News

Uplifting Hillel Heroes: Adam Lehman Reflects on 黑料传送门鈥檚 Tenth Global Assembly

Author

黑料传送门

Date

December 19, 2024

As the calendar year comes to a close, 黑料传送门 President and CEO Adam Lehman sat down with us to reflect on his favorite moments from the tenth 黑料传送门 Global Assembly (HIGA), which brought together more than 1,200 Hillel professionals, supporters, sponsors, and students for a three-day annual conference centered on growth and leadership.听

Question: What do you look forward to most about HIGA every year and why?

Lehman: For me, HIGA is an amazing opportunity to catch up with hundreds of colleagues and friends from across the Hillel world, and a unique moment to feel the incredible power and potential of our movement. HIGA operates according to its own laws of 鈥淗illel physics鈥� 鈥� somehow, 96 hours of virtually nonstop gathering, learning, brainstorming, debating, and schmoozing serve as the most energizing days of the year, elevating the reasons we all are so committed to our work 黑料传送门 and the awesomeness of our Hillel crew.

Question: What were your top two or three moments from HIGA this year?

Lehman: It鈥檚 difficult to narrow down literally hundreds of special HIGA moments to just a few. With that caveat, I鈥檒l highlight three moments that stand out. 

First, I loved being able to celebrate our incredible 鈥淗illel Heroes鈥� during the opening plenary. It was fun to switch up our approach to the plenary, meaningful to honor the many 鈥渟uperpowers鈥� of our professionals, and memorable to see some of our heroes in action (who can forget Jared Isaacson [from Cleveland Hillel] doing his best Superman impression?) 

Next, our co-hosts at the awards plenary, Charles Cohen and Rachael Cohen, created several unforgettable moments 鈥� from their 鈥淲icked鈥� opening, to their hysterical Hillel yoga class, to their stroll through Hillel鈥檚 history of groundbreaking inventions. We can only hope that Rachael and Charles don鈥檛 get recruited away to Broadway or Hollywood before the next HIGA! 

Third, it was great to be able to spend dedicated time with many of our professional cohorts. I learn so much through those discussions and also appreciate the chance to share gratitude for the unique contributions of each of these cohorts.

Question: How do those moments translate into Hillel鈥檚 work throughout the rest of the year? What do you hope will be the greatest impact that HIGA has on the movement this year?

Lehman: HIGA serves to recharge all of us for another year of sometimes hard, yet always meaningful Hillel work. HIGA also allows all of us attending to form and deepen our Hillel relationships in ways that, in turn, promote collaboration across the Hillel movement. This year鈥檚 HIGA provided me the further opportunity to speak about specific 黑料传送门 priorities that will inform our next phase of work together, and which are captured in these excerpts from my remarks at the Opening Plenary.

Question: Finishing up with the topic that everyone really wants to hear about: How does the Hillel House Band pick its set? And what was your favorite song from this year?

Lehman: Like our Hillel movement overall, the Hillel House Band is a highly collaborative, inclusive group! As such, members of the band all have a chance to weigh in on song selections and our fearless band leader, Seth Reder, facilitates decisions from there. While I love that we have House Band classics that we perform every year (including 鈥淲agon Wheel鈥�!), I really enjoyed our new additions this year, which included Casey Kelly鈥檚 鈥淗illel Shalom,鈥� a rewriting of Sabrina Carpenter鈥檚 鈥淓spresso.鈥� If forced to choose, I would say my favorite addition was 鈥淗ot To Go!鈥� both because of the group energy performing it and the fact that one of my daughters taught me the 鈥淗TG鈥� dance 馃檪.

Hear from other professionals about their experiences at HIGA and read about the incredible Hillel Heroes who won awards this year.听

The post Uplifting Hillel Heroes: Adam Lehman Reflects on 黑料传送门鈥檚 Tenth Global Assembly appeared first on 黑料传送门.

Hillel Leadership

Pride in Hillel鈥檚 Past, Hope for Hillel鈥檚 Future: Randall Kaplan on Three Decades of Support for 黑料传送门

Author

黑料传送门

Date

December 4, 2024

Randall Kaplan鈥檚 Hillel story began when he was a college student at Tufts University. After growing up in Greensboro, North Carolina, where there was a very small but active Jewish community, Randall jumped into Jewish life at Tufts in the 1970s.

In response to an anti-Israel resolution on the floor of the United Nations in his early years at Tufts, Randall started a group called 鈥淐oncerned Students for Israel,鈥� organizing a march in Boston with similar groups at Harvard, MIT, and Boston University. He worked out of the Hillel building at Tufts, where he used their meeting spaces to hold gatherings and educational programs to help the Jewish and non-Jewish community learn more about what was happening in Israel.

鈥淗illel really allowed me to become part of the fabric of the Jewish community,鈥� he said.

Randall later transferred to Brown University and then attended law school at the University of Michigan, where he met his wife, Kathy Manning, who now represents North Carolina鈥檚 Sixth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. After he graduated and practiced law for a few years in Washington, D.C., he went to work with his father at the family business in Greensboro, where he and Kathy became active members in the local Jewish community. Randall also became a leader within a number of national Jewish organizations, including serving on the UJA National Young Leadership Cabinet and the National Board of AIPAC.

鈥淭hen one day, I got a call from my dad at the office,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e said, Randall, it鈥檚 your dad, and I鈥檓 at a board of governors meeting for Hillel with Edgar Bronfman, Lynn and Charles Schusterman, and Michael Steinhardt, and we were talking about how we really need the younger generation involved in the Hillel board of governors. I want you to join.鈥�  

Randall ended up joining the board of governors and then asked Richard Joel, then the president of Hillel, if he could also join the board of directors, which is responsible for the strategic聽direction of the organization. As a member of the board of directors, Randall jumped right into chairing committees and later became the board chair. At the end of his term as chairman of the board of directors, Edgar Bronfman asked聽 Randall to take over as the chair of the board of governors, a position he held until 2016. He continues to sit on the board of governors today.

