Annual School Events

Back to School Extravaganza
Early in the school year, the HDS community joins together for a “back to school” afternoon of fun at the school site. This is a time for families to mingle with old friends, meet newcomers, eat some special treats, and participate in fun activities including art projects, sports and games.

Rosh Chodesh Celebrations each month
Each month, on the first day of the new Hebrew month, the entire school gathers together to celebrate Rosh Chodesh with a special assembly to which all parents are invited. Each month, a different class introduces the new month to the rest of the school through songs, Hebrew plays, and/or stories. Children’s Hebrew birthdays are recognized, the “value of the month” is introduced along with “mischak ha-Chodesh” – the special guessing game of the month that reinforces the particular value to be emphasized that month. The entire student body and attending parents sing songs together in closing. This celebration builds community within the school and enables students to join together for a joyous celebration that Jewishly marks the passing of time.

Holiday Celebrations and Commemorations
HDS students experience the Jewish year in a vibrant learning environment celebrating together as a community. Holiday experiences in school include Rosh Hashanah, Tashlich, Yom Kippur, Sukkot (with occasional special visits by parent Ushpizin, or guests), Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu B'Shevat Seder, Purim Megillah reading of the Book of Esther and Purim Carnival, Passover Seder, Yom Ha-Shoah Holocaust Commemoration, Yom Ha-Zikaron Commemoration, Yom Ha'atzmaut Israel Festival and Zimriyah, Lag B'Omer field day and Shavuot Festival. Secular holidays observed include Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday, and Memorial Day.

It's A Mitzvah!
Each grade level learns about different mitzvot (commandments) and has the opportunity to participate in hands-on projects that make a difference and help others in need. A mitzvah projects may include caring for the environment, a kosher food drive, a tzedakah penny harvest, caring for animals, honoring the elderly and more.

Israel Partnership Program
HDS and the Ann Arbor Jewish community have created an important connection with Moshav Nahalal in the Jezreel Valley. Visitors from Nahalal are hosted by the HDS students during annual visits.  This connection is made possible through the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Partnership 2000 program that allows us to create links and relationships between our Ann Arbor community and Israelis.

Yom Keshet -- Rainbow Day
On the first day of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, the week in which the story of Noah and the Ark is read in the synagogue, students bring in donated stuffed animals that are all the colors of the rainbow and put them in a special colorful “Noah’s Ark” on display in the hallway. These stuffed animals are donated to Motts Children's Hospital.  Each class wears a different color to school, creating a living rainbow, and children learn the blessing for seeing a rainbow.

Academic Fair
Each year, the students and teachers prepare displays and presentations to demonstrate their academic accomplishments  within the general studies curriculum. The themes include science, math and geography-social studies. There is also often a demonstration of how these academic areas are reinforced within the Judaic Studies curriculum. All parents are invited. For more information, click here.

Hanukkah Jewish Music Festival
It is an HDS tradition to join together as a community around the time of Hanukkah for a Jewish Music Festival. At Hanukkah, everyone has a chance to sing! The Festival is an event that every graduate remembers. Each class sings several songs in celebration of Hanukkah and our Jewish heritage for a large community audience. The event centers around a yearly theme, and everyone joins in the fun. Themes of the last few years have included A "Kindel" for Chanukah (2009): Chanagascar: Escape to the Party (2008); And the Beat Goes On..A Leader in Every Generation (2007); "Rapped" in the Gift of Light (2006); Alef Bet Soup for the Soul: 30 Years of HDS Nutrition (2005); HDS America and Music: Celebrating 350 Years (2004); A Day at Camp HDS: Yonkel Doodle Dandy (2003); and WHDS 613 AM On Your Listening Dial: Special Hanukkah Broadcast of The Joy of Music (2002). Afterwards we celebrate in the social hall with delicious sufganiot (Hanukkah donuts).

