Jack Cohen, Head of Jewish Education at Hebrew Academy in Miami Beach, shares his unique journey from outside the traditional Jewish system to leading education today. He discusses the harmony between individuality and tradition, advocating for personalized learning in Jewish education. Jack highlights the impact of digital disconnection on youth mental health and the importance of real-life connections. His views on balancing personal identity with communal values offer a fresh perspective on leadership and spirituality, encouraging a deeper understanding of Jewish life.
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Shabbat's Inclusive Sanctity
Jack Cohen shares how non-Jewish friends came to appreciate Shabbat's unique sanctity during his brother's bachelor weekend.
The presence of Shabbat created a meaningful space that even non-Jewish attendees recognized and valued.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Avoid Forced Religious Changes
Avoid imposing sudden religious demands on family members, as it breeds resentment and alienation.
Encourage gradual, authentic growth to maintain positive associations with spirituality.
insights INSIGHT
Teaching by Challenging Misconceptions
Effective teaching facilitates learner engagement rather than simply delivering content.
Challenging learners' misconceptions leads to deeper understanding and better retention, as seen in contrasting teaching methods.
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Written by Bahya ibn Paquda, 'Chovot HaLevavot' is a treatise on the inner spiritual life, divided into ten 'gates' that outline fundamental principles for spiritual growth. It discusses topics such as the unity of God, devotion, repentance, and introspection, providing guidance on how to draw closer to God through these principles.
Jewish Meditation
A Practical Guide
Aryeh Kaplan
This book by Aryeh Kaplan presents Jewish meditation as an integral part of Jewish tradition, offering practical techniques such as mantra meditation, contemplation, and visualization. It emphasizes how meditation can enhance prayer and spiritual connection within Judaism. Kaplan also discusses the historical roots of meditation in Jewish practice and its relevance to contemporary spiritual seekers.
Anima Amin
Anima Amin
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Josh Berman
Flatland
A Romance of Many Dimensions
Edwin A. Abbott
Written in 1884, 'Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions' is a satirical novella by Edwin Abbott Abbott. The story is set in a two-dimensional world inhabited by geometric figures, where social status is determined by the number of sides of each figure. The narrator, A Square, guides readers through the practicalities and social hierarchy of Flatland, before being introduced to the concept of higher dimensions by a Sphere. The book is both an introduction to the idea of higher dimensions and a satire of Victorian society, critiquing its class system, gender roles, and social norms. Despite its satirical elements, the book also delves into mathematical concepts and the limitations of perception in different dimensions[1][3][5].
The Anxious Generation
Jonathan Haidt
In 'The Anxious Generation', Jonathan Haidt examines the sudden decline in the mental health of adolescents starting in the early 2010s. He attributes this decline to the shift from a 'play-based childhood' to a 'phone-based childhood', highlighting mechanisms such as sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, and perfectionism that interfere with children’s social and neurological development. Haidt proposes four simple rules to address this issue: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools, and more opportunities for independence, free play, and responsibility. The book offers a clear call to action for parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments to restore a more humane childhood and end the epidemic of mental illness among youth.
In this episode, I sat down with Jack Cohen, Head of Jewish Education at Hebrew Academy high school in Miami Beach, to talk about what it really takes to lead and educate in today’s world. Jack didn’t come from the typical background—he grew up outside the traditional Jewish system and found his way into it later, which gives him a different lens. Where most people see a tug-of-war between individuality and tradition, Jack doesn’t. He sees them as deeply connected, even dependent on each other—and once he explains it, I doubt you’ll be able to see it any other way. His whole life and message are about harmony—Tiferet in its truest sense. Not by accident, but through both the circumstances life handed him and the intentional choices he’s leaned into. He roots his ideas in Torah, in higher education, and in real-world experience. It’s not just talk—it’s integrated, lived. And what an appropriate time to release this conversation—during the Sefira cycle of Tiferet, when balance, truth, and beauty are at the center. We talked identity, mental health, humility, and what it means to lead without ego. Grounded, honest, and refreshingly unpolished.See you on the other side,Eli
In Search Of More with Eli Nash 