鈥淏eing part of Hillel is my passion, because I strongly believe th黑料传送门 meets students at a unique moment in time when they are going off on their own to determine the careers they want to pursue and how they want to live their lives,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a perfect time for us to offer them opportunities to be involved with the Jewish community and engaged in Jewish life. I鈥檝e been involved with 黑料传送门 for more than 30 years now, and I鈥檝e really seen it blossom.鈥�

One unfortunate area where Randall has seen a shift in Hillel鈥檚 work has been around antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses.

鈥淯ntil about ten years ago, we really viewed Hillel as primarily a place to engage Jewish students so that they could strengthen their commitment to Jewish life and their relationships with Israel,鈥� he said. 鈥淭oday, fighting antisemitism and being a safe place for Jewish students is at the forefront of Hillel鈥檚 work on campus.鈥�

After 30 years, Randall also has many fond memories of meeting with Jewish students on campuses across the United States, South America, Eastern Europe, and Israel. In particular, the opening of new Hillels in South America, as well as the impact of Hillel Israel stand out to him. He always enjoys going to HIGA, 黑料传送门鈥檚 annual professional conference, and marvels at the dedication and passion of Hillel鈥檚 professional team. 

One of his proudest achievements was receiving 黑料传送门鈥檚 Renaissance Award, the organization鈥檚 highest honor, which is bestowed each year on an individual whose bold vision and transformative initiatives enrich campuses, the Jewish community, and the world. 

鈥淚t was really extraordinary,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y children were there, my parents were there, and I received the award along with my wife Kathy, who was the first woman to chair the Jewish Federations of North America board. It was a very meaningful moment.鈥�

When asked about his hopes for Hillel鈥檚 future, Randall said, 鈥淢y hope is th黑料传送门 continues to enrich the lives of Jewish students so that they will make a commitment to the future of the Jewish community, while at the same time continue serving its important role in confronting the forces making it more challenging to be Jewish on campus and in the world at large. I pray that our professionals, and everyone 黑料传送门, continue to go from strength to strength.鈥�

Supporters like Randall make it possible for Hillel to grow from strength to strength, from generation to generation.

Read more about Hillel supporters and their generosity here.

The post Pride in Hillel鈥檚 Past, Hope for Hillel鈥檚 Future: Randall Kaplan on Three Decades of Support for 黑料传送门 appeared first on 黑料传送门.

News

Stand Together: Remarks from Hillel Student Leaders

Author

黑料传送门

Date

November 13, 2024

On November 10, 2024, thousands of Jewish people from all over the world came together in Washington, D.C. to show their support for each other and for Israel. The 鈥淪tand Together: A Day of Solidarity鈥� rally, hosted by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, featured speakers from across the spectrum of Jewish life, including political leaders like Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.), Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). Among the speakers were two Jewish student leaders from 黑料传送门鈥檚 Israel Leadership Network, Shani Menna and Evan Cohen. We are excited to share their inspiring remarks with you, as prepared for delivery:

SM: My name is Shani Menna, and I am a proud American, a proud Israeli, a proud Jew, and a proud Zionist. I am a pre-med human biology student at UC San Diego. And I am the chair of 黑料传送门鈥檚 Israel Leadership Network.

EC: And my name is Evan Cohen. I am an American Jew and a proud Zionist. I am a computer science major and French minor at the University of Michigan. And I am the president of Michigan Hillel鈥檚 Wolverines for Israel and a vice-chair of 黑料传送门鈥檚 Israel Leadership Network.

SM: Over the last year, professors and students have attempted to rewrite history and redefine our identities. 

The truth is, antisemitism on college campuses did not begin after October 7th. Since my freshman year at UCSD, we鈥檝e listened to our student government debate resolutions holding Israel to a double standard. We鈥檝e seen Students for Justice in Palestine build their Apartheid Wall in the center of our campus鈥� And plaster it with blood libels. And days after October 7th, still reeling in tragedy, we heard fellow students chanting for the annihilation of the only Jewish state.

But I stand up to them. They chant, 鈥淔rom the river to the sea.鈥� And I ask, 鈥淵ou mean the genocide of the Jewish people?鈥�

Our greatest threat to those who wish us harm is our unshakable pride. They try to silence us with fear and uncertainty, but we respond defiantly by being loud and proud.

Our freedom is one that no bully can take away. Just as our brothers and sisters in Israel have a duty to defend our borders, we, as Jewish students, have a duty to defend Jewish life and experience on campus.

EC: Like Shani, I have been fighting for Israel since I got to college.

I grew up here in the United States, and love for Israel was a big part of my life. I was fortunate not to experience antisemitism growing up, but I knew it was out there.

Then, as I was about to graduate from high school, there was the 2021 Gaza War. It was the first time I truly experienced antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Just days after I committed to study at the University of Michigan, my soon-to-be student government released a one-sided anti-Israel statement. 

I reached out to the Israel club on campus, and I asked, 鈥淗ow can I help?鈥� They said, 鈥淲e need you to come to Michigan, and we need you to get involved.鈥�

That鈥檚 exactly what I did.

Since October 7th, I鈥檝e helped organize pro-Israel events on the Michigan campus, with thousands of students attending. These events united the entire Jewish community, just like those around the country and world. Despite political or religious differences, we know that we鈥檙e stronger together. Our shared history and values mean we have more in common than what might divide us.

