Avraham Infeld - Hillel

June 2, 2010 New York City
Hillel
INspiring INviting INtriguing INfeld
Hillel: The Foundation for
Jewish Campus Life Presents
Avraham Infeld
with its
Renaissance Award

The International Board of Governors,
Board of Directors, Students and Professionals of
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
Proudly Present
Avraham Infeld
with the
Renaissance Award
June 2, 2010
20 Sivan 5770
Alfred Lerner Hall, Columbia University
New York City

Yehuda avner
SandY Baklor
YoSSi Beilin
harveY Beker
laurie Blitzer
thomaS BlumBerg
amY a.B. BreSSman
Sandra Cahn
ruth Calderon
mark Charendoff
JoSeph CieChanover
aBBY JoSeph Cohen
david m. Cohen
SCott S. Cowen
ilana delaneY
alan derShowitz
Yuli edelStein
EVENT CHAIRS
karen and neil moSS
EVENT VICE CHAIRS
Carol and irving Smokler
PATRONS
CindY and adam Bronfman
edgar m. Bronfman
CherYl and david einhorn
eduardo elSztain
JudY and aBel friedman
Jane goldman and BenJamin lewiS
kathY manning and randall kaplan
JoSeph and harveY meYerhoff familY CharitaBle fundS
tad tauBe, koret foundation
diane and howard wohl
HONORARY HOST COMMITTEE
liSa eiSen
david ellenSon
edith everett
waYne l. fireStone
daniel gordiS
Stephen m. greenBerg
gidi grinStein
dr lYnne B harriSon
william J. heller
lee m. hendler
alan hoffman
riChard m. Joel
arlene i. kaufman
Sam levine
mort lowenthal
BeatriCe S. mandel
ruth meSSinger
ChuCk newman
dr. Stephen oppenheimer
Julie wiSe oreCk
miChael B. rukin
lYnn SChuSterman
JameS Shane
roSalie Shane
mark r. Shenkman
roSalind Shenkman
andrew Sklover
levi Shem tov
Sharon margolin ungerleider
miChael wieger
einat wilf
Carol B. wiSe
mark g. Yudof

andall kaplan
Chairman
Greensboro, NC
edgar m. Bronfman
founding Chairman
New York, NY
lYnn SChuSterman
founding Co-Chair
Tulsa, OK
miChael Steinhardt
founding Co-Chair
New York, NY
CarloS aBadi
Buenos Aires, Argentina
S. daniel aBraham
Palm Beach, FL
william a. aCkman
New York, NY
rene-pierre azria
New York, NY
harveY Beker
New York, NY
roBert m. Beren
Palm Beach, FL
mandell l. Berman
Southfield, MI
alexander Blavatnik
New York, NY
adam Bronfman
Paradise Valley, AZ
CharleS r. Bronfman
New York, NY
daniel a. BuraCk
Harrison, NY
aBBY JoSeph Cohen and
david m. Cohen
Hollis Hills, NY
Hillel’s International Board of Governors
2010
david einhorn
New York, NY
eduardo S. elSztain
Buenos Aires, Argentina
edith B. everett
New York, NY
aBel friedman
Chicago, IL
miChael C. gelman
Washington, DC
roBert goldBerg
Cleveland, OH
Jane h. goldman
New York, NY
david S. gotteSman
New York, NY
harold grinSpoon and
diane troderman
Longmeadow, MA
lYnne B harriSon
MetroWest, NJ
howard JonaS
Riverdale, NY
JoSeph kanfer
Akron, OH
edward h. kaplan
Washington, DC
toBee kaplan
Greensboro, NC
ellie meYerhoff katz
Fort Lauderdale, FL
arlene i. kaufman
Palm Beach, FL
roBert kogod
Washington, DC
harveY m. krueger
New York, NY
reuBen leiBowitz
New York, NY
JerrY levin
New York, NY
guStave k. lipman
New York, NY
howard lorBer
New York, NY
peter maY
New York, NY
aBe mitChell
Mobile, AL
aBe pollin, z”l
Washington, DC
howard roSenBloom
Baltimore, MD
keith roSenBloom
New York, NY
nina Sandler
Dix Hills, NY
StaCY h. SChuSterman
Tulsa, OK
mark r. Shenkman
Greenwich, CT
viCtoria SimmS
Beverly Hills, CA
Carol Smokler
Boca Raton, FL
helene Spiegel
Beverly Hills, CA
david tepper
Short Hills, NJ
iSaaC thau
Vancouver, British Columbia
leSlie h. wexner
New Albany, OH
mark and Jane wilf
Short Hills, NJ
garY winniCk
Beverly Hills, CA
diane wohl
Mill Neck, NY
CareY wolChok
New York, NY
mordehai woSk
Vancouver, British Columbia

Officers
BeatriCe S. mandel
Chair, Los Angeles, CA
amY a. B. BreSSman
Vice-Chair, New York, NY
Stephen m. greenBerg
Vice-Chair, New York, NY
lYnne B harriSon
Vice-Chair, MetroWest, NJ
adam kornetSkY
Vice-Chair, Tufts University
Carol Smokler
Vice-Chair, Boca Raton, FL
diane wohl
Vice-Chair, Mill Neck, NY
JameS Shane
Treasurer, Boston, MA
BruCe Sholk
Assistant Treasurer, Baltimore, MD
david m. Cohen
Secretary, New York, NY
waYne l. fireStone
President, Washington, DC
edgar m. Bronfman
Ex-Officio, New York, NY
randall kaplan
Ex-Officio, Greensboro, NC
Past Chairs
Julian Sandler, z”l, Dix Hills, NY
david l Bittker, z”l, Detroit, MI
randall kaplan, Greensboro, NC
neil m. moSS, Columbus, OH
ChuCk newman, Ann Arbor, MI
miChael B. rukin, Boston, MA
Executive Committee
laurie Blitzer, New York, NY
thomaS BlumBerg, New York, NY
Sandra Cahn, New York, NY
paul Cherner, Chicago, IL
philip h. Cohen, Miami Beach, FL
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
Board of Directors
2009/2010
marCelo CYnoviCh, Montevideo, Uruguay
lee dranikoff, Short Hills, NJ
edith B. everett, New York, NY
william heller, Cleveland, OH
BarrY J. levin, Philadelphia, PA
mort lowenthal, Stamford, CT
karen moSS, Columbus, OH
dana rauCher, New York, NY
andrew Sklover, White Plains, NY
JeffreY Summit, Tufts Hillel
Carol B. wiSe, New Orleans, LA
Members
lawrenCe S. BaCow, Boston, MA
SandY Baklor, Palm Beach, FL
harrY Baumgarten, The George
Washington University
miChelle BlumenBerg, University of
Arizona Hillel
andrew S. BoranS, Indianapolis, IN
amY Born, Washington, DC
phillip BrodSkY, Boston, MA
edward e. a. BromBerg, Orlando, FL
marShall BrookS, Philadelphia, PA
daniel BuraCk, Harrison, NY
JoSeph CieChanover, tel aviv, israel
BruCe Coane, Houston, TX
nanCY duBer, Washington, DC
BarrY effron, White Plains, NY
david einhorn, New York, NY
iriS feinBerg, Atlanta, GA
daniel ferman, York University
hannah fiSher-arfer, Portland State
University
david gedzelman, New York, NY
Jane gellman, Milwaukee, WI
CaSSandra gottlieB, Baltimore, MD
alex halBerStein, Aventura, FL
walter harriSon, Hartford, CT
garY hirSChBerg, Chicago, IL
ari iSrael, University of Maryland Hillel
Sarah BatYa JoSelow, Harvard University
deBorah kalliCk, Los Angeles, CA
david karSenti, Northwestern University
miChael kaSSen, Westport, CT
leiBa krantzBerg, Ottawa, ON
mark lainer, Los Angeles, CA
SCott lefton, Texas A&M University
danielle leShaw, Hillel at Ohio University
david levY, Colgate University Jewish
Union
norman lipoff, Miami, FL
frederiCk margulieS, Glencoe, IL
edward marlowe, Delray Beach, FL
roBert w. matankY, Chicago, IL
marla meYerS, Hillel of Greater
Philadelphia
larrY moneta, Durham, NC
Stephen oppenheimer, Atlanta, GA
Julie wiSe oreCk, New Orleans, LA
JoSeph paperman, Montreal, QC
lee perlman, New York, NY
SidneY pertnoY, Miami, FL
Brette peYton, New York, NY
Sarah rapoport, Brown University
ruSS roBinSon, Houston, TX
keith roSenBloom, New York, NY
BarBara roSwell, Baltimore, MD
lindSeY rYB, Kent State University
morton owen SChapiro, Chicago, IL
roBert ShlaChter, Portland, OR
Jordan SillS, San Francisco, CA
Jenna Silverman, University of Maryland
adam Simon, Washington, DC
edgar SnYder, Pittsburgh, PA
andY SternlieB, New York, NY
Bluma Stoller, Boston, MA
SuSan turnBull, Bethesda, MD
Sharon margolin ungerleider,
Eugene, OR
CareY wolChok, New York, NY
david Yaffe, Washington, DC
JudY Yudof, Oakland, CA
louiS howard YuSter, Los Angeles, CA
loiS zoller, Chicago, IL

