Our excursions are outside-the-classroom experiences where our students go places together and live Kehillah’s Four Commitments. Our all-school opening retreat (Kinnus), community partnerships, and each of our grade-level trips provide many of the highlights of the year. Each excursion helps our students become citizens of the world, socially aware, engaged, and working for a more just and kind world. Through these learning opportunities, our actions are guided by compassion, critical thinking, and Jewish values.
Kinnus (All-School Retreat)
The first days of the school year are dedicated to Kinnus, an all-school retreat. Kinnus means gathering in Hebrew. The days of Kinnus are focused on welcoming new students, bonding, games, and school spirit! Students will meet teachers, connect with peers in different grades, and form lasting bonds with their classmates in this fun-filled start of school year. One evening is devoted to a local, senior class overnight.
EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL
Learning beyond the classroom is a vital facet of a Kehillah education. Whether it is a class lunch to practice a new language, a visit to a San Francisco art installation, or travel around the world, we cherish opportunities to construct meaning and expand our horizons.
Each year, our students engage in transformative experiences that spark lifelong curiosity and build lifelong friendships. Kehillah students embrace experiential education as part of their learning journey and their growth as adults capable of navigating life’s complexities, engaging in informed decision-making, and contributing meaningfully to society.
Each educational travel experience includes time for learning, for bonding, and for contributing in a meaningful way to an element of repairing the world. Whether it is learning about ocean ecology, human trafficking, or the plight of endangered animals, Kehillah students are being prepared for a world in which they can and will make a difference.
9th Grade: Los Angeles, CA
- Hike in Griffith Park to see the Hollywood sign
- Tour the historic Wilshire Boulevard Temple
- Observe a panel discussion on tolerance and social justice at the LA Museum of the Holocaust
- See a comedy show
- Take a gentrification tour of Downtown LA
- Visit the Broad Museum of Modern Art
- Volunteer at the Pico Union Project
- Create portrait art led by a Mexican immigrant artist, Hedy Torres
- Tour Homeboy Industries
- Visit Safe Place for Youth, a homeless teen drop-in center
- Relax on Venice Beach
- End the trip with a farewell campfire at the famous Dockweiler Beach
10th Grade: American South
- Honor the legacies of leaders, including the Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and John Lewis
- Become inspired by stories of resilience and determination, reflecting on progress made and the challenges that remain
- Engage with exhibits connecting the Civil Rights Movement to contemporary human rights issues
- Explore the center dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. and visit the museum built around the site of his assassination
- Walk across the iconic Edmund Pettus Bridge, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday March in Selma
- Experience the cultural heart of Memphis, rich in African American history and music along Beale Street
11th Grade: Amazing Spain
- Discover Amazing Spain from Madrid to Seville to Barcelona
- Engage with members of Jewish communities and celebrate Shabbat with a Progressive congregation
- Experience Spain's vibrant culture, delicious flavors, beautiful art, and upbeat rhythms
- Meander among the winding streets of Jewish quarters and delve in-depth into Jewish history dating back to medieval times
- Tour palaces and plazas, gardens, and cathedrals, including stunning Moorish Alcazar Palace & the Alhambra Palace
12th Grade: Eastern Europe
- Traveling from Prague, to Budapest, and onto Vienna — explore the rich Jewish history of Eastern Europe
- Visit world-renowned sites like Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, the Danube, and Vienna's Belvedere Palace while soaking in the beauty of Central European architecture
- Enjoy a scenic boat ride on the Vltava River, a Shabbat dinner with the local community in Budapest, and a traditional Hungarian cooking class
- Stroll through Old Town Prague, experience Budapest’s vibrant Ruin pubs, and discover the charm of Vienna’s Ringstrasse and Naschmarkt
- Reflect on the past with visits to the Terezín Ghetto-Camp and the moving Shoes on the Danube memorial in Budapest
- Unwind in Budapest’s famous thermal spas, savor local delicacies, and enjoy a picturesque dinner cruise along the Danube