At the end of the day, what matters is that we stand united. What matters is that we stand strong. What matters is that we stand for Israel and for the Jewish people. 

That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e doing here today, and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e going to keep doing. 

SM+EC: Am Yisrael chai!

The post Stand Together: Remarks from Hillel Student Leaders appeared first on 黑料传送门.

Hillel Leadership

A Professional Love Affair, A Lifetime of Impact

Author

黑料传送门

Date

October 14, 2024

It鈥檚 no surprise th黑料传送门 has changed and evolved over the past 100 years. But one thing has always remained the same: Hillel鈥檚 dedication to supporting and enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.

聽It鈥檚 that dedication that has motivated alumni like Larry Moses to spend a lifetime working to support 黑料传送门 鈥� first as a Hillel director, then as international director of Hillel, then as a member of the Board of Directors, and over recent years, as the senior philanthropic advisor to Leslie and Abigail Wexner.听

鈥淢y relationship with Hillel has been one of love,鈥� Larry said. 鈥淥ne that鈥檚 lasted a lifetime.鈥�

 Larry鈥檚 love affair with Hillel began when he was a student at Indiana University. Growing up in a traditional Jewish home in South Bend, Indiana, Larry鈥檚 Jewish identity was heavily influenced by his mother鈥檚 experience in the Holocaust.  She was a survivor of a number of concentration and death camps, and lost most of her family in the camps. 

 鈥淥ur little Jewish community was very close-knit, and we were very close to the survivor community,鈥� Larry said. 

聽Like many students today, Larry experienced a 鈥渞ichly tumultuous鈥� time during his college years. 鈥淚t was the late 60s and early 70s,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd it was rife with student activism and protests: Vietnam, Kent State, Cambodia 鈥� that whole chapter of American history that really spilled into the college campus in a big way.鈥� But a year abroad in Israel as an undergraduate was a turning point in Larry鈥檚 Jewish college experience. He became more involved with Hillel in his final year of school, developing a close relationship with Rabbi James Diamond (z鈥漧), then the director of Indiana University Hillel.听

 When it came time to think about his post-graduation plans, Larry was all set to enroll in law school 鈥� until he got a phone call from Rabbi Diamond, who had just accepted the Hillel Director position at Washington University in St. Louis. 鈥淗e told me that the Indiana University position was now open,鈥� Larry said. 鈥淎nd it was very late in the game, and they couldn’t find a proper Hillel director. So he asked me if I would consider putting off law school for a year and become the interim director at Indiana University.鈥�

It was a surprising opportunity. At that point in Hillel鈥檚 history, the organization was primarily led by rabbis. In order for someone who was not a rabbi to become a full Hillel director, they needed a graduate degree in Jewish studies and in social work/social administration. But after a year in the interim position, Larry knew it was the right path for him to take.

 鈥淗aving that taste of Hillel work at that very young age was something that connected so many pieces of my life 鈥� my whole biographical narrative, the home that I had grown up in, my mother’s experience in the Shoah, and my year in Israel. It just really all kind of came together,鈥� Larry said. 鈥淚 knew I didn鈥檛 want to go to law school. I wanted to work for Hillel.鈥�

聽And that鈥檚 exactly what he did. After graduate school, Larry became the director of Hillel at San Francisco State University. He spent five years in that position before accepting a job as executive director the Bureau of Jewish Education for the San Francisco Bay Area, a large Jewish educational organization that had 19 affiliated Jewish schools. He later took on the role of international director 黑料传送门, and eventually came back to serve on the 黑料传送门 Board of Directors, becoming chair of Hillel鈥檚 Governance Committee, and co-chair of the Hillel U Advisory Board.

 鈥淭he love affair just never waned,鈥� Larry said. 鈥淓ven though I haven鈥檛 worked for Hillel for a long time, I invariably keep coming back.鈥�

 During his time with Hillel 鈥� as an employee, a lay leader, and a supporter 鈥� Larry has seen the organization grow and change in myriad ways. He witnessed Hillel鈥檚 transition from an organization sponsored by to an independent nonprofit, and saw the change from rabbinic leadership (when practically all Hillel directors were rabbis) to professional communal leadership, as well as the shift in Hillel鈥檚 funding model to include primary support, in many cases from Jewish Federations and individual donors, and its expansion to colleges and universities in more countries around the world.

 鈥淟ooking back 黑料传送门鈥檚 history, I think there is no organization in American Jewish HISTORY that does pluralism quite like Hillel,鈥� Larry said. 鈥淗illel has done it all under one roof for so long now 鈥� Jewish spiritual and religious life, Jewish intellectual life, social outlets, cultural life, Jewish arts, and more. There’s not an element of Jewish expression th黑料传送门 doesn’t open its arms to and welcome. It鈥檚 a magnificent achievement.  In many ways, Hillel invented American Jewish pluralism and remains unparalleled in its practice.鈥� 

Whether professionally or as a lay leader, Larry has shepherded a number of 黑料传送门 initiatives and programs over the years, but an area where he is most proud is his impact in Hillel鈥檚 expansion of its support of emerging professionals. 

 鈥淭he work of Hillel itself demands such a wide range of skills and knowledge,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just the Jewish learning, organizational learning, that sort of intellectuality 鈥� there’s also the whole arena of understanding adult development and young adult development. There’s just so many angles that a Hillel professional needs to master on some level to be effective.鈥� He says it was especially exciting to provide these professionals with support and training to help them grow.  

 Hillel has been a central part of Larry鈥檚 life, and he doesn鈥檛 see that changing any time soon. One thing he鈥檚 greatly enjoyed over the years is connecting with other Hillel supporters 鈥� something he sees as critical to Hillel鈥檚 success. 