dear friends,
thank you for joining us tonight as we pay tribute to our beloved friend, teacher and leader
avraham infeld.
during his four years as interim president and president of hillel, avraham significantly
increased hillel’s commitment to israel, enlarged our presence in the former Soviet union,
and made tzedek, social justice, a cornerstone of our work.
But avraham’s impact on our lives cannot be measured by those four years alone. as a
community leader and lecturer avraham has shared his passion for israel, the Jewish people
and social justice with generations of students of all ages. he has inspired us to work for the
“significant survival of the Jewish people.” he has taught us how to be “distinctively Jewish
and universally human.” today, avraham’s students are leaders and teachers themselves.
they are spreading his message around the globe — but never with the eloquence of the
master himself.
we are grateful that avraham continues to draw from his endless reserves of wisdom and
energy to influence our lives and to shape a brighter Jewish future.
may he go mechayil lechayil, from strength to strength, for many years to come.
randall kaplan
Chairman
hillel international Board of governors
BeatriCe S. mandel
Chair, Board of directors
hillel: the foundation for Jewish Campus life
waYne l. fireStone
president and Ceo

AVRAHAM INFELD:
The Lesson of Leadership

INSPIRING. INVITING. INTRIGUING.
these three words only begin to describe speaker,
teacher, leader avraham infeld. You could add to the
list: international. innovative. indefatigable. and,
incorrigible.
avraham has inspired tens of thousands of people
the world over with his unique approach to israel and
Jewish life. a zionist visionary, avraham is a throwback
to previous generations of Jewish leaders who
conceptualized ideologies and lived by their ideals.
he is a larger-than-life character who does not shrink
from a challenge — or a joke.
hillel presents its renaissance award to avraham,
an individual whose bold vision and transformative
initiatives enrich the campus, the Jewish community
and the world.
a native of South africa, avraham’s father was a
hebrew linguist and a Jewish educator who raised his
son in an ardently zionist atmosphere. naturally,
avraham immigrated to israel as soon as he graduated
from high school in 1959.
he attained a degree in Bible and Jewish history from
the hebrew university of Jerusalem and a law degree
from tel aviv university. he married ellen infeld,
originally from woodbridge, n.J., and they share four
children and 14 grandchildren.
in the 1970s, avraham founded melitz, a non-profit
educational service institution that fosters Jewish
identity rooted in a pluralistic understanding of Jewish
life and the centrality of israel. he also served as
chairman of arevim; founding chairman of San
francisco federation’s amutot program in israel; and
chairman of the Board of israel experience, ltd., an
independent company created by the Jewish agency.
“ Avraham’s infectious optimism
about what can be done motivates
all who surround him to reach
for excellence in pursuing a joyous
Jewish future. Avraham never lets
realism limit his dreams and
aspirations. As Hillel president
he travelled the country and the
world constantly, at great
sacrifice to his family life, to
be with students and Hillel
directors, always inspiring them
with his vision. I feel blessed
to work with him. His enduring
friendship continues to
”
enrich my life.
neil moSS, former Chair, Board of direCtorS
Sandy Cahn was on a federation Young leadership
Cabinet mission to israel in the 1980s when avraham
delivered a lecture to her group at the western wall.
“i will never forget his words: ‘we were together at
Sinai!’ i thought he was only talking to me that day!
the way he walks around and comes up close to you
with those piercing eyes it makes you think you are the
only one in the room.” Cahn says that avraham’s words
began her love affair with the history of the State of
israel and the Jewish people. “it was avraham who
helped me begin to understand the tie that we as Jews
have with our ancestors. he has been a huge motivator
for me over the decades and has had a great impact on
me, my activism, and my achievements.” Cahn went
on to chair the Jewish federations of north america
national women’s philanthropy Campaign. today she is
a member of the Board of directors of hillel, serves on
the new York uJa-federation’s Board of directors, and

