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