 鈥満诹洗兔� is particularly good at gathering donors and putting donors together around the same table,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is actually a great service to the larger Jewish community and to the Jewish world as well, because when Jewish donors sit around that table and talk about how they can be better stewards of Hillel, they’re talking about other things in Jewish life and connecting in other ways as well.鈥�

 Larry also said that supporting Hillel can truly change lives – both for college students, and for donors themselves. 鈥淚 would tell [donors] that supporting Hillel will truly enhance their lives and elevate their sense of connection to Jewish life and to the Jewish future,鈥� he said. 

 But for Larry, actions speak louder than words. 鈥淲hat I would really do with such a person, rather than talk a lot, is take that person to a campus and have them visit a Hillel for a couple of hours. Have them talk with some students, attend a program, go to a Shabbat dinner. Because the work really speaks for itself.鈥�

 鈥淪ometimes, donors worry about whether they鈥檙e supporting the right organization, or if they鈥檙e really doing something that will make a difference,鈥� Larry went on. 鈥淏ut I鈥檝e never had that with Hillel. To me, Hillel is a direct contribution to the future of Jewish life, period. No complexities or stops along the way.鈥�

 Read our Humans of Hillel stories to learn more about the students, professionals, and Hillel community members whose lives have been impacted by Hillel.

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News

For ILN Executive Chair Shani Menna, Israel is 鈥淲hy I鈥檓 Here Today鈥�

Author

黑料传送门

Date

August 7, 2024

Shani Menna, incoming executive chair of Hillel鈥檚 Israel Leadership Network, never doubted whether she would be involved in speaking up for Israel on her campus 鈥� the only question was what form her activism would take.

鈥淚srael has always been a big part of my identity,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 in my DNA. 鈥�

Hillel鈥檚 Israel Leadership Network (ILN) is the country鈥檚 largest pro-Israel student leadership body, with more than 130 top student leaders representing over 100 university campuses across the United States. With a goal of maintaining a thriving community for students who are committed to a vibrant, Jewish, and democratic Israel, these student advocates share best practices and ideas, and navigate challenges together. The majority are also leaders of their campus Israel group, or serve as the Israel chair at their campus Hillel. For Shani, her journey with ILN started with Tritons for Israel, a program through .

鈥淚 got involved with Tritons for Israel right away,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淚 was attending board meetings my freshman year, connecting with other interested students 鈥� I really jumped into it.鈥� 

Seeing how invested Shani was with Israel education on campus, the Jewish Agency Israel Fellow 黑料传送门 of San Diego connected Shani with Josh Losner, the Israel Leadership Network鈥檚 director. Shani immediately knew ILN was the right path for her evolving leadership journey.

Shani grew up with a deep connection to Israel. Her paternal grandparents survived the Farhoud, the ethnic cleansing of the Iraqi Jewish community, and emigrated to Israel shortly after. They raised Shani鈥檚 father in Israel, where he met her mother, an American interested in moving to Israel after graduating college 鈥� USCD, just like Shani. They were together for only two weeks when he proposed at the airport before her flight back to the United States. 

They were married in Israel, and Shani鈥檚 two older siblings were born there. During the Second Intifada, they returned to the United States, where Shani was born. 

鈥淚 grew up hearing about their life in Israel,鈥� she said. 鈥� It’s a big part of who I am. And I believe that speaking up for Israel is important for the Jewish people.鈥�  

Shani, now a rising senior, served as ILN鈥檚 vice chair this past academic year 鈥� the most challenging year for pro-Israel students in recent history. 

鈥淎fter October 7, there was a greater need for support. ILN鈥檚 group chat was filled with students sharing their experiences on campus, and some conversations and meetings left me sobbing. But at the same time, there鈥檚 so much love and community through Hillel and ILN, and that empowers students to bring what we learn back to our campus organizations.鈥�

As vice chair, Shani led workshops, organized speakers, and met one-on-one with other ILN members to support them and offer advice for dealing with  situations on campus, from encampments to BDS initiatives to daily protests. She credits her connection to Hillel staff with helping her stay focused and uplifted. 

鈥淭hey鈥檙e beyond supportive,鈥� she said. 鈥淣o matter what, Hillel staff will remind you why you’re doing what you’re doing and how important it is.鈥� . 

In her academic life, Shani studies human biology and leads JHealth, the Jewish pre-health organization at UCSD. This summer, she鈥檚 training to become an EMT 鈥� and she鈥檚 already looking ahead to what this coming year will bring. 

鈥淚鈥檝e met some of the most amazing students through Hillel and ILN,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t honestly gives me so much hope for our future 鈥� how intelligent these students are, how creative they are, how much resilience they have. I can鈥檛 wait to see what they鈥檙e going to accomplish, not just for us, but for the next generation of Jewish college students, too.鈥�

鈥淢y goal is to uplift Jewish students and to really tell the stories about the amazing communities that they’re able to foster on campus,鈥� Shani continued. 鈥滱nd we need to continue to uplift these students, because they will make real change in our world.鈥�

The post For ILN Executive Chair Shani Menna, Israel is 鈥淲hy I鈥檓 Here Today鈥� appeared first on 黑料传送门.

News

黑料传送门 Welcomes New Executive Directors

Author

黑料传送门

Date

July 3, 2024

黑料传送门 is pleased to welcome our newest executive directors to campuses across the country this fall! Meet these incredible professionals, who are dedicated to bringing Jewish community, education, and joy to Jewish college students. 