is co-founder and financial resource development chair of
limmud in the former Soviet union (fSu).
hillel Board of directors vice Chair Carol Smokler was
impressed by avraham’s command of his subject when
she first met him at a federation national Young
leadership Conference.
“three of us were
scheduled to appear on a
panel about the importance
of forming people-topeople
relationships
between israelis and
diaspora Jews,” she recalls.
“i worked hard on my 10
minutes. the second
panelist arrived with note
cards. Just as the audience
was being seated the third
panelist arrived. it was
avraham. he was harried and a little out of breath.
he turned to me and said ‘here i am. what’s the topic?’
of course, avraham was the star. he spoke off the cuff
and eloquently. avraham, always the teacher, taught me
much that day. i learned from him to speak from your
heart, to be confident in what you have to say and spend
more time knowing what you have to share than writing
speeches.”
avraham continued to influence generations of young
leaders as president and chairman of israel forum, a
nationwide volunteer movement he helped found in 1990.
he conducted breakthrough work in bringing together
secular and religious israelis as director general of the
Shalom hartman institute and director general of gesher
education affiliates. he was also director of the taglit-
Birthright israel planning process.
in 2001, then-hillel president richard m. Joel asked
avraham to join hillel as Consul for Jewish affairs, a
“ [Avraham taught me to]
speak from your heart, to be
confident in what you have to
say and spend more time knowing
what you have to share
”
than writing speeches.
Carol Smokler, viCe Chair, hillel Board of direCtorS
position that enabled him to lecture on more than 60
campuses on three continents. “avraham firmly believes
in the sanctity of the story,” Joel says. “he creeps into
people’s souls through his grand narratives. i can hear
avraham tell a story he borrowed from me and still gain
insight. he makes us richer as a teacher by the content
he conveys and the context
in which he lives. avraham
makes us richer by allowing
us to feel a connection that
is real and deep. he makes
us richer by being a true
ben Torah (follower of the
torah) who wears his
Jewishness with pride.”
with his extensive experience
on campus and his
international reputation,
avraham was named interim
president of hillel when Joel left hillel to become
president of Yeshiva university in 2003. neil moss served
as chairman of hillel’s Board of directors when avraham
was named interim president. “to say that working with
avraham is stimulating and wonderful would be a gross
understatement,” moss says. “his infectious optimism
about what can be done motivates all who surround him
to reach for excellence in pursuing a joyous Jewish
future. avraham never lets realism limit his dreams and
aspirations. as hillel president he travelled the country
and the world constantly, at great sacrifice to his family
life, to be with students and hillel directors, always
inspiring them with his vision. i feel blessed to work with
him. his enduring friendship continues to enrich my life.”
avraham was named president of hillel in 2004 and
worked closely with newly elected Board Chair randall
kaplan. kaplan remembers attending a hillel student
leadership conference where avraham “captivated the
students with his sage teachings one minute and in the

next he was dancing furiously with them celebrating
being Jewish. all the while his eyes were gleaming with
pride and his sheepish smile revealed his deep love for
his people. he is a master teacher and a pied piper for
global Jewish peoplehood.” kaplan became chairman of
hillel’s international Board of governors in 2009.
in recognition of his contributions to Jewish education,
in 2005 avraham was awarded the hebrew university
of Jerusalem’s prestigious Samuel rothberg prize for
Jewish education, the first specialist in informal Jewish
education to be so honored. he was also given an
honorary doctorate by muhlenberg College in may 2006
for his work in the field of education.
Shannon Sarna first heard avraham speak when she was a
student on a taglit-Birthright israel trip. “when i got the
call years later from hillel asking me if i wanted to work
as avraham’s assistant, it was like getting a phone call to
go work for a rock star,” she says.
Sarna worked for avraham for two years and calls him
“the most unique boss i ever had.” She often spent
Shabbat at his washington, d.C., home. “avraham did
not just give lip service to the concepts of Jewish peoplehood,
learning and a welcoming community: he embodied
them every day,” she says. “he welcomed anyone to his
Shabbat table. if someone at friday night services did
not have a place for dinner, he would bring them home —
sometimes drag them home — sit them right next to him,
and stuff them with shepherd’s pie and meatballs that he
cooked himself, like they were one of his own family
members. i try to live every day by the example he sets
as a true leader. my Shabbat table is never too small to
welcome another person.” Sarna continues to work for
the Jewish community as a professional with the Samuel
Bronfman foundation.
when he took office as president, avraham inherited a
hillel program in israel that had been in operation since
the first hillel in the country was founded at the hebrew
university of Jerusalem in 1951. he understood that
hillel could play an increasingly important role in helping
to shape the Jewish identity of israeli college students
who often lacked a deep understanding of their Jewish
traditions or connections with the Jewish people worldwide.
during his tenure as hillel president, avraham
worked with israeli hillel professionals and lay leaders
to dramatically expand hillel israel from three to 11
centers throughout the country. “avraham’s guidance,
inspiration, and support helped us to make this a reality,”
recalls hillel israel Chairman Joseph Ciechanover. “his keen
and insightful understanding of the needs and interests of
israeli young adults helped us articulate our vision and
mission to our students, partners and supporters.”
avraham also strengthened hillel in the former Soviet
union. hillel Board of directors vice Chair karen moss,
who had known avraham for decades, traveled with him
to moscow to celebrate the tenth anniversary of hillel in
the former Soviet union in 2004.
Infeld with students and Hillel International Board of
Governors Chairman Randall Kaplan.

Above and below: Avraham Infeld with students at the 2006
Charles Schusterman International Student Leaders Assembly.
The high point of their trip was a gala event in a baroque
auditorium in Moscow that was attended by 1,000
students as well as by city government officials,
prominent philanthropists, and leaders from across the
FSU. The students performed a series of original, dazzling
selections of drama, music and dance. At the end of the
performance, representatives from each of Hillel’s 27
groups in the FSU stood on stage in a semi-circle with
Avraham at the center. When Hatikvah began to play,
the students — many of whom had just discovered their
Jewish identity — sang Israel’s national anthem with
gusto. “Tears began to stream down my cheeks,” recalls
Moss who is co-chair of Hillel’s FSU Committee. “Avraham
was their visionary and inspirational teacher. He believed
in their Jewish future and understood that our collective
Jewish future — the future of a global Hillel and klal
yisrael, the Jewish people — would be incomplete
without them. This man, who lived to teach and share
his passion for Torah and the Jewish people, was witness
to a phoenix — Jewish life that rose from the ashes.”
Avraham retired from the Hillel presidency in 2006 but he
has not ceased working for the Jewish people. Not only
concerned with Jewish young adults in the Diaspora, he
currently serves as senior consultant to the Nadav Fund.
He has sought to promote Jewish values among Israelis
as president and chairman of Israel Forum, a nationwide
volunteer movement he helped found.
Avraham’s strong belief in Jewish peoplehood and social
justice can be traced to his upbringing in apartheid South
Africa. He has worked tirelessly for minorities and spoken
out passionately about the importance of tzedek, social
justice, in Jewish life. Emily Pearl Goodstein served as
the social justice fellow in Hillel’s Charles and Lynn
Schusterman International Center during Avraham’s term
as president. “Avraham led an organization that helped
to shape my Jewish identity in a very significant way,”
she recalls. “The culture of the organization was directly
influenced by Avraham's vision and emphasis on social
justice, tzedek. He created a space for Jewish youth to
thrive and professionals to flourish creatively.” Goodstein
left Hillel to educate young people about reproductive
rights and now helps non-profit organizations to harness
the power of the social media.
Avraham’s background also informed his approach to Jewish
identity. Throughout his teaching, he emphasizes five
core principles of Jewish identity: Memory, Family,
Covenant, the Land of Israel and the Hebrew Language.

