22 | OCTOBER 7 • 2021

OUR COMMUNITY

T

he Davidson
Foundation recently
provided the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit with a grant
to provide each Jewish
educational staff member
in the community with a
“welcome back” brunch and
a $200 gift card, as a thank
you for their efforts during
the pandemic.
Plans for the initiative
have been worked on since
before the summer, and
all staff at the local day
schools, including teachers,
administrative staff,
custodial staff, security and
more received the gift cards.

“Over the last year and
a half, our teachers have
been so resilient and
courageous in the face of
the pandemic,” said Steven
Ingber, Federation CEO.
“Many, in fact, put the well-
being of our children above
their own. We owe everyone
who works in our schools an
immense debt of gratitude
and the teacher appreciation
initiative was just one small
way for us to say thank you.
“We also want to thank
the William Davidson
Foundation for conceiving of
the initiative and providing
the funding to make it
happen,” Ingber continued.

“This is just another
example of the foundation’s
immense generosity and
passion for Jewish education
and the Jewish educators
and support staff in our
community.”
The brunch and gift
cards were a surprise,
presented to the staff during
professional development
meetings the week before
students returned to school.
The response has been
extraordinary.
The Davidson Foundation’s
Ethan Davidson, son of Bill
Davidson, said the initiative
is reflective of his father’s
focus.

“Jewish education
is the core of what my
dad was interested in
philanthropically, and we’ve
taken his interests to guide
us with what we do for the
Foundation,” Davidson said.
“It’s right at the heart of
what we do.”
Davidson said he’s gotten
calls from all the different
schools, with people
reaching out and expressing
their appreciation. Some
people were even in tears.
“I think our day school
ecosystem has done a
spectacular job managing
this crisis. The leadership
has been so on top of it,”
Davidson said. “We just
wanted to help people and
show teachers in some small
way we value and appreciate
them and that the Jewish
community is really built on
our educators.”

TOTAL SURPRISE
Jessica Shindler, a second-
grade general studies
teacher at Hillel, said it
was mentioned during the
brunch that there would be
a $200 gift card for everyone.
“I think everyone’s
reaction in the room
was just that they were
shocked,” Shindler said. “It’s
one thing to be told we’re
appreciated, but for them
to go out of their way for
such a generous sentiment
for everyone who has been
working in the building is so
huge. It’s something teachers
are still talking about and
still appreciating.”
Shindler knows how

Davidson Foundation and JFMD give $200
gift cards to day school teachers and staff.

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

A Token of Their
Appreciation

Federation CEO Steven
Ingber announced the
appreciation gift to the
Hillel Day School staff.