Julie Boden Adams, Ithaca College Hillel

Ithaca College Hillel鈥檚 new executive director, Julie Boden Adams, calls the opportunity to lead experiences and programming for Jewish students at the college a 鈥渄ream come true.鈥� Ithaca College is home to a vibrant, thriving Jewish community of 1,050 undergraduate Jewish students – roughly 20% of its student body,

Julie brings extensive expertise as a higher education administrator, both serving as an attorney by trade and consulting with clients such as NYU and Long Island University. Most recently she operated her own boutique law firm. She has also served in a volunteer capacity in the Jewish community and has several years of fundraising and nonprofit experience through leadership roles in Cornell Law School Dean鈥檚 Special Leadership Committee and as Chair of the Board Advancement Committee of Speyer Legacy School.

鈥淚 look forward to using my skills to further my passion for Jewish education and community-building in this very special place that values diversity and inclusivity,鈥� Julie said. 鈥淢y family is thrilled to move back to Ithaca, which holds a special place in our hearts and is where my husband and I met and were married.鈥�

Gary Brandt, Tulane Hillel

This spring, Tulane Hillel announced the appointment of Gary Brandt as its new executive director. Gary, who joined Tulane Hillel in 2022 as assistant director, succeeds Ron Gubitz, Tulane Hillel鈥檚 executive director since 2020. Tulane University has one of the largest Jewish student populations in the country, with more than 2,500 Jewish undergraduates and 500 Jewish graduate students. 

鈥淚’m excited to step into the executive director role at Tulane Hillel. Our students are the real leaders here, and we work hard to support them in creating vibrant Jewish life on campus,鈥� he said. 鈥淚’m honored to work with our staff and students, our Board and supporters across the country, and with Tulane University.鈥�

Gary is a seasoned outdoorsman, cyclist, and foodie who brings a big smile and growth-oriented approach to all of his endeavors.  He has been a Jewish professional for the past decade and a half with time at summer camps, JCC鈥檚, and startups across the country. He has worked previously as an EMT, English teacher in Japan, carpenter/welder, and ropes course facilitator. Gary is a proud Eagle Scout and former student leader of Hillel at his alma mater, the University of Arizona.

Abbii Cook, Hillels of North Texas

Abbii Cook is the new executive director at , succeeding outgoing executive director Melissa Duchin Friedensohn. In this role, Abbii will oversee Hillels of North Texas鈥檚 efforts to create meaningful experiences, programming, and community for the 400 Jewish undergraduate and 30 Jewish graduate students at the University of North Texas; Dallas College; Texas Woman鈥檚 University; University of Texas, Dallas; Collin College.

Most recently, Abbii served as director at the Weintraub Israel Center, a partnership between the Tucson Jewish Community Center and Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona. Her new role marks a return to Hillel, as Abbii was previously the assistant director of Hillel at the University of Arizona and senior engagement coordinator at Hofstra University Hillel. Additionally, she was the Youth and Teen Director at the Aaron Family JCC in Dallas.

鈥淚 am thrilled to join the great community 黑料传送门s of North Texas, which is doing such great work supporting the vibrant Jewish community across our campuses,鈥� said Abbii. 鈥淭he most meaningful moments of my career have involved supporting and engaging Jewish youth, and it is one of the many reasons why I am so grateful to take on this new role.鈥�

Elie Dvorin, University of Arizona Hillel Foundation

Elie Dvorin is the new executive director at the University of Arizona Hillel Foundation, where he will help develop the growth of Hillel on campus, and support students and staff. The University of Arizona has 3,500 Jewish undergraduate students and 500 Jewish graduate students enrolled. He succeeds Interim Executive Director Jennifer Camano, who guided Jewish students through a challenging year, including the attack and aftermath of October 7.

A native of Chicago, Elie is excited to land in Tucson. He has practiced human resources and employment law, served as a multinational firm’s compliance director, and spent several years consulting for small businesses, healthcare providers, and nonprofit organizations. For the last three years, he taught high school classes in both Jewish and public schools, including AP Literature, World History, and a few fun ones, like 鈥淭he History of Western Music.鈥� Elie is passionate about working with students, and seeks to help them find their Jewish identities in an ever-changing campus landscape.  In this new role, he looks forward to engaging with and educating students while opening up new opportunities for Hillel鈥檚 growth at the university. 

“I’m incredibly excited to get to know the students and the Tucson community while continuing the great work of the University of Arizona Hillel,鈥� said Elie. 鈥淲e have a great team, and I’m looking forward to contributing to building a vibrant and welcoming Jewish community on the UA campus.”

Elyana Funk, University of Colorado Boulder Hillel

Elyana Funk is the University of Colorado Boulder Hillel鈥檚 new executive director, succeeding past executive director Seth Reder and interim executive director Megan Burmeister. In this role, Elyana will oversee CU Boulder Hillel鈥檚 five-person team to create engaging programming, experiences, and community for the 2,500 Jewish undergraduate and 350 Jewish graduate students on campus.

Elyana brings extensive community experience and organizational leadership in the nonprofit sector in Boulder, Colorado. She currently serves as the lead senior director of the “I Have A Dream鈥濃�� Foundation of Boulder County, where she鈥檚 held various positions for 24 years, beginning with a 12 year journey with a group of 鈥淒reamer Scholars,鈥� from their second grade through their senior year of high school. Working with over 500 young professionals, Elyana brings with her a career in leading teams that foster a strong sense of belonging, cultivating connections with students, and creating meaningful partnerships in the community. She is deeply committed to strengthening the Jewish community, serves on the board of directors at Congregation Har HaShem, is a member of the Wexner Heritage Program, and lives in Lafayette, Colorado with her husband and three children.

