To the Kehillah Board and Head of School,

We are writing with deep sadness and shock at your recent announcement that Kehillah has decided to remove “Jewish” from the school name. From its founding class in 2002, Kehillah has proudly stood as the only pluralistic Jewish High School in the South Bay Area. The recent decision ends this 22-year run. 

The timing of this decision and announcement is particularly disappointing. Jews around the world are living through an alarming rise in open hatred directed at Jewish people, catalyzed by the massacre on October 7th. While many Jewish organizations have banded together in the face of these challenging times, Kehillah has done the opposite, striking away its visible Jewish identity. 

Rabbi Hillel says in Pirkei Avot, “If I am not for me, who will be for me?” If Kehillah won’t stand up for its Jewish identity, who will?

Under previous administrations, Kehillah instilled the importance of standing up for what is right and being proud of our Jewish identities - even when these are not the easy choices to make. Kehillah also was a place that prepared students to be advocates for Jews and other historically marginalized groups. Amidst rampant anti-semitism on college campuses, Kehillah has an opportunity, and a duty, to prepare its students to be the next generation of proud Jewish leaders. Instead, the message to current Kehillah students is: When times get tough for Jews, figure out how to hide or ease away from your Judaism.

The manner in which the decision was made also raises serious concerns. Despite assurances that some form of educational consulting was involved in advising the Board, there was a key group whose potential reactions were omitted: the actual community that has founded, supported, and sustained Kehillah for more than 20 years. Nor were the many loyal alumni from 22 years considered. Unfortunately, in this current state, it is challenging for us to imagine supporting the school or continuing to recommend it to prospective families.

This letter is signed by multiple generations of Kehillah students and families, ranging from the founding classes of the school to recent graduates. Never in Kehillah’s history have alumni come together like this in response to a decision about the school. However, we are blindsided and appalled that the leadership of the school has made the decision to tear Judaism out of Kehillah’s name and soul.

We come together now as loyal Alumni and families of Kehillah Jewish High School - an institution that taught us to be unashamed of our identities, to call out injustice where we see it, and to seek T’shuvah (return) when we make a mistake. In that spirit, we respectfully ask that the Board consider rectifying its mistake. May we return to the name, Kehillah Jewish High School and the school’s long-time, unapologetic Jewish identity, which we have been proud to support for 22 years.