Bruce Powell

Dr. Bruce Powell believes that his passion for Jewish life began with his mother’s challah. When he was twelve, his parents, Bea and Jim Powell, attended a beginners’ weekend retreat at what was then called the Brandeis Institute (now the Brandeis Bardin Campus of the American Jewish University). They returned home committed to celebrating Jewish life in their home, beginning with the baking of a fresh challah each Friday afternoon.

In the summer of 1960, Bruce first attended Camp Alonim, where the challah from home blossomed into a fully articulated Jewish living experience. There he heard the words of Shlomo Bardin, envisioning a residential preparatory Jewish high school on the Brandeis Bardin Campus. Bruce was fascinated. This vision grew into what would become his life’s work; in essence, he has spent his entire adult professional life exploring what a Jewish high school could be.

After graduating from UCLA with degrees in English and history, Bruce earned his teaching credential and taught in the Los Angeles City Schools for three years. During this period, he worked on his doctorate in education at the University of Southern California, where one of his advisors suggested he study in Israel. He and his wife, Debby, packed up and spent a year in Israel at Hebrew Union College learning Jewish texts and discovering the roots of Shlomo Bardin’s vision for Jewish education.

Upon returning to Los Angeles, Bruce continued to teach in the public schools while writing his dissertation on the educational vision of the Brandeis-Bardin Institute. In 1979, Bruce answered an ad from Yeshiva University of Los Angeles High School, where they were seeking a general studies principal. Bruce remained there for thirteen years, learning his craft and earning the bonus of attending 125 weddings of former students. In 1992, Bruce was invited to become the first Headmaster of what was to become the Milken Community High School, and in 2000, left Milken to become the founding Head of School of the New Community Jewish High School. In 1998, Bruce met Dr. James Hyman, founder of the Day School Leadership Training Institute at the Jewish Theological Seminary, and Rabbi Josh Elkin, head of the Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education. Those meetings helped to launch his national consulting career and were instrumental in the founding of Jewish School Management, an independent consulting company dedicated to the creation, development, and management of Jewish schools in North America.

Bruce and Debby continue to live in the home his mother-in-law suggested they purchase in 1977. They have raised four children in that Jewish home, sending all to Jewish day schools through twelfth grade, and teaching all four how to bake challah. Their first grandchild will learn to braid the challah on his third birthday.

2018 Update:

On June 30, 2018, Bruce officially stepped down from the Headship of de Toledo High School after 18 years of school creation, 1150 graduates, and leading the school toward excellence in culture, Jewish alums, academics, arts, and athletics. He now works 20 hours per week on coaching new Heads of School and developing a national program for Jewish School sustainability and excellence.