Former Hillel Bronfman Fellow Avi Mayer defines himself
as an “Infeldian Jew” who has been profoundly
influenced by Avraham’s teachings. He explains that
Avraham “possesses the uncanny ability to simplify the
most complex questions of Jewish life, to crystallize them
in such a way as to make them almost axiomatic. Students
and professionals alike find themselves drawn to his ideas
about Jewish identity and peoplehood, and his powerful
words — projected in a manner no less compelling — echo
in their minds hours, days, and even years later.” Mayer
enlisted in the Israeli Army after completing his one-year
fellowship and serve in the IDF Spokesperson’s office where
he works with the foreign media. He is considering a career
in Jewish education at the end of his service.
Avraham also had an important influence on another young
Hillel professional, Aviva Perlman. Perlman first met Avraham
as a college sophomore in 2003 and heard his lectures both
when she served as a Hillel intern and as a Hillel professional.
In 2008 she was staffing a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip when
her group attended a lecture by Avraham. She remembers
the profound impression his lecture made on students, and
on her: “Avraham taught us that Jewish identity is made up
of five components and that these components are like a
five-legged table, a minimum of three legs are needed to
create Jewish identity. I looked around the room at the
hundreds of students, not surprisingly, mesmerized by
Avraham's words, and I wondered how many of these students
had those minimum of three legs. I guessed that a majority
of them did not. At that moment I pledged that in my
career as a Jewish educator I would help Jewish children,
teens and adults to build the sturdiest table that they
could.” Perlman is now pursuing a graduate degree in Jewish
education at the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Hillel Board of Governors member Diane Wohl has seen
Avraham’s spellbinding effect first hand. “I was impressed by
Avraham from the first time I heard him speak to a group of
students ,” she says. “He just makes Jewish history come
“ Every moment with [Avraham]
is unique and filled with his
special approach to life. It’s the
pause and the smile that says
“I KNOW you and I LOVE you”
It’s the way he lives the dream of
sustaining the significant
”
survival of the Jewish people.
ADAM R. BRoNFMAN, MEMBER,
HILLEL INTERNATIoNAL BoARD oF GovERNoRS
alive. Students hang on every word. He is an exceptional
teacher and a compassionate man.”
Fellow Board of Governors member Adam R. Bronfman
agrees: “Avraham articulates and personifies the value of
Jewish educational excellence with grace and humility.
Every moment with him is unique and filled with his special
approach to life. It’s the pause and the smile that says “I
KNoW you and I LovE you” It’s the way he lives the dream
of sustaining the significant survival of the Jewish people.”
For two decades, Lisa B. Eisen has watched Avraham
educate, inspire and electrify listeners. She has observed
Avraham illuminate the meaning of Zionism for members
of Congress on a Project Interchange seminar in Israel,
celebrate the bar mitzvah of Hillel in the Former Soviet
Union in Moscow, dance with students at Hillel’s Charles
Schusterman International Student Leaders Assembly, and
speak to college students about the meaning of Jewish
citizenship on July 4 in Washington, D.C. “I have seen
Avraham’s passion for Jewish peoplehood ignite sparks of
understanding, inspiration and hope,” says Eisen, the
national director of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman
Family Foundation in Washington, D.C.. “He has offered
thousands a compelling vision of global Jewish peoplehood
that will have reverberations for generations to come.”

Hillel’s Vision:
hillel SeekS to inSpire everY JewiSh Student
to make an enduring Commitment to JewiSh life.
Hillel’s Mission:
hillel SeekS to enriCh the liveS of JewiSh undergraduate
and graduate StudentS So that theY maY enriCh
the JewiSh people and the world.
Hillel’s Values:
hillel is committed to
n Creating a pluralistic, welcoming, and inclusive environment;
n fostering student growth and the balance in being distinctively
Jewish and universally human;
n advancing social justice, Jewish learning, and spirituality;
n embracing israel and global Jewish peoplehood;
n delivering excellence, innovation, accountability, and results.

Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
WHO WE ARE
hillel is the largest organization in the world with a focus
on university-age Jews, serving young adults at more
than 550 colleges and communities in north america,
South america, israel, and the former Soviet union.
Since its origin in 1923, hillel has played a critical role in
ensuring the future of our Jewish community by creating
a welcoming environment for Jewish students and young
adults and by demonstrating how Jewish tradition can
be incorporated into their lives. hillel helps expand their
Jewish knowledge, hone their leadership skills, bolster
their ties to israel, and present opportunities for social
justice work. Just as the university establishes a
professional foundation for students’ futures, hillel builds
a Jewish foundation for their lifetime. hillel equips
today’s students and young adults to be the supporters
and leaders of tomorrow’s Jewish community.
WHAT WE DO
hillel seeks to engage every Jewish university student,
from those with strong Jewish backgrounds to those
with none at all. they may take advantage of hillel’s
leadership opportunities, travel experiences, israel
education and advocacy, Jewish spiritual and intellectual
enrichment, holiday services, volunteer projects, and
more. By creating warm, supportive Jewish communities,
hillel encourages emerging adults to take ownership of
their Jewish experience and define “Jewish” their own
way. Success is gauged not only by the number of
attendees at an event, but also by the creation of
meaningful relationships and experiences.

Students participate in an Alternative Break in Tampa, 2009.
Students at a Taglit-Birthright Israel: Hillel trip.
SIGNIFICANCE TO THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY
over 85% of all u.S. college-age Jews, approximately
400,000, attend an institution of higher learning. add
to this the near 180,000 college-age Jews in israel,
110,000 in europe, 100,000 in the former Soviet union,
65,000 in South america, and 10,000 in australia, and
you will find that there is no other window of time in
which the Jewish community can find such a vast part
of our population. the university environment and
emerging adulthood encourage young Jews to contemplate
their futures and grapple with serious questions
of meaning, values, and identity. hillel reaches young
adults during this decisive time when they are open to
influences and experiences that will shape their
commitment to the Jewish people. By making Judaism
accessible and meaningful, hillel builds a foundation
for Jewish life that extends far beyond the university.
HOW WE ARE STRUCTURED
hillel welcomes any and all Jewish students to take
advantage of its resources, initiatives, and services; no
membership is required. local hillels do not pay a fee
to belong to the global enterprise, which operates on
an annual budget of nearly $95 million. hillel relies on
each local affiliate to provide young Jewish adults with
activities, services, and enrichment that suit their
campus or community. the Charles and lynn Schusterman
international Center, hillel’s global headquarters,
supports this work by offering local hillels a comprehensive
spectrum of resources and services, including
content or consulting in the areas of institutional
advancement, strategic planning, leadership development,
fundraising, human resources, fiscal administration,
student engagement, and communications. in addition,
the Joseph meyerhoff Center for Jewish experience
provides students and young professionals with Jewish
educational resources and learning curricula.

