All in the Mishpachah: Building Jewish Community for Charlotte Teens
By Elizabeth Johnson
For many Jewish teens, the years following B’ nai mitzvah can be a crossroads. Some deepen their involvement in Jewish life, while others drift away as academics, athletics, jobs and social priorities compete for their time and attention.
Under the leadership of Daniela Mickey, Hebrew High( HH) has embraced that challenge head-on, reimagining what Jewish teen engagement can look like for today’ s students.
Through new partnerships, innovative programming and a commitment to meeting teens where they are, HH is working conscientiously to create something every young person needs: a place to belong, ask questions, build community and develop the confidence to navigate an increasingly complex world as proud Jews.
For readers who may not be familiar with HH, how would you describe the program and its role within Charlotte’ s Jewish community? For many years, HH has been quietly serving Jewish teens in the greater Charlotte area, enabling them to remain engaged in the community and continue learning about our Jewish identity and all that it entails. HH bridges the gap between B’ nai mitzvah and leaving home for college or whatever next adventure awaits. To me, the purpose of HH is to build the confidence and Jewish pride in our teens so they feel a strong sense of belonging, no matter how far from home they go.
When you became director, what vision did you have for HH, and how has it evolved over the past two years? Whenever I tell people what I do for a living, the conversation almost always begins with the same question:“ What is Hebrew High?”
And I am continuously surprised by how often that question comes from members of our own Jewish community! Seizing the opportunity to build awareness for HH, over the past two years, I have intentionally strengthened relationships with the other amazing agencies across Shalom Park. Fast forward to now, I can confidently say that I receive this question far less frequently, which for me, is a progress benchmark.
Throughout this journey, one thing has remained constant: my passion for helping teens find a place where they feel they truly belong. Teens tend to be relegated to volunteering rather than being embraced as part of the whole, and I am committed to ensuring they have a sense of belonging.
This is so valuable as it translates into them being engaged with HH, their synagogue, youth group, or whichever part of the community calls to them the most.
You have touched on your commitment to building partnerships across Shalom Park and beyond. Why was collaboration such a central priority for you, and what impact have those relationships had on students? These partnerships have led to something far greater than successful events; they have fostered lasting friendships and a stronger sense of community. Through a special Passover seder created in partnership with Shalom Green, my students explored the significance of the Seven Species.
They also contributed artwork to the community garden and, beginning this school year, will learn firsthand about Jewish environmental justice through classes led by Shalom Green’ s experts. These relationships have enriched our programming in transformative ways, and we look forward to building on that momentum in the year ahead. I am delighted to report, we already have several exciting collaborations in the works!
Many of today’ s Jewish teens are navigating antisemitism, social media pressures and complex conversations about Israel. How does HH help students develop the knowledge, confidence and resilience to engage with those challenges? Our goal is to ensure our teens graduate from HH with more than opinions. We want them to develop a strong historical foundation, a firm grasp of the facts, and the confidence to engage in informed, thoughtful conversations.
Last year, we were fortunate to learn from Katie Cunningham of the Stan Greenspon Holocaust Education Center( SGC) and Lori Semel of The Butterfly Project. Through those conversations, our teens learned to recognize antisemitic tropes, identify how they appear both in social media and in their daily lives as well as at school. Most importantly, they have learned how to respond with knowledge, confidence and Jewish pride. We have also launched a comprehensive online resource center.
We are also enhancing our Sunday programming, emphasizing Israel and Jewish identity. With this, we will be switching to the new Israel and Jewish Identity curriculum from Moving Traditions. Alongside historical context and factual understanding, we are committed to creating a safe, respectful environment where our teens can ask difficult questions, share their perspectives and thoughtfully process the events shaping the world around them.
One repeatedly hears the term“ belonging.” How do you create an environment where teens feel accepted, valued and able to show up as their authentic selves? Our clergy and teachers have created an environment where every teen feels welcomed, accepted and valued, and the difference is unmistakable.
Opening HH to all Jewish teens, regardless of synagogue affiliation, has deepened the program’ s impact while bringing our broader Jewish community closer together. As a HH alum, I know firsthand the impact the program can have. While the heart of HH remains the same, the program has continued to evolve thoughtfully to better serve today’ s teens.
When I was a student, there were fewer opportunities to build friendships beyond our own synagogue cohort. Today, students can choose many of their classes and request to be placed with friends, creating a more comfortable and welcoming experience while naturally encouraging new relationships to form.
That sense of belonging is cultivated in countless ways. Teens from both synagogues, along with those who are unaffiliated, learn together. We share dinner before class, celebrate one another’ s milestones and create opportunities for friendships to develop organically. Watching those relationships flourish has been one of the most rewarding parts of this work.
This year you are launching Senior Seminar. What gap are you hoping to fill, and what do you want students to take with them as they transition from high school to adulthood? As graduation approaches, we naturally see less of our students as college applications, academics and the demands of senior year begin to take center stage. We want to keep them engaged not only in our program but in the broader Jewish community, while supporting them as they navigate one of life’ s most significant transitions.
Through the Senior Seminar program, we hope to equip them with the knowledge, confidence and practical tools to thrive as proud Jewish adults, while helping them navigate the opportunities and challenges that await them.
You mentioned a new Israel and Jewish Identity track through Moving Traditions. Why does that curriculum feel particularly relevant right now? Since the horrific attacks of October 7, Israel has remained at the center of global conversation, often leaving young people to navigate an increasingly complex and emotionally charged landscape.
We want to give our teens a deeper understanding of Israel’ s history, the circumstances surrounding the establishment of
The Charlotte Jewish News- August 2026- Page 9
High school students engaging at a local event
the state, and the confidence to engage thoughtfully in conversations with people who have differing opinions. We also want them to appreciate Israel’ s culture, innovation, and resilience ultimately strengthening their connection to Israel and their Jewish identity.
You are expanding resources for teens and families, from mental health support to internships and scholarships. What does it mean to educate the whole student holistically rather than simply teach a class? We aren’ t teaching teens for the data or the numbers; we are helping to nourish and shape Jewish identities.
Simply put, we want every student to have all the resources and tools they need to become their best self. We want them to feel excited about coming each week, not only to see their friends from other high schools, but we also want them to be happy to connect with the staff and clergy because we are excited to see them too.
When a student graduates from HH, what do you hope they carry with them five or 10 years later? More than 25 years after walking into my first HH class as a new eighth grade student in Charlotte, some of the friendships I formed there remain among the most prized and treasured relationships in my life.
I hope every teen leaves our program with at least one friendship that endures long after graduation; namely, someone with whom they will one day reminisce about the memories they created together. More than that, I hope their experiences instill a lifelong appreciation for the importance of Jewish community and belonging, so that when they become parents themselves, they will seek out to create those same opportunities for the next generation.
Above all, I want every teen to know they are part of something bigger than themselves. No matter where life takes them, I want them to carry that sense of belonging with them.
All in the Mishpachah explores Jewish family life in all its forms, from parenting and partnership to business and the values, rituals and everyday practices that shape our homes. Through personal stories and thoughtful conversations, the column reflects on how Jewish life is lived, nurtured and passed from one generation to the next. If you know someone to profile, reach out to elizabeth. johnson @ charlottejewish. org.
ALL IN THE M I S H P A C H A H