel and the Diaspora.
The student body reflects the mosaic and vibrancy of the unique Bay Area Jewish community. Students come from various cities, neighborhoods, educational backgrounds, and levels of observance. Together, they also comprise a representation of over 30 synagogue affiliations. The community includes students born and raised in Israel, students who have no familial ties to Israel, and everyone in between. When the horrors of October 7th transpired and there emerged an urgent need to support all community members, we did so with our complementary missions of pluralism and Zionism as guiding forces.
This article is co-written by the Director of Jewish and Student Life and the Student Council President. Adi, in her directorial position, spearheaded the school’s response to October 7th and the ensuing war. While Keira largely assumed the role of an eager, frequent participant in all Israel-related programming, over time, she began partnering with Adi and integrated the approach of pluralistic Israel education into her public addresses as president. Together, we seek to offer an approach to Israel education in a time of overwhelming tragedy, division, and reckoning for the Jewish people.
Our Response to October 7th
In the immediate weeks following October 7th, JCHS marked our all-school assemblies with relevant Divrei Torah, updates and reflections about recent events, and communal recitations of aheinu. We also hosted optional dedicated spaces for students and staff to grieve and process outside of these group gatherings. As the war waged on, we held four mandatory Days of Learning to provide structured educational experiences and foster intellectual participation in conversations around October 7th and the war.
During the first two sessions, Jewish Studies faculty dedicated class time to provide all grades with basic knowledge and historical context of the war. The curriculum included the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and summaries of the Hamas attack on October 7th and Israel’s response. This established a shared foundation of knowledge within the community, providing a common basis for future engagement.
Then, on December 5th, 2023, and March 11th, 2024, the whole school dedicated a portion of the day to addressing critical concerns with elective workshops featuring alumni, educators, and several outside speakers. Yom HaZikaron, Yom HaAtzmaut, and the October 7th anniversary commemoration were other mandatory large-scale events that provided students with educational options to accommodate varied reactions, interests, and needs.
Energized by the intellectual engagement and diversity of perspectives offered in the first Days of Learning, we developed the Lunch and Learn program. This initiative represents our continuous commitment to supporting students and faculty as they emotionally and intellectually process the developing situation in Israel and Gaza. Balancing this ongoing program with school-wide events fosters a consistent culture of multifaceted engagement rather than siloed Israel education.
The Lunch and Learn Program
Since December 2023, we have hosted a weekly Lunch and Learn, where 5-100 students and faculty gather to explore topics related to the Israel-Hamas war and antisemitism. Lunches are facilitated by faculty and often feature a guest speaker. The prior week’s events inspire each week’s discussion topic, which, thus far, has included a range of issues, such as exploring definitions of antisemitism, delving into international law with scholars from the Shalom Hartman Institute, and hearing firsthand from Nova survivors and Palestinian peace activists.
The program is woven into the rhythm of the school week, providing a consistent and structured framework for community members to process current events. When there were violent antisemitic attacks against Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam, our lunch focused on these horrific incidents. When Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell, our session examined the connections between the Israel-Hamas War and the unfolding situation in Syria. Most recently, we have been able to examine and discuss the complex hostage deal and ceasefire as it unfolds.
We announce each week’s Lunch and Learn topic during our Monday all-school assemblies, using the opportunity to frame and offer remarks that publicly acknowledge current events and pressing community concerns. By exposing students to the variety of voices, topics, and questions that our program features, we engender a culture of continuous learning and discussion throughout the school, even for students who don’t attend Lunch and Learns. Some students may not yet be ready to engage with certain topics and discussions, yet they still know that these conversations are taking place at the school and that their perspectives will be welcomed whenever they choose to participate.
The constant influx of news updates can overwhelm students and faculty, making this dedicated forum for processing recent events all the more valuable. Stella, a 12th grader who comes to at least every other Lunch and Learn, remarks,
Lunch and Learns are so current to what’s happening. Sometimes, when I see updates on the news, I purposely don’t open the articles until I go to the Lunch and Learn, because I need to process in a space…where [we] can just talk and ask questions without being judged.
Hebrew language teacher Merav also appreciates the opportunity to process events “…without having to explain Israel all the time.” Rather than being seen as “the source of information or expertise,” at Lunch and Learns, she is “equal among everyone.”
Disagreement and Dialogue
As a result of the program’s inviting atmosphere, mix of topics, modalities, and consistent relevance to current events, Lunch and Learns resonate with a wide range of students and faculty, mirroring our community’s diversity. Students of all grades, Jewish educational and religious backgrounds, and relationships to Israel attend. Some students come every single week, and others drop in only when the topic is especially interesting to them.
