Rochelle Zell Stories

Josh Flink, CJHS '13, joins the podcast to speak about his work in social service, passion about writing, Jewish life, and his recent work as a research assistant on the award-winning book, The New Jewish Canon. At RZJHS, we are using the text in our Jewish Studies classes and are teaching it as part of our regular adult education classes. Josh reflects on  the opportunity to work on the book and how his learning at CJHS led him to propose a chapter that was included. 

Nadav Sprague (CJHS '13) is the founder and CEO of Gateway to the Great Outdoors, a non-profit that partners with low-income schools in Chicago and St. Louis and is dedicated to providing environmental, outdoor, and STEAM education. In our conversation, we explore Nadav’s passion for education and the environment and some of his fond memories from his time in high school.

The Stripe is the RZJHS student paper, a central part of our school culture, with issues coming out every other month. On this episode we sit down with leaders of the paper, seniors Uma Lynch and Naomi Scholder, to learn a bit more about the process of producing the paper, the role it plays in the school, and why they find the work to be so central to their lives as students.  

During our commemoration of Yom HaZikaron on Tuesday afternoon, Matthew Silverman (CJHS '07) offered his reflections on what Yom HaZikaron means to him as a soldier and Israeli citizen. 

Senior Dina Barrish explores the power of order in our current situation and why she is looking forward to embracing this during Pesach. She draws from post-Holocaust theological Melissa Raphael to explore the meaning of redemption amidst and following trauma.

For the past six years, the RZJHS Model U.N. team has won international first prize at the New York conference.  What leads to our school’s success each year? How does our students’ commitment to Jewish Studies and Jewish life prove to be the most important element of the team’s success? We sit down with 2020 team captains, seniors Maytal Meisler and Betsy Winick, along with faculty advisors, Mr. Dale Griffith and Ms. June Kramer, to learn a bit more about the program.

Ma'ayan Noy delivered these words in our Zoom Beit Knesset on March 20. She reflects on the visionary leadership of Miriam, and others, who stress leading the community in song and joy, while also acknowledging the reality of the world around them. To read the d'var Torah, click here.

Rav Beit Sefer Rabbi Zachary Silver suggests that our patriarch Yisrael can serve as a model for how we will venture forward together in this new normal. To read a copy of the d'var Torah, click here. 

For our first episode, we sit down with Rabbi Josh Warshawsky, Chicagoland Jewish High School, class of 2008. Josh is a musician, educator, and leader in the renaissance of American Jewish music. We speak about his music, his vision for Tefillah education, and how seeks to elevate the words of the siddur.