Mia and Hadar arrived in Ann Arbor in August 2026 as the community’s third cohort of ShinShinim from the Jewish Agency for Israel. They have come from Israel to volunteer on a year of service, after graduating high school before their army service. While in town, they aim to strengthen the connections between Ann Arbor and Israel, sharing Israeli culture through informal education, music, food, and much more. The ShinShinim program is made possible by the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor. Mia and Hadar share here what they’ve been up to around town recently.
Shalom to our amazing community!
As we step into our third month here, it’s time to recap all the wonderful events we’ve shared so far! September and October were packed with fun and meaningful activities:
In the Classroom
We kicked off our Shinshinim lessons in the classrooms at Hebrew Day School (HDS)! In September, we focused on Israel, specifically our hometowns, Kfar Baruch and Hod HaSharon. We “flew” together with the students to Israel, introduced them to a Halutz (pioneer), learned what a moshav is and how it evolved, and even helped plant a new parsley “field.”
The following week, we “flew” to Hod HaSharon to discover how it was founded, built models of its original colonies, and brought creative ideas on how to develop it into a thriving city. We wrapped up this experience with a school-wide assembly.
We also love spending time with our sweet friends in the Early Childhood Center (ECC) at the JCC. Building strong, beautiful connections with them is truly one of the highlights of our year.
Sukkot Party for Israeli Families
Inspired by Israeli kindergartens, we hosted a Sukkot party for local Israeli families. We made Sukkah decorations, danced to “Patish Masmar,” and built edible Sukkahs. A huge thank you to all the families who joined us, we had an absolute blast!
High Holidays & Community Events
Celebrating the High Holidays here was so special. We enjoyed holiday meals with beloved community members, visited local Sukkahs, and participated in a Sukkot event at Temple Beth Emeth (TBE).
Other highlights from the past few weeks:
- TBE Shabbaton: We led interactive activities, connected with the kids, and had a wonderful time together.
- Library Storytime Launch: We hosted our first storytime at the Ann Arbor District Library! We read a Jewish story in both Hebrew and English and created fun crafts inspired by the book.
- JAFI Shinshinim Conference in Chicago: We flew to Chicago for an inspiring ShinShinim delegation seminar, where we also got to vote in the Israeli elections for the very first time, a super exciting milestone!
Life in Ann Arbor & Free Time
We’re loving exploring Ann Arbor, meeting amazing people, sharing Friday night Shabbat dinners, spending quality time with our wonderful host families, and going bowling a lot! We’re always looking for great local recommendations for spots to hang out during our free time, and we’d love to connect with more of you.
Looking Ahead
Our first few months here in Ann Arbor have been unforgettable. We’re looking forward to another meaningful month filled with educational programs at HDS, events at TBE, fun activities with the ECC kids, and making even more community connections.
That’s all for this edition of ShinshiNews!