Steve Freedman with alumni Lisa Mark Lis, Charles Schwartz and Hy Safran

Dream Maker

Hillel bestows honors to
donors, leaders and alumni.

Gabriella Burman
Special to the Jewish News

M

ore than 300 supporters of
Hillel Day School turned
out to fete the school's
58th year at the Annual Dream Maker
Dinner on May 17 at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. The eve-
ning honored the Audrey and William
Farber Family for their $5 million gift,
which facilitated the transformation
of Hillel into a 21st-century institution
where children now learn in a context
that makes learning authentic and
meaningful, and where they can trans-
fer skills to a real-life context.
The renovation includes a maker
space with 3D printer and laser cutter,
a greenhouse, new art, music and sci-
ence studios, green-screen technology
and open-air learning environments
that engender collaboration and prob-
lem-solving.
Bob Canvasser was honored with
the Rabbi Jacob E. Segal Award.
Canvasser, a former board president,
was instrumental in the building of
a new gymnasium, the genesis of the
school's 1:1 technology program and
the writing of a new Sefer Torah. He
also sought funding for the Davidson
Tuition Grant, making the cost of a

Hillel education decrease the longer a
child enrolls in the school.
This year's Distinguished Alumni
Award recipients were Lisa Mark Lis,
Hy Safran and Dr. Charles Schwartz.
Earlier in the week, all visited Hillel
to reminisce and discuss their subse-
quent career choices.
Students were mesmerized by
Schwartz, director of cardiothoracic
surgery at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital,
asking him questions about his life as
a surgeon. He said Hillel taught him
three things that prepared him for life
beyond its doors: "Identity, commu-
nity and academics:' he said.
Head of School Steve Freedman
lauded the alumni for remaining as
"involved and as identified as they
were when they were students at Hillel
Day School. They truly are our school's
living legacy:'
He also applauded Canvasser for his
humility and steadfastness during his
tenure as president, and the Farber
family for their unwavering commit-
ment to Jewish education in Detroit.
"Bill and Audrey wanted their gift
to transform a dream into reality:' he
said. "And it did:'

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Gabriella Burman heads communications
for Hillel Day School.

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Nanci and David Farber and children

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Detroit, Michigan 48201

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248.626.8585

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Steve Freedman and Bob
Canvasser

JN

June 11 • 2015

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