OUR LEADERSHIP
hillel is supported by individual benefactors and
foundations, Jewish federations of north america, and
the national federation/agency alliance through its
supporting federations. hillel’s professional staff is led
by president wayne l. firestone. the hillel Board of
directors, which includes volunteer lay and student
leaders from around the world, sets hillel policy and is
chaired by Beatrice S. mandel of los angeles, Ca. the
hillel international Board of governors, chaired by
randall kaplan of greensboro, nC, provides counsel to
the Board of directors. the founding chairman is edgar m.
Bronfman of new York, nY, and founding co-chairs are
lynn Schusterman of tulsa, ok, and michael Steinhardt of
new York, nY.
Hillel Stories:
ALAN YANCELSON
Former Campus Entrepreneur Intern, University of Texas Austin
HILLEL AND ISRAEL
Born in mexico City, mexico, alan moved to texas a few years after becoming
a bar mitzvah. although he was bilingual, he found the high school transition
difficult: “every time i spoke, kids would laugh. i was a double minority as an
immigrant and as a Jew.”
at the university of texas, austin, alan joined the alpha epsilon pi fraternity
and attended Shabbat services at hillel on friday nights. he was recruited to
become a Campus entrepreneur intern where he leveraged his relationships
with Jewish students across campus to help them strengthen their Jewish
identities. a business major, alan founded JoBS, the Jewish organization of
the Business School, which holds weekly meetings for any Jewish students
interested in business. and when a sports injury laid him up, he worked with
Senior Jewish educator devora Brustin to co-found a weekly yoga class called
“hamsa Yoga” – yoga with a Jewish twist.
now that he is graduating, alan will put his Jewish passion and his
relationship-building skills to work as a field representative for aepi.
hillel is steadfastly committed to the support of israel
as a Jewish and democratic state with secure and
recognized borders and as a member of the family of
free nations. through the work of the edgar m. Bronfman
hillel israel Center, hillel is inspiring a renaissance of
Jewish life in nine communities throughout israel. around
the world, hillel considers israel advocacy and education
not only essential to strengthening Jewish life, but also
an opportunity to engage young adults in conversations
about themselves as Jews and as members of the Jewish
people.

SOME MAJOR HILLEL INITIATIVES
Enriching Lives, Building Communities
local hillels are the backbone of the global organization.
these hillels enrich the lives of young Jews and challenge
them to explore and celebrate what it means to be Jewish.
hillels create safe, supportive communities in which
young people can best take advantage of opportunities to
grow personally, intellectually and Jewishly.
Hillel’s Guide to Jewish Life on Campus
(www.hillel.org/guide)
JloC is the world’s foremost source on Jewish campus
life.every year, over 500,000 high schoolers, parents,
guidance counselors, and others turn to our guide for
details about Jewish life on campus.
Hillel Stories:
MARISA JOHNSON
Former Campus Entrepreneur Intern, Northwestern University
“my journey to Jewish leadership began with my year as an intern for hillel’s Campus
entrepreneurs initiative, my first glimpse of the Jewish community's most pressing
mission: to engage the uninvolved, show them a world of Jewish possibilities, and
give them the tools to build a meaningful Jewish life. now, as an advisor to the
current interns, i have mentored a young woman who led a 28-student humanitarian
mission that brought 1000 lbs of medical aid to Cuba. another intern reignited the
holocaust awareness group on campus, bringing together more than 100 students for
the opening of the illinois holocaust museum, a Yom hashoah walk and a memorial
service on campus.
“i have learned that my actions can have a much broader impact beyond my direct
reach. and i continue to realize how much is possible, not only for the Jewish
community, but also for myself. i approach the future with enthusiasm and
confidence that i have gained through my experiences with hillel. ready to
be part of our Jewish community wherever my journey takes me, i go
forward with the knowledge that everything is possible.”
Excerpted from remarks to the opening plenary of the 2009 Jewish
Federations of North America General Assembly.
The Campus Entrepreneurs Initiative (CEI) and the
Peer-Network Engagement Internship (PNEI)
Based on a peer-mentoring model, these initiatives
select previously uninvolved students to engage 60 or
40 peers respectively from their social networks. Since its
inception in 2006, student interns have built relationships
with over 20,000 previously uninvolved Jewish peers on
17 campuses.
Senior Jewish Educators
this initiative places 10 experienced Jewish educators
on campus to work with Cei student interns and offer
in-depth Jewish educational content to students. over
the next three years, hillel aims to add a senior Jewish
educator on five campuses annually to reach a total of 25
by 2012.

Alternative Breaks
these seven- to ten-day trips combine hands-on
volunteer service with Jewish learning and reflection.
as the leading provider of alternative Breaks for
Jewish students, hillel has offered over 8,000
students the chance to join their peers in pursuing
social justice in a Jewish context locally and globally.
Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC)
the iCC is a partnership of the Charles and lynn
Schusterman family foundation and hillel in
cooperation with a network of over 30 organizations
committed to promoting israel education and
advocacy on college campuses.
Taglit-Birthright Israel
Supported by the israeli government, Jewish
federations and philanthropists, this partnership
offers thousands of young Jewish adults a free,
first-time trip to israel with their peers. more than
35,200 Jewish college students have experienced
a first visit through hillel since 2000.
Campus Israel Fellows
this initiative, in partnership with the Jewish agency
for israel, partners young israelis with local hillels to
serve as peer educators and foster support for israel.
this year, israel fellows at 20 hillels can reach about
80,000 young Jews.
MASA Interns
in the 2009-2010 academic year, hillel and maSa
launched a partnership in which hillels on 48
campuses hired maSa interns as part of their Cei
and pnei cohorts to increase american students’
participation in long-term programs in israel, such
as study abroad or post-graduation volunteering.
Hillel Stories:
Andrey Gorozhankin
Odessa Hillel
Born under the Communist regime and raised in an independent,
post-Soviet ukraine, Jewish identity was not part of andrey
gorozhankin’s life. that changed after he participated in a
taglit-Birthright israel: hillel trip.
“i was intrigued and wanted to learn more about Jewish
culture, traditions and way of life – so i decided to come to
hillel,” he says. “Since i started going to hillel, my life has
changed. i try to attend all the Jewish learning activities at
hillel and to participate in all the Jewish holidays because
this is something i did not get growing up.”
andrey, a student leader in odessa hillel, is one of thousands
of young people outside north america who turn to hillel for
Jewish inspiration and celebration. hillel has groups across
the vast lands of the former Soviet union (fSu), israel,
uruguay, argentina, Brazil, and a nascent unit in paraguay.
“hillel is an amazing organization that does something special
for young people,” andrey explains. “Students make great
friends at hillel. they develop their own Jewish identity. they
connect to the Jewish people and they learn how to be leaders
in their own communities. in the fSu — especially where Jewish
communities are still very young — we need to continue to
invest in the young leaders who will lead them in the future.”

