24 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J
N
OUR COMMUNITY
S
ince the start of the
Israel-Hamas war on
Oct. 7, the community
has rallied around Metro
Detroit’s Jewish population,
including staff and families at
Hillel Day School.
Now, nearly every Friday
has marked a special and
welcoming occasion for parents
dropping off their students at
the school.
On Oct. 13, a frightening day
for Jews worldwide amidst a
call for a “global day of jihad”
from a former Hamas chief,
Hillel Day School families were
instead greeted with familiar
faces of 10 local rabbis and
cantors.
As parents, many of whom
were nervous to send their
children to school that day,
pulled up to the schoolHillel
Day School, the group of local
clergy and Hillel Day School
staff were there to greet them
at drop-off.
“They offered support
to parents, teachers and to
show that the synagogues
are standing with Hillel Day
School,” says head of school Dr.
Darin Katz.
Katz says many parents,
despite knowing ahead of
time that clergy would be
present, still had tears in their
eyes to witness the outpour of
community love.
“I spoke to many parents
who were so touched by the
show of support from their
rabbi or cantor or someone
that they know,” Katz explains.
Hillel Day School students
were happy as well to see
familiar faces at school, but
the biggest impact was felt
for parents who were able to
experience a sense of relief.
INTERFAITH SUPPORT
The following week, Hillel
Day School was encouraged
to keep up the momentum.
Katz emailed various heads of
schools of local independent
and Catholic schools in the
area to explain what the Jewish
population was facing and why
the situation was so difficult.
“I explained how scary this
has been for the American
Jewish population, and how
much support our Israeli staff
and families need when their
relatives are on the front lines of
battle in Israel,
” Katz says of his
email.
The response was stag-gering.
Numerous schools, primarily
of Catholic faith, responded
to Katz saying that they fully
support and stand with Hillel
Day School and the Jewish
population.
That Friday, on Oct. 20, they
stood by his side to welcome
families.
Six heads of schools and
principals once again greeted
parents and their children as
they pulled up to Hillel Day
School to drop off their kids for
a day of learning.
Represented were Academy
of the Sacred Heart, Mercy
High School, St. Fabian Catholic
Church & School and more.
“They showed interfaith
support for what we as Israelis
and what we as Jews are going
through during the war in
Israel and during this time
of significantly increased
antisemitism,
” Katz says.
Religious schools, local clergy and more
show support for Hillel staff and families.
Standing in Solidarity
with Hillel Day School
ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Hillel’s Rabbis David Fain, Davey Rosens and Jeremy Yoskowitz,
Rabbis Robert Gamer of Beth Shalom, Steven Rubenstein of Beth
Ahm, Natalie Shribman of Kol Ami and Head of School Dr. Darin Katz
Rabbis Harold Loss and Arianna Gordon of Temple Israel, Rabbi Robert
Gamer of Beth Shalom, Hazzan Daniel Gross of Adat Shalom, Rabbis
Asher Lopatin of Kehillat Etz Chayim, Aaron Starr of Shaarey Zedek,
Jennifer Lader of Temple Israel, Shalom Kantor of B’nai Moshe and
Hillel’s Rabbi David Fain
Head of School Darin Katz and
State Rep. Samantha Steckloff