New Leadership, Deeper Roots: Kehilla Upper School Welcomes Rabbi Raffi Levi as Head of Jewish Studies

This year marks an exciting new chapter as the Jewish Middle School and Kehilla High School come together as the Kehilla Upper School. While continuing to offer distinct middle and high school experiences, this integration allows for a more cohesive and powerful vision, especially in Jewish learning. 

At the center of that vision is Rabbi Raffi Levi, Kehilla’s new Head of Jewish Studies. Rabbi Raffi brings warmth, depth, and a forward-thinking approach to Jewish education that aligns deeply with Kehilla’s values. His arrival represents a meaningful investment in what Jewish education must be today: grounded, relevant, and transformative. 

Rabbi Raffi joins Kehilla at a time when many in the Jewish community, parents, educators, and leaders alike, are grappling with how best to prepare the next generation to engage with the world through a strong, confident Jewish lens. As questions of Jewish identity grow more complex, the need for a deep, thoughtful, and inspiring Jewish education has never been greater. 

“Jewish education helps students develop deep roots,” Rabbi Raffi explains. “The more strands of connection a student has to Judaism, through text, tradition, history, and practice, the more resilient and confident they become. We want our students to feel empowered and proud, ready to support their peers and stand strong in who they are.” 

For Kehilla, this means going far beyond rote learning. Students study Torah, Talmud, modern Jewish thought, history, Hebrew, and Israel. They build the critical thinking skills to ask hard questions and the spiritual foundation to meet those questions with strength and empathy. All of this happens within a community that sees them not just as students, but as future leaders of the Jewish people. 

“We want them to carry Torah into the future with joy and meaning,” says Rabbi Raffi. “To be able to show up for themselves, for their communities, and for the Jewish world—especially in times of challenge.” 

Rabbi Raffi’s approach emphasizes curiosity and creativity. He encourages students to see themselves in conversation with Jewish tradition, drawing on ancient sages, modern thinkers, and even poetry and art. This blending of classic learning with fresh interpretation is central to Kehilla’s evolving Jewish Studies vision. “Rabbi Raffi brings a rare combination of intellectual depth, spiritual warmth, and vision,” says Alene Arnold, Interim Head of School. “His approach to Jewish learning resonates deeply with our mission at Kehilla—to help students feel rooted in tradition, inspired by ideas, and empowered to live meaningful Jewish lives.” 

The shared Kehilla Upper School campus strengthens this vision by allowing for a more dynamic and flexible curriculum—one that grows with students, fosters mentorship across age groups, and builds continuity without sacrificing the distinctiveness of each division. Rabbi Raffi sees this as a tremendous strength. “This is a community that’s not just growing in numbers, it’s growing in vision. Being together on one campus allows us to think bigger, build stronger relationships, and ground everything we do in Jewish values and pride.” 

With Rabbi Raffi Levi joining an already exceptional faculty, Kehilla Upper School takes another bold step forward—advancing a model of Jewish education that is rigorous, joyful, and deeply relevant. One that prepares students not only for academic success, but for lives of purpose, connection, and lasting Jewish identity.