Hillel and Israel
every day, hundreds of thousands of university students
worldwide depend on hillel’s dedicated on-the-ground
leadership, staff and network to support, understand and
engage with israel. working with our partners in the
Jewish federations of north america, the Conference of
presidents of major american Jewish organizations,
aipaC, the israel on Campus Coalition and others, hillel is
educating students and their campuses about israel.
when students seek knowledge and meaning, hillel
proactively delivers with authentic israeli voices and
immersive experiences.
israel education is both an obligation stemming from
hillel’s commitment to strengthening Jewish life and an
opportunity to create meaningful Jewish experiences for
students. with the most diverse array of ongoing israel
programs and initiatives across the country, hillel reaches
more students in more ways than any other organization
on campus.
Students celebrate Chanukah with Hillel at Israel’s
Interdisciplinary Center.
HILLEL ISRAEL
when israel and the Jewish community look to the next
generation, hillel develops passionate student leaders
who understand israel’s important role in our world.
hillel firmly believes that israel is both an end in itself,
a core value of Jewish life, and a means to engage
students in a conversation about their own Jewish
identity, their role as members of the Jewish people,
and their relationship to the Jewish homeland.
when israel is attacked, hillel stands up for israel and
organizes the response.
hillel is steadfastly committed to the support of israel
as a Jewish and democratic state with secure and
recognized borders and as a member of the family of
free nations. in close partnership with the entire
pro-israel community, hillel works tirelessly to speak up
for israel on campus.
through the work of the edgar m. Bronfman hillel israel Center, hillel is
inspiring a renaissance of Jewish life on campuses throughout israel,
serving thousands of israeli, new immigrant, and overseas students, and
providing a unique vehicle for Jewish experiences, cultural expressions
and social change in israeli society. throughout the country, hillel
provides a variety of opportunities for Jewish students to explore and
celebrate their Jewish identities and take ownership of their individual
Jewish journeys. the first hillel in israel was created at the hebrew
university of Jerusalem in 1951. today, 11 hillels serve 35,000 students
at hebrew university mt. Scopus and givat ram campuses, tel aviv
university, Ben-gurion university of the negev, haifa university, technionisrael
institute of technology, haifa City Center, interdisciplinary Center
herzliya (idC), Sapir College, tel hai academic College, and emek Yezreel
academic College.

Israeli Hillel leaders.
Major Accomplishments:
n hillel’s presence on over 500 campuses worldwide
is the backbone of the pro-israel community,
providing resources, activists and information for
the entire campus community.
n hillel and the Jewish agency for israel have
partnered to place recent israeli university and
idf graduates on campuses to educate students
and the community about israel.
n hillel co-founded and hosts the israel on Campus
Coalition, the leading coalition of national proisrael
organizations, dramatically improving the
effectiveness of all education and advocacy
efforts on campus.
n hillel professionals and students participate in
large numbers at aipaC’s policy conference and
have received the ally of the year award annually.
n hillel student activists and professionals create
meaningful israel programs that celebrate israel
and respond to anti- israel propaganda.
n hillel regularly organizes a variety of immersive
experiences in israel, including intensive leadership
missions, alternative breaks and introductory
trips through taglit-Birthright israel.
n hillel created a nationwide student campaign on
campuses across north america — Student Coalition
against nuclear iran — calling for international
action against this looming threat to israel’s security.
n eleven hillels in israel, administered from the
edgar m. Bronfman hillel israel Center in
Jerusalem, enable israeli students to take ownership
of their Jewish identities in new ways.
Israel on Campus Coalition student leaders at Israel’s Knesset.

Hillel Stories:
Boyanna Grubeshich
Israel Fellow, Hillel at Baruch College
Boyanna grubeshich, a refugee from war-torn Bosniaherzgovina,
found a meaningful Jewish identity through hillel.
Boyanna fled ethnic violence with her family at the age of
12 in 1995 and spent her elementary school and high school
years in the goldstein Youth village in israel. “during my
second year at tel aviv university i participated in a hillel
social justice program,” she explains. “i found lots of
individuals just like me who were concerned about their
Jewish identity and israeli society. i became a student
leader and created my own programs. at hillel i found
my community.”
today, Boyanna is giving back to
the community as a Jewish
agency israel fellow at Baruch
College hillel. “Because i
come from a multicultural
background and because i
moved from one place to another
i had to discover who i
am. i think that most of the
people in the post-modern
world try to understand what’s
their story, what’s their
identity,” she says. “By
helping Baruch College
students explore these
questions i get to answer
them for myself.”
Israel Fellows
in the aftermath of the Second intifada, hillel
partnered with the Jewish agency for israel to
place a network of recent israeli college graduates
and idf veterans on strategic campuses across
north america to help young Jews build a personal
connection with israel and to present a different
image of israel on campus than the one portrayed
by the news media.
now located on 19 campuses, israel fellows have
become an integral part of their local hillels. as
key members of the local hillel staff, fellows play
a pivotal role each and every day on campus:
n empowering and supporting Jewish students
who are already engaged with israel; enhancing
their knowledge base, and providing them with
tools to initiate israel activities on campus;
n engaging uninvolved Jewish students through
meaningful informal interactions, personal
story-telling and formal programs that help
them explore their relationship with israel in a
safe and welcoming environment;
n educating the broader campus community
about the importance of israel and the unique
role it plays in the geopolitical arena;
n encouraging participation in israel travel
experiences and educational programs — such as
taglit-Birthright israel and maSa — thereby
expanding the number of Jewish students
visiting israel each year.

Hillel volunteers work in a Bronx, N.Y., Jewish community center.
Hillels in New York
new York State, with approximately 65,000 Jewish
students on 81 campuses, is critically important to hillel’s
global network. hillel is deeply committed to enriching
the lives of Jewish college students throughout the state.
our Charles and lynn Schusterman international Center
maintains a presence in manhattan – in the offices of the
Jewish federations of north america – to further our
national development work and to support our collective
efforts to strengthen Jewish campus life.
Collaboration with Jewish Federations in New York
working in close partnership with the united Jewish
appeal — federation of new York, hillel offers opportunities
for Jewish students to explore and celebrate their
Jewishness and help hillel further its strategic goal of
doubling the number of students having meaningful
Jewish experiences. uJa-federation of new York invests
close to $2.5 million to support hillel’s work in the
new York metropolitan area, as well as nationally and
internationally. Support comes in the form of both direct
core operating support and targeted grants that
underwrite creative, cutting-edge ideas to strengthen
Jewish identity among college youth. the talented and
dedicated staff and lay leaders of the uJa-federation of
new York provide support and guidance to help advance
the hillels. uJa-federation also supports capacitybuilding
efforts of hillels in the metropolitan area with
added-value training for hillel professionals and trustees.
hillel is also grateful for the support of federations in
albany, Buffalo, rochester and Syracuse.
hillels serve Jewish college students on the following
new York State campuses: university at albany; Baruch
College; Binghamton university; Brooklyn College;
university at Buffalo; City College of new York; Colgate
university; College of Staten island; Columbia university;
Cornell university; eastman School of music; fashion
institute of technology; hamilton College; hofstra
university; hunter College; long island university –
Brooklyn and C.w. post Campuses; manhattanville
College; university at new paltz; new York university;
pace university; purchase College; Queens College;
university of rochester; rochester institute of technology;
Sarah lawrence College; Skidmore; Stony Brook university;
Syracuse university; vassar College; westchester
Community College.
Hofstra Hillel marches in the New York Salute to Israel parade.

