Every spring for the past 11 years, Donna Klein Jewish Academy in Boca Raton, Florida, has welcomed the community to a unique art gallery with a special greeting - Konnichiwa ("hello" in Japanese).

As the refreshing spring season gets underway every year, so does a much-anticipated annual tradition at the K-12 Jewish community day school, which prides itself on instilling the values of character, integrity, leadership, scholarship and global education in its students. Months of preparation and creative efforts come to life when the doors to the Konnichiwa Japan Gallery exhibit open. (The exhibit is staged in the Nathan D. Rosen Museum Gallery in the Adolph and Rose Levis Cultural Arts Building on the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County's Richard and Carole Siemens Jewish Campus, which houses Donna Klein Jewish Academy).

Thanks to a unique partnership that has spanned more than a decade between educators from the Morikami Museum in nearby Delray Beach and Donna Klein Jewish Academy, special insight and preparation for the exhibit is provided - down to the last detail. Training sessions conducted by the Morikami ensure that DKJA's faculty has the educational planning tools needed for instruction on a broad array of topics. The school's curriculum includes a two-tiered, six-month "Konnichiwa Japan" program - one is for kindergarten students, the second for fourth-graders. The Konnichiwa Japan Gallery is the grand finale of the fourth-grade unit of study. An added bonus is the interaction that both kindergartners and fourth-graders share with a Japanese intern who joins each class for 11 weeks, respectively. Both the intern and students benefit from the educational and cultural exchange that takes place.

DKJA's teachers are trained in specific areas of Japanese culture to prepare them to educate their students. Kindergartners learn about Japanese culture and family through lessons centered on clothing, what students in Japan carry and what they learn in school. The eager pupils practice elements of the Japanese language, sing a popular song and learn how to use chopsticks. Students "discover" Japan on a daily basis with their classroom teachers.

Additionally, for 11 weeks, fourth-graders experience a variety of lessons, such as a hands-on activity led by an Ikebana master in the traditional art of flower arranging. Two sessions are devoted to Japanese language, where students study the basic structure of the language, learn key phrases, and practice writing words and numbers. Two additional sessions are devoted to discovering the discipline necessary to master Japanese calligraphy. Fourth-graders also create a miniature garden after studying the basic concepts of this art. Other favorites include a trip to the Morikami Museum, during which students experience a tea ceremony conducted by a Sado master, learn about the kimono culture and experience what a typical day in the life of a fourth-grade student in modern Japan is like.

To prepare students for the Konnichiwa Japan Gallery's comprehensive exhibit, fourth-grade curricula encompasses geography of Japan; Japanese manners and customs; Japanese family and education; Japanese architecture, gardens and use of space; a Japanese historical overview of the government and economy; Japanese sports and leisure activities; and festivals and religions of Japan.

Fourth-grade students also learn how to do every job in a museum - curator, exhibit coordinator, marketing director, budget manager and docent. They use this knowledge to create a gallery in the true sense of the word. The students, trained as gallery docents, escort visitors while the fascinating exhibits that present a comprehensive look at Japan. Each year, exhibits are themed, such as "Dressing Up Japanese" or "Rhythms of Rice." Under the direction of Lower School art teacher Gale Lowy, students create themed artwork, which is showcased on a grand scale. Fourth-graders also prepare and present their own PowerPoint presentations, which run continuously at the gallery.

The final curriculum session involves the students with the International Peace Project. The project was inspired by Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who was two years old when the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. Sadako, who was later diagnosed with leukemia, set about a mission to create an abundance of origami paper cranes after her best friend told her of an old Japanese legend: anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes would be granted a wish; hers was for good health. The crane has become an international symbol of peace as a result of the connection to the story. To keep the tradition alive, fourth-graders annually create a towering origami exhibit of "One Thousand Cranes" for the Konnichiwa Japan Gallery. Nestled amidst other breathtaking gallery displays, it's a crowd pleaser year after year.

On Opening Night, special guests, including family, community leaders and Japanese dignitaries, are invited to the gallery. The students exchange their traditional school uniforms for kimonos and guide their guests through the exhibits, many of which are interactive in order to fully engage participants. Following Opening Night gallery tours, docents and visitors are welcomed to pick up a pair of chopsticks and enjoy a kosher buffet of sushi and Israeli favorites served to special guests. Musical entertainment further adds to the ambiance. The exhibit is then open to the community on designated weekdays and during specified hours.

With so much preparation and anticipation, it's no wonder that every May, excitement is in the air. The Konnichiwa Japan Museum Gallery represents the culmination of the students' intensive six-month immersion into the Japanese way of life.

"As the world becomes socially, economically and politically interconnected, the need to understand other cultures and nations becomes ever more critical to our students' future success," said Lower School Principal Natalie Friedman. "We truly are committed to multicultural education, and development of an understanding and an appreciation for the cultures of the world."

For a firsthand glimpse into the wonders of this amazing display, please visit the exhibit next year. Opening Night for the Konnichiwa Japan Gallery 2009 takes place on Monday, May 18 at 7:00 p.m. (advance registration is required for this event). Tours for the general public will be held Tues. May 19 through Tues. May 26 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (school days only). If you would like more information about DKJA's Konnichiwa Japan Gallery, or to make a reservation for Opening Night, please call 561.852.3108. Visit the school's website at www.dkja.org for additional information.

Jane Neubauer is the director of communications at Donna Klein Jewish Academy.