鈥淚t is an honor to join the team at CU Boulder Hillel, who are already so dedicated to creating opportunities for Jewish students on campus to connect with and learn from one another,鈥� said Elyana. 鈥淢y own personal connections to Hillel drew me to this role and I鈥檓 thrilled to blend my nonprofit experience with my passion for my own Jewish community. I am humbled by the history and success of 黑料传送门 and I am eager to join its legacy of impact now, more than ever.  I鈥檓 ready to champion CU Boulder Hillel鈥檚 mission to enrich Jewish student life, serving as a true home away from home for those students.鈥�

Ethan Helfand, Kansas University Hillel

Ethan Helfand is the new executive director at the University of Kansas Hillel, succeeding past executive director Suzy Sostrin and interim executive director Bailey Nakelsky. In this role, he will continue an innovative and strategic approach to Jewish life on a campus that serves a population of 1,300 Jewish undergraduate students. 

Ethan was born and raised in Kansas City, and has focused his career around building Jewish community. His past work experience includes positions at Herzl Camp in Wisconsin, USY鈥檚 EMTZA Region, and Jewish Life at Duke (the Hillel at Duke University). In his most recent position, Ethan innovated Jewish programming and educational efforts in Kansas City as the Director of Jewish Experiences, a collaboration of Jewish Federation and The J.

鈥淚 cannot wait to work alongside the wonderful students, dedicated board and incredibly talented staff that make KU Hillel a destination campus for Jewish students from all over the country,” Ethan recently The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle.

“I would not be where I am today without my time as a student, as a leader and as a professional 黑料传送门, and I’m so proud to have the chance to sustain and grow the incredible legacy of this institution,鈥� he added.

Brian Pelc, Hillel at Florida State University

Hillel at FSU announced that Brian Pelc will serve as its next executive director, after serving as associate director since August 2022. He will succeed previous executive director Jesse Feld. In this role, Pelc will lead Hillel at FSU鈥檚 efforts to serve 3,500 Jewish undergraduate and 800 Jewish graduate students at Florida State University.

Before joining Hillel at FSU, Brian worked for 12 years as a restoration forester and program manager for The Nature Conservancy, advancing the Jewish value of tikkun olam 鈥� repairing the world. Previously, he taught at Tallahassee鈥檚 Temple Israel in the religious school and helped lead its youth group. He also led services for Shabbat, high holidays, and b鈥檔ai mitzvahs as a soloist and created new Jewish music with the local Jewish Southern Folk band, Bagels and Biscuits. Brian鈥檚 wife, Melanie, serves as FSU Hillel鈥檚 director of leadership and wellness.

鈥淚 am extremely grateful for the opportunity to take on this new role leading Hillel at Florida State University, where I have already experienced why this community is so special,鈥� said Brian. 鈥淚 am deeply committed to the notion of tikkun olam, guided by the belief that improving the world can happen in so many ways and in so many places, including here on campus.鈥�

Lenny Steinberg, Oregon Hillel

Lenny Steinberg is new executive director, succeeding executive director Andy Gitelson, who recently joined 黑料传送门 as a campus support director.  Lenny will oversee Oregon Hillel鈥檚 team to create meaningful experiences, programming, and community for the 2,000 Jewish undergraduate and 400 Jewish graduate students at the University of Oregon and Oregon State University.

Lenny brings extensive expertise as a nonprofit professional, especially within the Jewish communal world. His career started with Hillel as a program associate for Hillels of the Florida Suncoast. Since then, he has served in roles with the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee (with their Teen Leadership Mission to Israel), Mittleman Jewish Community Center, Alzheimer’s Association of Oregon and Southwest Washington, and most recently, Alpha Epsilon Pi.

鈥淚 am honored to return to the Hillel community, this time in Oregon, where I feel a deep personal connection to what the organization is doing for Jewish students during a tenuous time,鈥� said Lenny. 鈥淓ngaging with students has been among the highlights of my career, and it is extremely meaningful to return to this work by continuing to foster a vibrant, thriving community for future generations on Oregon Hillel鈥檚 campuses.鈥�

Annie Weinberg, Brody Jewish Center, Hillel at the University of Virginia

The Brody Jewish Center, Hillel at the University of Virginia announced that Annie Weinberg will serve as its next executive director, after serving as co-managing director this past school year. She will succeed previous executive director Jake Rubin, who recently joined 黑料传送门 as the Associate Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Search. In her new role, Annie will oversee Hillel at UVA鈥檚 efforts to create meaningful experiences, programming, and community for the 1,000 Jewish undergraduate and 600 Jewish graduate students at the University of Virginia.

After graduating from the University of Virginia with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in youth and social innovation and psychology, Annie returned to UVA Hillel as a development associate, then assistant director, and later, as the co-managing director working alongside Truman Brody-Boyd. During her five years with UVA Hillel, Annie created leadership development programs, led educational courses, reimagined the First Year WaJew experience for incoming students, and formed meaningful connections across Grounds. Annie also holds a master’s degree in nonprofit studies from the University of Richmond.

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Celebrating Beginnings through Shavuot and Commencements: A Note from Adam Lehman

Author

Adam Lehman and Liora Knizhnik

Date

June 6, 2024

Dear Friends,

We will soon be celebrating the . Shavuot represents both a conclusion and a beginning. With the receiving of the Torah, the Israelites concluded a critical phase in their journey toward Jewish peoplehood. Shavuot also concludes the counting of the Omer, 50 days after the start of Passover. At the same time, Shavuot marks a beginning. When the Israelites received the Torah, they agreed to abide by its commandments before even knowing what these mitzvot entailed. Thus began a new era of Jewish life and peoplehood, infused and guided by Torah, for the Israelites and countless generations of Jews to follow.

In this way, Shavuot is well matched by season to the college graduations that take place in the spring. Graduations of course represent a culmination for students of all of their learning, work, and growth during their college careers. And yet graduations are also known as 鈥渃ommencements,鈥� since they are the launching point for graduates into the rest of their lives, hopefully guided by the wisdom and experience they鈥檝e gained during their four (or more!) years of undergraduate study. 

