Editor's Letter

Hillel's Golden Year

I

well require the school, in the absence of a Reform day school,
t began inauspiciously with 29 students, three teach-
to extend its appeal deeper into the Reform community.
ers and two rented school rooms in the Labor Zionist
Another challenge and opportunity for Hillel revolves
Building in the heart of Jewish Detroit — the bold vision
around the sustainability of quality public school education in
of Rabbi Jacob Segal of Adat Shalom Synagogue and a group
southeast Oakland County. As the property tax base declines,
of parents, rabbis, teachers and lay leaders.
pressure will rise to trim public school budgets. The net effect
The year was 1958.
could mean larger class sizes, fewer extracurricular activities
Today, 50 years later, Hillel Day
School educates 20 times as many stu- and erosion of academic risk-taking. In this picture, Hillel
can be seen as a strong academic alternative for parents who
dents in grades K-8 on the Schostak
otherwise wouldn't consider a Jewish day school. But it would
Family Campus in Farmington Hills,
have to retain its Jewish soul, not diminish it for the sake of
its home since 1970 following two
increased enrollment.
other suburban moves in the wake of
growing enrollment.
Scholarship Dearth
Under Steve Freedman, head of
Hillel proudly lays claim to a top-drawer learning program,
school since 2003, Hillel has asserted
important philanthropic support and first-rate physical facili-
itself as a jewel of the Solomon
ties buoyed by the Blumenstein Family Gymnasium/Theater
Schecter Day School Association,
Arts Center. But Michigan's economic distress has driven
which adheres to the principles of
up the need for financial aid among current students. The
Conservative Judaism. It offers Judaic
dream of turning no Jewish child away from a day school
and general studies with equal aplomb. It also embraces the
education, regardless of financial means, is colliding with the
Jewish pursuit of tikkun olam (repair of the world) through
reality of too few scholarship dollars despite the generosity of
service projects that give students insight into causes like
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, the Shiffman
hunger and eldercare.
Family Day School Tuition Assistance Fund, the Goldman-
Freedman aptly captures the essence of what his school is
Hermelin Education Foundation and a host of donors. Hence,
all about: "At Hillel, we know the most important years of a
Hillel isn't able to accept as many students from families on
child's development are in the elementary and middle years
limited budgets as it possibly could.
when a child's personality and character traits
Therein is a cruel irony: falling numbers of
are emerging. Through these years, Hillel helps
potential Conservative students and a higher
students develop a sense of who they are, a
proportion of students overall requiring finan-
passion for Judaism and the commitment to
cial help. Federation's current allocation of
hold true to their beliefs. Hillel leads students
$647,000 is 8 percent of Hillel's $8.5 million
to a sense of wholeness as they say with confi-
operating budget. Tuition is $13,840. Thirty-five
dence,`This is who I am:"
percent of the students receive some level of aid.
Hillel students score above grade level in all
Staff totals about 100.
academic areas on national standardized tests.
School leaders aren't just basking in the
And graduates excel in high school, whether
anniversary glow. Hillel is examining all facets
at Frankel Jewish Academy or a public school;
of school life via a Partnership in Excellence in
many go on to top universities.
Jewish Education national grant. The school also
Alumni will talk about how their Hillel expe-
is seeking re-accreditation from the Independent
rience reinforced their Jewish identity, ground Head of Soho of
School Association of Central States.
them in Jewish values and gave purpose to liv- Steve Freedm an
Hillel holds down a significant part in the
ing a Jewish life. Many alums stand among our
Conservative movement's struggle to reshape its identity and
best and brightest communal and secular leaders.
re-energize its member base under charismatic national lead-
The 580-student school is a shining star of Detroit Jewry's
ers like former Detroiter Rabbi Daniel Nevins, who now heads
Conservative community, which is striving to reinvent itself
the rabbinical arm of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New
just as the national leadership of the centrist movement
York.
is trying to do to counter the growth of the Reform and
Simply put, Hillel can and should serve as one of the
Orthodox movements.
national entrepreneurial hubs for the Conservative movement.
It should be a common thread that connects the patchwork
Reform Outreach
Jewish Detroit demographic trends suggest a smaller percent- pieces that form the movement's blanket: the synagogues, day
age of Detroit Jews will affiliate with Conservative synagogues. schools and outreach services.
Empowered by the Detroit Jewish community's wide-rang-
That suggests Hillel will draw from a smaller pool of students
but need a higher percentage to maintain a stable enrollment. ing pluralistic support, Hillel Day School has the wherewithal
to do just that. Time will tell how well it succeeds.
Notably, this golden anniversary year's recipients of Hillel's
Rabbi Segal Award will be Susan and Rabbi Harold Loss of
Temple Israel, a Reform synagogue in West Bloomfield and
0 • How do you see Hillel expanding
•
the third-highest feeder synagogue to Hillel after Shaarey
its student base?
tn
Zedek and Adat Shalom, both Conservative synagogues. The
Z Z How can our day schools boost
Losses will be feted along with Dream Maker Award honorees
0 0 scholarship funds?
Marcie and Rob Orley of Franklin.
O. 0-
Hillel's highest service to our community in the future may

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November 22 • 2007

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