Fresh Takes on JCHS: A Transfer Student and A Freshman
A Transfer Student’s Perspective
As if starting a new school isn’t hard enough, my first day began with missing the train. On that first morning, my stomach was tied in knots. Although I had been at JCHS the day before for transfer student orientation and had been given important information such as schedules and lunch codes, this did nothing to calm my nerves. As I drove to the train station, all the traffic lights were red and the clock seemed to move too fast. When I finally arrived, my heart was racing. I ran onto the platform just in time to see the train’s doors swish closed; a hair’s breadth from my face.
However, when I finally arrived JCHS that morning, the excitement in the air was tangible. Students were smiling ear to ear in the lobby as they met up with their friends. Throughout the rest of the day, I continued to notice how warm and welcoming all of my classmates were.
I spent my first two weeks at school checking my schedule and never knowing which class was next. Long blocks were also an adjustment that I was not prepared for. Even though my teachers were engaging, on the first two days of school, each long block felt like an eternity—and I struggled to keep my eyes open through each teacher introduction and syllabus. Now, I’ve gotten used to these huge stretches of time, but I still have trouble relating to people who genuinely appreciate seventy-five-minute classes.
I also learned the terms FTW and test retake, which were unheard of at my old school. Teachers and classmates threw around the acronym “FTW” on the first day of school like it was no big deal, and it took me a solid week to find out it stood for “First Thing Work.” Another concept that was completely new to me were test retakes—without penalties! I was used to a tense and rigid environment where one would study, stress, then hope for the best after taking the test. However, on my first day, I discovered that at JCHS, test retakes and even take home tests were common, which I found eliminated an undue level of examination anxiety.
On the whole, I have felt that JCHS has been incredibly inviting and accepting. It resonated with me how understanding and accommodating the teachers and students are. Five months here have quickly passed me by and I haven’t missed the train, I know my schedule, and I appreciate my friends and teachers. I am happy to say that in this case, first impressions persist.
A Freshman’s Perspective
I entered JCHS this year as a 9th grader, immediately after living for two years in Israel, where I attended an all-boys Yeshiva middle school. Only Hebrew was spoken in almost every class! Needless to say, returning from the yeshiva to the Bay Area — and to a pluralistic Jewish high school — has been quite of a culture shock! From the moment I walked into JCHS, I noticed some differences in the way our school celebrates Judaism, but I soon found comforting similarities as well.
At both JCHS and at the yeshiva in Israel, students from many varying backgrounds could be found. For example, at the yeshiva, there were Moroccan, Yemenite, Polish, German, French, British, and American students — just to name a few! These students were all observant Orthodox Jews who spoke fluent Hebrew and kept Shabbat and Kashrut. This is in stark contrast to JCHS, where most of the students are Ashkenazi Jews, but come from many varieties of Jewish homes, including interfaith, Reform, Orthodox, Conservative, non-practicing, Hebrew speaking, non-Hebrew speaking, and so many more.
To be honest, it was a hard shift to go from a school where everyone did Tefillah together in Hebrew, with Tefillin, and had 9 hours of Tanach that were mandatory every week, to a school with 9 Tefillah options and all kinds of classes focusing on modern Judaism. However, I am embracing this new mindset of Judaism with gusto, where each individual connects to our religion in whatever way best suits them. JCHS, among many things, has taught me that we are truly strongest when we all bring our different experiences, traditions and open our minds to learn from each other.
