80 | MAY 23 • 2024 
J
N

B

eing in the path of 
totality for a solar 
eclipse is a once-in-
a-lifetime opportunity, and 
students from Hebrew Day 
School of Ann Arbor took an 
unforgettable trip to experience 
just that. 
“The eclipse was amazing, and 
my favorite part was totality,
” 
one student commented. 
“The eclipse was confusing 
because it looked like night 
but felt warm like day,
” shared 
another. “It seemed like the sun 
and the moon changed spots!”
On April 8, excited stu-
dents, parents and teachers, 
accompanied by volunteers from 
the University of Michigan’s 
Department of Climate and 
Space Sciences and Engineering, 
boarded buses and drove 90 
miles to Findlay, Ohio. The 
ambitious goal was for students 
to experience the solar eclipse 
at the convergence of science, 
Judaism, community and 
spirituality.
In the months before the trip, 

students had prepared for the 
eclipse from many avenues of 
exploration. Teachers led science 
lessons to help even the youngest 
students become proficient 
with astronomical vocabulary 
words and concepts. Students 
participated in inquiry-based 
STEM activities that modeled 
the eclipse phenomenon. 
In Judaic Studies lessons, 
students examined the eclipse 
from a spiritual perspective. 
One parent reflected, “My kids 
taught me that an eclipse is one 
of the only natural phenomena 
for which Judaism doesn’t have a 
specific prayer, and they shared 
the prayers they created.
”

The school is still humming 
with excitement as students 
recall and reflect on the 
experience. At Hebrew Day 
School, we believe in preparing 
students to be citizens of the 
world. By extending learning 
beyond the confines of the 
classroom, establishing 
collaborative partnerships, and 
embracing diverse disciplines, 
the school cultivates a culture 
where curiosity and creativity 
are nourished, and students 
delight in learning. 
It is our fervent hope that 
each student will leave Hebrew 
Day School with the tools to 
approach the future in the way 
they approached the eclipse: 
with knowledge, with gratitude 
and with awe. 
“When I saw the eclipse, I 
rejoiced because I had never 
experienced anything like it in 
my whole life,
” said one Hebrew 
Day School student, age 8. 

Rabbi Will Keller is the head of school at 

Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor.

Hebrew Day School 
Experiences Totality: 
A Meaningful 
Educational Adventure

RABBI WILL KELLER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

faces&places

A lifelong memory 
for all!

Second graders 
eagerly board the 
‘Moon’ Bus.

Parents enjoyed and 
learned as much as 
students. 

Over 100 people 
joined the trip.

Students loved hanging with their 
friends from other grades.

Totality

