Dinner with 12 Strangers
On Saturday, September 26, JTD families across Los Angeles prepared to attend dinner parties. The only catch? Their dinner companions were, well…mostly strangers.
They were all JTD parents, of course, but intentionally mixed across grade levels, friend groups, and different corners of our community. It was time once again for Dinner with 12 Strangers, a beloved JTD tradition that dates back nearly two decades.
They were all JTD parents, of course, but intentionally mixed across grade levels, friend groups, and different corners of our community. It was time once again for Dinner with 12 Strangers, a beloved JTD tradition that dates back nearly two decades.
The tradition was started by former Director of Admissions Judy Hirsch, who got the idea after reading about a program at UCLA designed to bring people from different departments together to learn more about one another and, in turn, strengthen the larger community.
Judy wondered: Why not do the same thing at JTD?
“There are so many parents that never really get to know each other because of the different ages of their children, but they are all sharing the remarkable experience of JTD,” she recalled.
And so, Dinner with 12 Strangers was born.
From the beginning, the “strangers” part was intentional. Judy worked to put together groups of parents who were unlikely to know one another—and guests weren’t told where they were going or who else would be there until it was time for dinner. Over the years, hosts made the evenings their own, from formal dinners and backyard barbecues to cooking classes and even progressive dinners among neighboring homes.
Today, the spirit of the tradition remains much the same. Families sign up to host or attend, and then, behind the scenes, the matchmaking begins. JTD puts together each dinner party with a mix of families from across the School. Hosts receive their guest lists a few weeks in advance, while guests receive an invitation with an address and a time—but not much else.
They might recognize a few names when they arrive, or they might walk through the door knowing almost no one.
And that’s exactly the point.
Over dinner, parents have a chance to make connections beyond their usual circles—to meet someone whose child is a few grades ahead, finally have a real conversation with someone they’ve only waved to in carpool, or simply spend an evening getting to know other members of the JTD community.
The man behind the curtain these days is Stephen Bowden, Executive Assistant to the Head of School, who coordinates the sign-ups, hosts, guest lists, and many logistics that bring Dinner with 12 Strangers to life. This year, eight groups gathered throughout Los Angeles.
Once dinner begins, another tradition gets underway. Members of JTD’s Admin Team spend the evening making the rounds, popping into as many gatherings as possible to say hello and snap a quick photo with each group. This year, they managed an impressive feat: visiting all eight dinners over the course of the evening!
Nearly two decades after Judy first borrowed a little inspiration from UCLA, the idea remains a simple one: bring people together who might not otherwise find themselves around the same dinner table.
By the end of the night, there were a few fewer strangers in the JTD community—and quite a few more familiar faces to wave to in carpool.
Judy wondered: Why not do the same thing at JTD?
“There are so many parents that never really get to know each other because of the different ages of their children, but they are all sharing the remarkable experience of JTD,” she recalled.
And so, Dinner with 12 Strangers was born.
From the beginning, the “strangers” part was intentional. Judy worked to put together groups of parents who were unlikely to know one another—and guests weren’t told where they were going or who else would be there until it was time for dinner. Over the years, hosts made the evenings their own, from formal dinners and backyard barbecues to cooking classes and even progressive dinners among neighboring homes.
Today, the spirit of the tradition remains much the same. Families sign up to host or attend, and then, behind the scenes, the matchmaking begins. JTD puts together each dinner party with a mix of families from across the School. Hosts receive their guest lists a few weeks in advance, while guests receive an invitation with an address and a time—but not much else.
They might recognize a few names when they arrive, or they might walk through the door knowing almost no one.
And that’s exactly the point.
Over dinner, parents have a chance to make connections beyond their usual circles—to meet someone whose child is a few grades ahead, finally have a real conversation with someone they’ve only waved to in carpool, or simply spend an evening getting to know other members of the JTD community.
The man behind the curtain these days is Stephen Bowden, Executive Assistant to the Head of School, who coordinates the sign-ups, hosts, guest lists, and many logistics that bring Dinner with 12 Strangers to life. This year, eight groups gathered throughout Los Angeles.
Once dinner begins, another tradition gets underway. Members of JTD’s Admin Team spend the evening making the rounds, popping into as many gatherings as possible to say hello and snap a quick photo with each group. This year, they managed an impressive feat: visiting all eight dinners over the course of the evening!
Nearly two decades after Judy first borrowed a little inspiration from UCLA, the idea remains a simple one: bring people together who might not otherwise find themselves around the same dinner table.
By the end of the night, there were a few fewer strangers in the JTD community—and quite a few more familiar faces to wave to in carpool.
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Located In Los Angeles, CA, John Thomas Dye is an independent school for grades K-6. Students benefit from a challenging academic program, fine arts, competitive athletics, and a wide selection of extracurricular activities.
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