Programs


Programs

Jewish Historical Society of Michigan shares and celebrates the experiences and contributions of the Jewish people, communities, and institutions of Michigan. We are uniquely able to present and bring to life the contributions and legacies of the Jews of Michigan by presenting educational programs, tours and events; and by producing quality publications and materials that preserve and celebrate the stories of Michigan’s settlers and citizens along with the legacies of today’s innovators and urban pioneers.

Customizable Bus Tours

Looking for a great activity for your family reunion or tour group?  JHSM’s award-winning Settlers to Citizens Bus Tours of Historic Jewish Michigan give life to Michigan’s rich Jewish history and showcase the accomplishments of Michigan’s Jewish citizens.  Tailored to your group's interests and timetable, our tours offer visits to former synagogues and explorations of sites of historic interest, both old and new.  Our tours are designed to entertain, educate and inform, and to allow participants to feel a sense of pride in our Jewish culture and heritage.

Private tours are a meaningful and popular way for families, organizations, sisterhoods and brotherhoods, reunion committees and other groups to gain a deeper connection to Detroit’s Jewish roots.  Click below for information on booking a customized private tour of historic Jewish Detroit.

Plan A Private Tour

JHSM Speakers' Bureau

JHSM’s Speakers' Bureau travels around the state to present one of several multi‐media “virtual tours” of historic Jewish Michigan. Members of JHSM’s Speakers’ Bureau are seasoned JHSM docents who bring their own unique styles to their presentations.  All presentations can be given either in person or virtually.  Choose from:

  • Reams of Hate: The Legacy of Henry Ford's Antisemitic Newspaper: The Dearborn Independent turned 100 in 2019.  Learn how we are still dealing with its hate speech today.  Given by JHSM's executive director.
  • From Hastings to Home: Take a trip back in time to Jewish Detroit, from its origins in the 1760s to the birth of the baby-boom generation. This presentation includes the 7‐minute mini documentary, “Life on Hastings Street."
  • Northwest Detroit: The second half of "Jewish Detroit: 101," this presentation provides an immersion into the northwestern neighborhoods to which Jews moved after World War II, focusing on the transformative changes in labor, housing, gender norms, and religious practices that accompanied their relocation.
  • The Synagogues of Michigan: Providing a visual history of Jewish Michigan, from tip to toe, this presentation covers the establishment of synagogues in communities large and small. Many architectural features of the synagogues discussed are included.
  • Michigan Women Who Made a Difference: This preview of the expansive MWWMD Project includes the stories and accomplishments of some of the women who helped to build and shape Jewish Michigan. Hear the voice of renowned soprano Emma Lazaroff Schaver and see the artwork of some of our Remarkable Artists.
  • Stories from the Stones: Come along as we trace the history of Michigan's Jewish cemeteries and explore the stories of who lies beneath them. JHSM docents will lead you through the state beginning in the 1800s and continuing through recent history.
  • Yearbook Show & Tell: A perfect chance to reminisce and share memories as JHSM docents introduce a variety of the yearbooks from the JHSM Yearbook Collection.
  • The DIA through a Jewish Lens: Discover the DIA's surprising Jewish connections and a new way to look at the art.
  • The Detroit Public Library through a Jewish Lens: Jewish connections abound in this Detroit institution, from its founders to its building.

We charge a modest stipend for our Speakers' Bureau presentations.  For more information or to schedule,

Click Here

Lectures/Films

JHSM maintains an active year-round calendar of activities that support the organization’s mission. JHSM presents and sponsors, often in collaboration with other organizations, author chats, lectures and events that relate to the preservation and celebration of Michigan’s Jewish heritage and history. Our events are crafted to be both educational and entertaining and appeal to a broad range of participants.

JHSM also extends its programming to areas outside of Detroit, including communities such as Traverse City, Flint, and Windsor, Ontario.

J-Cycle

In 2010, JHSM launched a collaborative community-awareness event, J-Cycle, a bicycle tour of historic Jewish Detroit. Held each August, and always to a sold-out crowd, J-Cycle enables participants to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city while learning the area’s Jewish history.

JHSM Jewish History Curriculum

Sharing our state’s proud Jewish history is central to the mission of Jewish Historical Society of Michigan. JHSM's Jewish History Curriculum reaches students of all ages. Our educators not only bring Jewish history to life, but also demonstrate how Jewish values have been and continue to be a vital part of our community. Customizable for communities outside of the Detroit area, our immersive classroom experiences build an understanding of Michigan’s Jewish history, and reinforce Jewish pride and identity through engaging stories of Michigan’s early Jewish settlers, along with the legacies of today’s Jewish innovators, philanthropists, leaders, and urban pioneers.

We are especially known for our Traveling Trunk program, which engages roughly 400 fifth- and six-graders each year.  It begins with an immersive four-part series of classroom lessons that actively explore and engage students in the history of Detroit’s Jewish community.  It concludes with a hands-on, experiential bus tour of historic Jewish Detroit, connecting Detroit’s Jewish past with its Jewish future.

back to top

Funding for michjewishhistory.org has been provided by the WILLIAM DAVIDSON FOUNDATION.