Be Happy It's Adar—Purim Family Fun Night and Talent Show
During Purim our school is transformed – every student and teacher comes to school in a fun costume. At night we get to see the amazing talents our students have! Come and see/hear them at our annual family fun night and talent show and enjoy some hamentashen (special Purim pastries).

Lag B’Omer Maccabiah
Field day at school on the afternoon of Lag B’Omer. All students participate in relays and games.

Lag B'Omer Family Campfire
Our annual community bonfire in celebration of Lag B’Omer held at Camp Crawford in Milan, MI. Dinner, games, singing, and an annual campfire cookout planned by the parent-teacher organization.

Graduation – An Evening Celebration of Jewish Learning
Our ceremony held at Beth Israel Congregation celebrates our graduates, and the past year of learning and growth for all HDS students. The gansters traditionally begin the evening with a procession of singing followed by a variety of songs sung by each grade. The graduating class presents a special dramatic performance entirely in Hebrew, and shares some of their Judaics learning. They receive certificates and gifts for completing their studies at HDS. In a special moment, the gansters present the fifth graders with graduation caps that they made, and the fifth graders present the gansters with a Hebrew coloring book. The evening ends with a festive reception.

Flower Day for the Faculty
As a wonderful HDS tradition, on the last day of school children bring in flowers for each of their teachers, creating a colorful bouquet of thanks.

In addition, there are many classroom-specific events during the year linked to the curriculum, including the following:

Bruchim Habaim -- Newcomers Welcoming Event (Grades 1-5)

Prior to the first day of school, HDS holds a gathering for all new families with children in Grades 1-5 joining the HDS community. New students in the upper grades and their parents have an opportunity to meet each other and talk with the Head of School, and new students have a chance before school opens to take a tour of the facility and become comfortable with the physical environment.

A Taste of Honey Ceremony (Gansters and parents)

It is a Jewish tradition that when a child begins school that the experience should be a sweet one. The Taste of Honey ceremony is a welcoming evening for gansters and their parents that takes place the night before school starts. Gansters have the opportunity to meet their teacher, see their classroom and participate in activities celebrating new beginnings, getting off to a sweet start!

Sefer Safari-Gan Pajama Party and Jewish Book Reading Event (Gansters and their families)

Gansters and their families join together to kick off the sefer safari Jewish book reading program. Gansters and their siblings share in a pajama party evening in the gan doing art projects about Jewish books and listening to a storyteller. That evening, the gansters receive their first book in the book reading program.

Siddur Cover Preparation Workshop (First Grade parents only)

Parents of first graders gather at HDS for an evening in May to decorate a siddur (prayerbook) cover for their child. Sample siddur covers and all art materials are provided.

Haggigat Siddur Ceremony (First Graders and parents)

A few weeks following the siddur cover workshop, parents and first graders join together for a special Haggigat Siddur Ceremony. Parents present the siddur that they have prepared to their child. The students lead parts of the shacharit (morning prayer) service using their siddur for the first time. A festive reception follows.

Kabbalat Torah Ceremony (Second graders and parents)

In Kitah Bet (second grade) students begin learning Torah from Sefer Bereshit (Genesis). Students explore the text through reading, drama, art and lively discussions in Hebrew. To celebrate the beginning of Torah study, parents join their children in Kitah Bet for a ceremony where each child receives his or her own Sefer Bereshit.

Family History Video Project (Fifth graders and parents)

The fifth graders trace their family roots and document their findings in a classroom video production that is shown at a fifth grade family event. The Family History Video Project curriculum is a nationally acclaimed curriculum used by fifth and sixth graders across America. See two clips from the class of 2005 family history video project here and here.

Tamarack Retreat (Fifth Grade)

The 5th graders participate in an exciting adventure on a two-day retreat at Camp Tamarack in May or June. Students join together in group building experiences, nature activities, art, music, canoeing, climbing, swimming, hiking, Judaics learning, tefillah and of course a kumsitz around the evening campfire. Parents can assist in various ways.