While this year鈥檚 commencements continue to reflect the celebratory nature of years past, in many instances, they are also unfortunately being disrupted by protests, walkouts, and other interruptions. These actions have served to mar milestone moments for many of the other graduates and attendees, and especially for many Jewish students and their family members whose beliefs and identities are being directly attacked by some of the messages and tactics of the protesters. 

Even with the attempts of protesters and agitators to disrupt and degrade graduations, we 黑料传送门 have stayed focused on doing everything we can to protect and enhance academic and student life opportunities and experiences for all of the Jewish students we鈥檙e privileged to serve. 

As I鈥檝e shared in previous updates, we鈥檝e been pursuing these efforts across a wide range of different areas 鈥�  security, government, legal, academic, advocacy at student and administration levels, and of course through our core work 黑料传送门 creating welcoming, safe, joyful, and inclusive Jewish community spaces and experiences. 

In recent weeks, we鈥檝e  on how to mitigate or prevent the adverse impacts from graduation disruptions; we鈥檝e  that鈥檚 accumulated more than 33,000 signatures,; and we鈥檝e successfully advocated, together with partner organizations, to the Department of Education to issue clearer guidance to universities on the types of conduct that violate the rights of Jewish students under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. At a campus level, many Hillels have culminated their extensive support for Jewish students by hosting  for graduating Jewish students and their families,  for them to celebrate graduation.

As we look toward the next academic year, we know our work 黑料传送门 will be more important than ever. And we are using these next few months to prepare accordingly: gathering key staff from across the Hillel field to share learnings and plans; coordinating with other relevant Jewish organizations to maximize the impact of our collective efforts; intensifying our advocacy and partnerships with university administrators so that they can be even more effective in maintaining a safe and welcoming campus climate for Jewish students and all students; organizing kick-off community pride and resilience programs and events to usher in the new academic year; co-designing with our student leaders proactive advocacy campaigns they can pursue on behalf of their campus communities in the fall; and investing in our professional talent across the Hillel movement, so they are both recharged and prepared with the necessary resources and expertise to support Jewish life on campus in the coming year.

Even with the unprecedented challenges faced by so many Jewish students this past year, a record-breaking number of students participated in Jewish life relationships and experiences 黑料传送门 鈥� more than 180,000 students in total. In my recent travels throughout North America and , I had the chance to spend time with some of these incredible student leaders.

Between the focused efforts that our Hillel teams will be making to prepare for the next academic year 鈥� and the strength, resilience, and inspiring courage of our students聽鈥� I am confident we can move past the many challenges of this past academic year to a brighter year ahead.

Adam

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Hillel Student Leaders Offer Advice to the Class of 2028

Author

黑料传送门

Date

June 4, 2024

Another school year is drawing to a close, and with it, the end of an era for graduating high school students 鈥� and the promise of a new beginning at college! 

Starting a new chapter of life can be exciting, but it can feel daunting and uncertain too. Whether you鈥檝e got a color-coded packing list ready to go for your first day as a college freshman or you鈥檙e still DM-ing your new roommate to decide who鈥檚 bringing the mini fridge and the coffee pot, it鈥檚 okay to have questions about what next year will look like for you at college, and as a Jewish student on campus.

To give some advice to the incoming class of 2028, we gathered words of wisdom and encouragement from some amazing Hillel leaders from the class of 2024. 

Here鈥檚 what they shared:

“Dear class of 2028, welcome to the next chapter of your lives. Be ready to open your heart and mind to opportunity, change, and novelty. Most importantly, stay true to yourself, fight for what you believe in, and always know there are people who support you no matter how hard things get. Much love, and mazel tov!”

Jake Blum, Tufts University

“Congratulations on entering a new stage of your Jewish journey! We are so excited to welcome you into the Hillel movement. Whether you鈥檙e excited, nervous, or somewhere in between, remember that the most important thing is to be yourself. Find the places and people that make you feel like your best self, and know th黑料传送门 is here to help you along the way. Being a Jewish student in college means that you have an incredible community at your fingertips: We can鈥檛 wait to be a part of your journey!”

Samantha Brody, Brandeis University

“To the class of 2028: you are entering college at a remarkable time of chaos and uncertainty; and yet, never before has the Jewish community been more excited to welcome, support, and love you. Get ready to explore, to challenge your comfort zone, and to learn all that you can both in and out of the classroom. And on behalf of every graduating class that came before you: We have your back, forever and always. Mazel tov!”

Jillian Lederman, Brown University

“As you enter the class of 2028, dream big, try new things and most of all, form incredible memories with your newfound friends and second families!”

Andrew Goldberg, University of Texas at Austin

“Mazel tov! Entering college is a huge milestone, and we are thrilled to welcome you to the Hillel community! During your years in college, you’ll have opportunities to explore new hobbies, make new friends, and learn. Please know th黑料传送门 is ALWAYS here to support you on this journey. Stay true to your values and never forget where you came from!”

Gali Polichuk, University of Florida

At Hillel, we want to make sure every student is excited and prepared to start their college experience. It鈥檚 not too late to explore and apply for scholarship opportunities for Jewish students, or to , where you鈥檒l also be entered into a raffle to win one of five $500 gift cards for back-to-school or dorm essentials. 

On behalf of everyone at 黑料传送门, we can鈥檛 wait to welcome you to campus. Mazel tov on your graduation 鈥� we鈥檒l see you this fall!