CANADA
USA
BRAZIL
URUGUAY
ARGENTINA
UK
UKRAINE
MOLDOVA
BELARUS
ISRAEL
RUSSIA
AZERBAIJAN
GEORGIA
UZBEKISTAN
AUSTRALIA

Hillel Foundations and
Regional Centers in North America
kay Spiritual life Center at american
university hillel
university of arizona hillel foundation
arizona State university hillel
hillel of greater Baltimore
Baruch College hillel
hillel at Binghamton
the florence and Chafetz hillel house,
Boston university hillel foundation
the Brandeis hillel foundation
hillel of Brooklyn College
levine weinberger Jewish life Center:
hillel of Broward and palm Beach
Brown hillel at the glenn and darcy weiner Center
uC Berkeley hillel
Yitzhak rabin hillel Center for Jewish life at uCla
university of California, Santa Barbara hillel
CSun hillel — Jewish Student Center
Central florida hillel
hillels around Chicago
Johanna and herman h. newberger hillel
Center at the university of Chicago
Cincinnati hillel Jewish Student Center
at the rose warner house
hillel at the Claremont Colleges
Cleveland hillel
hillel of Colorado
Colorado university: Boulder hillel
Colorado State university hillel
the robert k. kraft family Center for Jewish
life, hillel at Columbia university and Barnard College
hillel at the university of Connecticut
Cornell hillel — the Yudowitz Center for
Jewish Campus life
the roth Center for Jewish life, dartmouth hillel
hillel at davis and Sacramento
university of delaware hillel
denver hillel
hillel of metro detroit
Jewish life at duke: freeman Center /
rubenstein-Silvers hillel
emory hillel
hillel foundation at the university of florida
hillel at florida State university
hillel at the george washington university
hillels of georgia
university of georgia hillel
goucher College hillel
riesman Center for harvard-radcliffe hillel,rosovsky hall
hofstra hillel
the ida and william zinn hillel Student Center of
greater houston
hunter College hillel foundation
the hillels of illinois
levine hillel Center, university of illinois, Chicago
university of illinois, urbana-Champaign hillel
helene g. Simon hillel Center at indiana university
aliber/hillel Jewish Student Center at the
university of iowa
the Smokler Center for Jewish life, harry and Jeanette
weinberg Building, Johns hopkins university hillel
university of kansas hillel
hillel at kent State university
los angeles hillel Council
Ben and esther rosenbloom hillel Center for Jewish
Student life at the university of maryland
hillel at the university of maryland, Baltimore County
hillel at the university of massachusetts, amherst
m.i.t. hillel at the muriel and norman B. leventhal
Center for Jewish life
hillel at miami university (oh)
Jewish Student Center of hillel at the university of miami
mandell l. Berman hillel Center at the university of
michigan
lester J. morris hillel Jewish Student Center at michigan
State university
the hillel foundation milwaukee
university of minnesota hillel foundation
hillel of montreal

muhlenberg College hillel
hillel Council of new england
new orleans hillel at tulane university
edgar m. Bronfman Center for Jewish life —
new York university hillel
north Carolina hillel
louis and Saerree fiedler hillel Center at
northwestern university
oberlin hillel foundation
hillel at the ohio State university /
wexner Jewish Student Center
hillel foundation of orange County
hillel at the university of oregon
penn State hillel
Steinhardt hall, hillel at the university of pennsylvania
hillel of greater philadelphia hillel at pierce & valley
Colleges the edward and rose Berman hillel /
Jewish university Center of pittsburgh
Center for Jewish life at princeton university
Queens College hillel
hillel foundation at the university of rhode island
hillel of rochester area Colleges
rutgers university hillel foundation
St. louis hillel at washington university
hillel of San diego
San francisco hillel
Santa Cruz hillel foundation
hillel Second generation (h2g)
hillel of Silicon valley
university of South florida hillel
university of Southern California hillel foundation
hillel at Stanford — the ziff Center for Jewish life
gloria & mark Snyder hillel Center at Stony Brook hillel
Syracuse hillel at the winnick hillel Center for Jewish life
texas hillel foundation
texas a&m hillel foundation
hillel of greater toronto, the wolfond Center for
Jewish Campus life
hillel of towson university
granoff family hillel Center, tufts university
vancouver hillel foundation
university of virginia hillel
the karen mayers gamoran Center for Jewish life,
hillel at the university of washington
western ontario hillel
hillel at the university of wisconsin - madison
Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish life at Yale university
Hillel Program Centers
university at albany hillel
Jewish Student association at university of alberta
amherst hillel
Bucknell university hillel
hillel of Buffalo
university of Calgary hillel Jewish Student association
university of California, riverside hillel
Carleton university Jewish Student association
Clark university hillel
eastern michigan university hillel
gallaudet Jewish Student association
george mason university hillel
georgetown university Jewish Student association
grinnell College Chalutzim
university of guelph Jewish Student organization
hartford hillel foundation
hillel foundation at ithaca College
kenyon College hillel
lehigh university hillel Society
hillel of greater long Beach and w. orange County
hillel of long island university, Brooklyn Campus
C.w. post Center of long island university hillel
university of louisville hillel
hillel at loyola university
university of manitoba Jewish Student association / hillel
hillel of memphis
university of missouri, Columbia hillel
university of nevada, las vegas hillel
hillel at the university of new mexico
regional hillel of north texas
northeastern university hillel

hillel of northern new Jersey
ohio university hillel
oklahoma university hillel
Jewish Student association at university of ottawa
purdue hillel
Queen’s hillel house
hillel of richmond
hillel at Santa monica Jewish Student association
Skidmore College Jewish Student union
Smith hillel
hillel of Sonoma County
Southern illinois university hillel
hillel at College of Staten island
trent Jewish Student association
tri-College hillel of greater philadelphia
trinity College hillel
union College hillel
Schulman Center for Jewish life / vanderbilt hillel
allen house Center for Cultural pluralism at the
university of vermont
hillel at virginia tech
waterloo Jewish Student association / hillel
wellesley College hillel
havurah at wesleyan university
hillel of westchester
wilfrid laurier Jewish Student association
Balfour hillel at the College of william & mary
windsor Jewish Students association
Jewish Student association of winnipeg /hillel
Yad of metrowest
Hillels in the Former Soviet Union
Baku, azerbaijan
dnepropetrovsk, ukraine
ekaterinburg, russia
khabarovsk, russia
kharkov, ukraine
kiev, ukraine
kishinev, moldova
lvov, ukraine
minsk, Belarus
moscow, russia
novosibirsk, russia
odessa, ukraine
St. petersburg, russia
Sevastopol, ukraine
Simferopol, ukraine
tashkent, uzbekistan
tbilisi, georgia
Hillels in Israel
Ben-gurion university of the negev
emek Yezreel academic College
haifa university
hebrew university of Jerusalem
interdisciplinary Center herzilya
Sapir university
technion-israel institute of technology
tel aviv university
tel hai academic College
Hillels in Latin America
Buenos aires, argentina
Cordoba, argentina
montevideo, uruguay
rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Other Affiliates
hillel of new South wales, australia
uJS - hillel of the united kingdom

You are a true partner
in our continued goal
to create a welcoming and
open community
for the Jewish people.
Congratulations
on a well-deserved honor.
Edgar M. Bronfman
and The Samuel Bronfman Foundation

