14 | AUGUST 20 • 2020 

New Heads
of Schools
on the Block

Hillel and Farber, under new
leadership during a tumultuous
year, plan to hold in-person
instruction.

CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER
W

ith COVID still jeopardizing 
the classroom for the upcoming 
school year, two local Jewish day 
schools have new leadership to help guide 
them through these unprecedented times. 
As of press time, both Hillel Day School and 
Farber Hebrew Day School are planning to 
re-open their physical buildings to all stu-
dents this academic year, while preparing for 
all-virtual backup options.

DR. DARIN KATZ, HILLEL DAY SCHOOL
When Hillel Day School students return to 
class on Sept. 1 for the first day of school, 
they will encounter a new head 
of school.
Following an eight-
month search process, Hillel 
announced Dec. 6 that Dr. 
Darin Katz would serve as 
the next head of school. He 
replaced interim Head of School Naty Katz 
(no direct relation) in July.
“I have a mix of emotions, as you would 
expect,
” Darin Katz told the JN. “I’
m a bit 
nervous, but very, very excited and confident 
that we can meet the expectations of stu-
dents and parents and provide an outstand-
ing education, regardless of whether instruc-
tion takes place in-person or remotely.
”
Katz attended Penn State University for 
his undergraduate studies and received his 
Ph.D. in chemistry from the University 
of Pennsylvania. He was a member of 
the Prizmah YOU Lead Program and the 
Harvard University/AVI Chai Principals’
 

Center, which are Jewish leadership devel-
opmental programs that help school profes-
sionals improve their skillsets.
Previously, Katz worked at Jack M. 
Barrack Hebrew Academy in Philadelphia 
for eight years, starting in 2012 as the 
school’
s academic dean before becoming the 
director of the upper school in 2016. Katz 
has also taught science for two decades.
Katz and his wife, Dr. Marsha Pincus 
Katz, a small animal veterinarian, have been 
married for 25 years and have two sons, Eli, 
22, and Jonah, 18.
Originally scheduled to arrive in Michigan 

in June, Katz had to change his plans due 
to the coronavirus pandemic. He officially 
arrived in the Metro Detroit area at the end 
of July. His family will join him at the end of 
the next school year after his youngest son 
finishes high school in Pennsylvania.
“There are dozens of reasons that attract-
ed me to Hillel. Hillel is a national leader 
among Jewish day schools for our innovative 

approach to education,
” Katz said. “Our 
facility is simply breathtaking and provides 
for creative and flexible teaching methods. 
Hillel’
s approach to Jewish pluralism aligned 
closely with my own view of Judaism and 
Jewish education. As soon as I stepped onto 
campus, I sensed the incredibly warm and 
supportive environment among students 
and parents.
”
Although his term officially began in July, 
Katz has been deeply engaged in all aspects 
of planning for months preparing for the 
students’
 return to campus this fall. He’
s 
been sending out weekly emails to parents, 

keeping them abreast of the school’
s chang-
ing COVID-19 plans. Although he knows 
that things can change in an instance, Katz 
is confident in what the school has done to 
prepare for the arrival of their students.
“The transformation that this building has 
undergone in order to be prepared for all of 
our students to return to in-person learning 
five days a week … has been nothing short 

D. KATZ

Darin Katz

COURTESY OF DARIN KATZ

Jonah, Dr. Marsha 
Pincus Katz, Dr. Darin 
Katz and Eli 

“The transformation that this building
has undergone in order to be prepared
for all of our students to return to
in-person learning fi
 ve days a week …
has been nothing short of remarkable.”

— DR. DARIN KATZ

Jews in the D

back to school