Faculty and staff also frequent Lunch and Learns, allowing the program to cultivate a climate of student-teacher dialogue. Jen, the Dean of Visual and Performing Arts, reflects that the program “presents a rare opportunity for students and teachers to connect on [an equal] platform,” enhancing the school’s already prominent culture of strong student-teacher relationships. The Lunch and Learn program has supported professional community members struggling personally and professionally post-October 7th. Faculty and staff attend to learn, share, and hear student perspectives, and be in active conversation with them. This mutual learning unifies and strengthens our school community, ensuring that both students and faculty can navigate the complexities of Israel education together.
Our shared commitment to Israel serves as a foundation for conversation, encouraging students to explore and expand upon it with diverse and challenging perspectives. Eden, an Israeli-American student who started regularly attending Lunch and Learns at the beginning of this school year, reflects that she’s “become very comfortable sitting in the uncertainty” presented by speakers with varied visions for the future of Israel. She recognizes that she’d “have a very different attitude towards these challenging conversations if [she weren’t] in a Jewish space.” For Merav, being “in an Israeli-friendly environment” is similarly a necessary condition for her engagement.
As the only pluralistic Jewish high school in the Bay Area, we recognize that Israel, as a focal point for the Jewish people, is viewed and internalized differently by each of us. The Lunch and Learn series reflects and celebrates this diversity. In the tradition of the beit midrash atmosphere, we ask our students to make their “ears a funnel and acquire an understanding heart to hear both statements” (Hagiga 3b). This provides an opportunity to develop skills in critical thinking, empathy, and intellectual rigor, ensuring that our students can engage with and talk about Israel now and beyond graduation.
Students have embraced a mindset of curiosity and critical thinking in discussions about Israel and the war, inspiring them to share this approach with others. Stella says,
When I’m interacting with people outside of JCHS about the war, I want to approach everything with curiosity and passion, and respect for the topic. I don’t want to push people [to agree with me] … I want to take the skills and knowledge I have and share it with others.”
By creating an environment where students feel comfortable engaging with a diversity of viewpoints, Lunch and Learns facilitate honest conversations that keep students in relationship with Israel and all of its complexity. In doing so, we hope to disrupt the trend of day school graduates feeling resentful and as if they’ve been “lied to” after receiving a fragmented or simplified narrative of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This approach encourages students to grapple with moral tensions in Israel’s history and current reality, allowing them to form more nuanced and enduring connections with Israel that can withstand challenging arguments they may encounter ahead.
Looking Ahead
Initially launched as an immediate response to the trauma of October 7th, the Lunch and Learn series has evolved into a cornerstone of our school’s Israel education. The program’s rhythm and consistency promote relevant and nuanced learning that infuses Israel education into the school week, extending it beyond the classroom, annual school-wide observances, and the 11th grade Israel trip. This casual, opt-in weekly forum has broadened and enriched our Israel education toolkit, transforming a once reactive space for processing current events into an essential pillar of our dynamic approach to Israel education.
The impact of the Lunch and Learn program on our community has been profound and far-reaching. It has expanded students’ knowledge of Israel and current events while cultivating a culture of open dialogue where complexities and challenges are thoughtfully explored. This has not only strengthened our identity as a pluralistic school with a commitment to Israel, but it has also deepened our sense of internal community by bringing students and staff together in intentional and regular conversation.
As the program continues to evolve and mature, we are committed to rotating facilitators, ensuring that faculty members and student leaders—including those enrolled in our Israel class—take an active role in guiding these discussions. Our goal is to continue fostering deep, nuanced relationships with Israel that adapt to the changing geopolitical landscape while remaining rooted in our school’s Zionist and pluralistic values.
The Lunch and Learn program equips students with the skills to navigate and thrive in diverse environments beyond high school, preparing them to be active, compassionate, and informed citizens. However, this approach is not just a stepping stone to engaging with the broader world; it is an intentional practice that strengthens Jewish communities on both small and large scales. Amidst polarizing politics and communal fragmentation along religious, national, and generational lines, spaces like Lunch and Learn are crucial for nurturing a vibrant, resilient, and interconnected Jewish future. We hope this program can serve as a model for other communities to similarly address critical issues facing Israel and the Jewish people today.
Adi Reicher Alouf is the Director of Jewish and Student Life at the Jewish Community High School (San Francisco). She loves teaching and learning in pluralistic community, and is committed to building many access points for Jewish engagement. Adi has an MA in Jewish Ethics from the Jewish Theological Seminary and spent years teaching Judaics in New York City.
Keira Gerstley (’25) is a 12th-grade student at the Jewish Community High School of the Bay. She plans to pursue physics and Jewish studies in college and is passionate about exploring connections across disciplines, perspectives, and people. Keira is a dedicated dancer and part-time contemporary dance instructor.
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