You may have seen JSU’s signs around the school advertising free pizza, but if you walk into a meeting, you’ll also be greeted by a welcoming group bonded by their Jewish faith.

The meeting starts calmly, with students milling about and socializing as they enjoy the hot pizza. Once everyone gets settled, Aaron, a representative from the Jewish youth group NCSY, takes the lead. He plays the guitar and the harmonica for a bit before sparking the conversation, asking the group to think of their greatest struggle. There’s a pause and a contemplative silence until someone pipes up and the discussion starts flowing.

“It’s a club where we apply our Jewish values to the world and to current events,” says member Andrew Flatt, 12. “To give you an example, we talked about how just the day before Kobe Bryant died, Lebron James tweeted congratulations to him for beating his record and wasn’t a sore loser… just like how in the Torah they talked about how there was an argument between Moses and his brother Aaron, but Moses was still congratulatory.”

The way students apply their faith to their lives and encourage discussion in a safe, relaxing space is something patently unique to Jewish Student Union and central to the values of the high school. JSU proves that anyone, regardless of faith, can partake in pizza, music, and friends while opening their minds and learning something new.