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Hillel, Students, and Partners Demand Administrators Enforce Policies and Keep Jewish Students Safe

Author

黑料传送门

Date

May 8, 2024

On April 26, 2024, following a week dominated by an escalation of protests and encampments on campuses that included threats, harassment, and sometimes violence directed at Jewish students across the country, students from Brown, Columbia, and Rutgers demanded that university administrators more meaningfully and effectively ensure the safety of Jewish students on campus. During this press conference at Columbia/Barnard Hillel, the students were joined by leadership from the campus Hillel, 黑料传送门, American Jewish Committee (AJC), and UJA-Federation of New York.

Watch the full recording of the and read the press release. 

In their remarks, the students shared how these protests 鈥� which started six months ago and have only grown to be more disruptive and threatening, have made them feel unwelcome and unsafe on their campuses.

黑料传送门 President and CEO Adam Lehman strongly urged college and university administrators to protect all students, including Jewish students, by ensuring that campuses are free of harassment, intimidation, and physical assault.

Read more about the press conference in the following articles:

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Highlights from Hillel’s Centennial Celebration: A Note from Adam Lehman

Author

Adam Lehman and Liora Knizhnik

Date

April 19, 2024

Dear Friends,

Spring is upon us, which means it is also the season of Passover. Passover is often described as Z鈥檓an Heruteinu, the season of freedom, as we recount and celebrate the journey of the Israelites from slavery to liberation during the Seder.

However, in light of current circumstances, it is particularly difficult to think of this moment as a time of freedom. Many hostages remain captives of Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza. All of Israel remains subject to the threat of further attacks from Iran and its proxies. And many Jewish students lack the freedom to fully express their Jewish identities without facing harassment and discrimination on their university campuses.

Given these challenging conditions, we can shift our focus this Passover to thinking about the season as Z鈥檓an Tikvateinu, a time of hope. Of course, even hope can be difficult to muster in a time such as this one; nevertheless, we hope and pray for the release of all hostages and the ultimate defeat of Hamas in a way that ushers in a period of greater safety, security, and thriving for Israelis and Gazans alike. And when it comes to Jewish life on campus, I have even greater hope for the future after celebrating our 100th anniversary earlier this week.

To cap off our Centennial year 黑料传送门, we gathered 1,000 Hillel professionals, student leaders, lay leaders, partners, and supporters for two days of celebratory events in New York City, including meaningful conversations about how we can best fulfill Hillel鈥檚 mission in our second century.听Our Centennial programs reinforced my deep sense of hope and optimism at several levels.

Our time together underscored our overall strength as a Hillel movement. When we complete a book of the Torah, we recite 鈥淐hazak, Chazak, 痴鈥档颈迟肠丑补锄别办鈥� 鈥� be strong, be strong, and may we be strengthened together. Those same words can be applied to the Hillel movement, as we close out this chapter of our story and turn the page toward our second century.

Chazak 鈥� We are supporting, inspiring, and empowering more students than ever before 鈥� with 180,000 students engaging in Hillel relationships and experiences this year alone.

Chazak 鈥� We have more talented and committed Hillel professionals working on behalf of Jewish students than ever before 鈥� nearly 1,300 in total supporting students on more than 850 campuses around the world. Each professional is making an enormous difference in the lives of their students and campus communities. 

痴鈥档颈迟肠丑补锄别办 鈥� We are meeting the unique challenges of this school year as only Hillel can. We are the critical source of comfort, support, and advocacy for students encountering issues of campus antisemitism. And we are leading the way in driving real solutions that can ensure a safer, more supportive campus environment for Jewish students and all students. Finally, we are continuing to do wh黑料传送门 does best – enabling positive and joyful Jewish experiences for students that strengthen their Jewish identities and promote their resilience.

My hope was further bolstered by seeing the vitality and strength of the leaders who came together for our Centennial celebrations: 

• Student leaders like聽Rebecca Weiss, a student at Ben Gurion University. Building on her commitment to strengthen global Jewish peoplehood through her role on the 黑料传送门 Student Cabinet, Rebecca also just joined Hillel Israel in a full-time professional role to oversee a nationwide volunteer initiative aiding senior citizens evacuated from their homes and communities due to the current war.
• Professional leaders like聽Rabbi Danielle Leshaw, who after serving as a successful Hillel executive director at Ohio University for 15 years, has dedicated her substantial talents to strengthening dozens of other Hillels in her role as a 黑料传送门 campus support director.听
• Volunteer leaders like聽黑料传送门 Board Chair Lee Dranikoff, who, in reflecting on Hillel鈥檚 impact, shared the following at our Centennial Summit: 鈥淭his institution has impacted millions of lives, and those students have gone on to great things in the broader Jewish community. Today, there isn鈥檛 a Jewish federation, synagogue, or camp that doesn鈥檛 have its leadership steeped in experience with Hillel.鈥澛�

Simply put, our work 黑料传送门 has never been more relevant and more resonant. Hillel is the answer to so many of the needs of young Jews today 鈥� the need for belonging, the need for a safe and inclusive community, the need for meaning and purpose, the need for insight, and the need for a platform that enables their overall personal growth and thriving. We are that platform, and we will continue to be there for Jewish students and campus communities for our next century and beyond.

It鈥檚 no coincidence that Passover is the most celebrated of the Jewish holidays and one of the most famous stories of hope and liberation in recorded history. Passover shows how divinely-inspired hope, leadership, and initiative enabled the Israelites to emerge from their dark moments of slavery and subjugation and chart a path toward the Promised Land.

This Passover, I will be reflecting on the many ways we can tap into our own sources of hope, leadership, and inspiration to overcome the challenges of this season, on our journey to a stronger and more vibrant Jewish future.

Shabbat Shalom, Chag Sameach, and wishing everyone a Zissen (sweet) Pesach. 

Adam

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