6 | JUNE 16 • 2022 

essay
Hillel in Israel
H

illel Day School’s Class 
of 2022 was thrilled 
to travel to Israel on 
Hillel’s signature eighth grade 
trip, marking the return of this 
trip since trav-
el restrictions 
caused cancel-
lations the past 
two years. This 
incredible culmi-
nation of Hillel’s 
Judaic Studies 
curriculum 
allowed the eighth graders to 
truly connect to the full history, 
tradition and responsibility of 
what it means to be a Jew. 
Their trip began in the north 
where they hiked, visited the 
Talmudic Village of Katzrin, 
bonded with Israeli (and vis-
iting Mexican) teens on a kib-
butz, and enjoyed the sights of 
Tzfat. After a restful Shabbat, a 

Kinneret Cruise started the new 
week. 
The students then traveled 
to Detroit’s partnership region, 
HaEmek, where they met with 
students at the Yaarat HaEmek 
School with whom they have 
corresponded, collaborated and 
studied with via Zoom over the 
years. 
They then made their way to 
Jerusalem to experience many 
significant sites, including a visit 
to the Kotel where they engaged 
in personal prayer. After 
Jerusalem, they headed to Tel 
Aviv to visit museums, beaches, 
and partake in shopping before 
venturing to Masada and the 
Dead Sea. The trip concluded 
with a visit to the Negev to rap-
pell down the Ramon Crater, 
hike and a visit to Ben-Gurion’s 
tomb. 
After many years learning 

about the Jewish holidays in 
their Hillel studies, a highlight 
for many students was the 
opportunity to appreciate the 
full magnitude and significance 
of the holidays that they experi-
enced while in Israel. Students 
visited Yad Vashem and heard 
from a Holocaust survivor to 
mark Yom HaShoah. On Yom 
HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial 
Day, they attended a memorial 
ceremony for fallen soldiers at 
Latrun, attended a service at the 
historic battle site of Castel and 

visited the Mt. Herzl National 
Cemetery. After reflecting on 
the sacrifices made to estab-
lish the state of Israel, they 
brought in the joyful holiday 
of Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel 
Independence Day, with a silly 
string fight on Ben Yehuda 
Street in Jerusalem. 
On the last day of the trip, 
they visited Special in Uniform, 
an organization dedicated 
to integrating young adults 
with disabilities into the Israel 
Defense Forces and Israeli soci-

Amy Sapeika 

Joe Squarcia, Ryan Reinstein, Head of School Darin Katz 
and Zeev Maine

COURTESY OF HILLEL

PURELY COMMENTARY

continued on page 10

1942 - 2022

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