Congratulations on receiving this well-deserved honor.
You have been an inspirational teacher and
leader to manY Young and old.
Your leadership of hillel during Your tenure has made
an enduring impact on the hundreds of thousands of
Jewish students around the world.
You are inspiration to all of us who care about the
future of the Jewish people.
We love you,
Randall Kaplan
chair, hillel’s international board of governors
and
Kathy Manning
chair, board of trustees, the Jewish federations
of north america

Joshua ben Perahayah taught:
“find yourself a teacher; acquire a colleague for study.”
pirke avot 1:6
the teacher thousands have found and the colleague hundreds
treasure, avraham’s infectious passion for the Jewish people has
shown us all how to be distinctively Jewish and universally human.
thank you, avraham, for lessons we cannot forget and for being a
continuing source of inspiration in the world.
THE JOSEPH AND HARVEY MEYERHOFF
FAMILY CHARITABLE FUNDS
harVey m. meyerhoFF
eLeanor m. Katz
terry m. ruBenstein
Lee m. henDLer
zoh hieronimus
Joseph meyerhoFF, ii
Laura CutLer
thomas Katz
saLLy Katz
WaLter Katz
DanieL Katz

My dear Uncle Avraham,
As we join a chorus of voices honoring you
and your work, we can all declare one thing
with certainty:
The survival of the Jewish people is
ever more significant due to the love
and work you give to it.
We love you...
Adam and Cindy Bronfman

In honor of a
very special man and teacher
whether educating our Hillel students
or leading a panel at Limmud FSU in Israel,
wherever you go, whomever you meet,
your transmitted knowledge changes
that person forever. You are definitely
a force to be reckoned with.
May you continue to enlighten and
transform people of all ages
and may they become your
ambassadors in the joy of learning.
With fondness and respect,
DIANE AND HOWARD WOHL

.lYNuc tkt lYNc YReT LA
Read not “your children,” but “your builders.”
(Talmud, Berachot 64a)
We applaud Hillel and its committed leadership
for inspiring Jewish college students
to become the next generation of builders of
Israel and Jewish communities here and abroad.
SOL GOLDMAN CHARITABLE TRUST
JANE GOLDMAN, Trustee
DR. BENJAMIN LEWIS, Trustee

Northwestern University Hillel
salutes our honoree,
Avraham Infeld
For making Jewish life flourish
on campuses worldwide
and for bringing
so many Jewish students
home to Israel.
Judy and Abel Friedman
and
Northwestern University Hillel

mazeL toV aVraham
anD
CongratuLations to hiLLeL
For engaging anD inspiring stuDents
to Bring your Vision oF
‘DISTINCTIVELY JEWISH AND UNIVERSALLY HUMAN’
to LiFe!
Cheryl and David Einhorn
�e Einhorn Family Charitable Trust

Hillel
ArgentinA
Hillel Argentina
Salutes
Avraham Infeld
for his dedication and commitment to
Jewish university students and young adults
around the world
and we invite everyone to visit
the extraordinary
Hillels in Latin America.

Hillel salutes
UJA-Federation of New York
From Long Island, Westchester, and the five boroughs,
Hillel and UJA-Federation of New York provide
meaningful Jewish experiences for thousands of
Jewish college students of all backgrounds.
JOHN M. SHAPIRO
President
JERRY W. LEVIN
Chair of the Board
HELEN SAMUELS
Chair, Jewish Communal
Network Commission
ALISA DOCTOROFF
Chair, Commission on
Jewish Identity & Renewal
JOHN S. RUSKAY
Executive Vice President
and CEO
LOUISE B. GREILSHEIMER
Senior Vice President for
Agency and External Relations
ALISA RUBIN KURSHAN
Senior Vice President for
Strategic Planning and
Organizational Resources
SUSAN FRIEDMAN
Managing Director, Jewish
Communal Network Commission
DEBORAH JOSELOW
Managing Director,
Commission on
Jewish Identity & Renewal

Hillel is grateful for the strong partnership and support of the
THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA
For the past five years since Hurricane Katrina,
the Jewish Federations of North America has helped Hillel send
more than 3,500 students to volunteer in the Louisiana Gulfport.
For the past ten years the Jewish Federations of North America
has been a key partner in sending more than 40,000 Jewish students
on Taglit-Brithright Israel through Hillel.
And for more than twenty years the Jewish Federations of North America
has partnered with Hillel to bring today’s Jewish students
to the General Assembly to become tomorrow’s Jewish leaders.
Every hour of every day the Jewish Federations of North America
helps Hillels throughout North America enrich the lives of
Jewish undergraduate and graduate students
so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.
KATHY MANNING
Chair, Board of Trustees
MICHAEL C. GELMAN
Chair, Executive Committee
MICHAEL I. LEBOVITZ
National Campaign Chair
HESCHEL I. RASKAS
Treasurer
JERRY SILVERMAN
President and
Chief Executive Officer

Avraham,
“Avraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation,
and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.
For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children
and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the Lord,
to do righteousness and justice.”
Bereishit 18:18-19
You have amazed us with your energy, inspired us
with your wisdom, and challenged us with your vision.
You have enriched us with your leadership
and blessed us with your friendship.
Thank you for your contributions to Hillel,
to Israel and to the Jewish people.
With deep gratitude, admiration and love,
The Chairs (Neil, Randall, Chuck, Michael)
Former Chairmen, Board of Directors, Hillel: �e Foundation for Jewish Campus Life

Dear Avraham,
as hillel president you travelled the country and the world constantly —
at great sacrifice to your family life — to be with students and hillel directors,
always inspiring them with your vision. Your fundraising skills are legendary.
the question was always not if, but how much!
to say that working with you is stimulating and wonderful would be a
gross understatement. Your infectious optimism about what can be done
motivates all who surround you to reach for excellence in pursuing a joyous
Jewish future. You never let realism limit your dreams or aspirations.
we feel blessed to know you and to partner with you.
Your enduring friendship continues to enrich our lives.
With love and admiration,
Karen and Neil Moss

d
“Every blade of grass has an angel
that bends over it and
whispers grow, grow.”
–The Talmud
Congratulations Avraham
Your voice inspires a
Jewish renaissance in us all.
Madeleine and Bill Berman

“It Is true that we asPIre to our ancIent land.
But what we want In that ancIent land Is
a new BlossomIng of the JewIsh sPIrIt.”
theodor herzl
Avraham,
As an educator you are keeping
ancient aspirations alive and
bringing about new blossoms
of meaning. Thank you for
everything you do for Hillel,
Israel and the Jewish people.
With admiration and best wishes,
The Sandler Family

Congratulations
and
Best Wishes
to
Avraham Infeld
[\
Jayne and Harvey Beker

HILLEL URUGUAY
is proud to honor Avraham Infeld.
Avraham is an educational giant
whose vision, insight and passion have inspired the
Uruguayan Jewish community and the Jewish world.
We are honored to call you our teacher and
even more so, to call you our friend.
May you go from strength to strength and
Mazel Tov on this much deserved recognition.

Y
HILLEL ARGENTINA
salutes our dear friend and colleague
AvRAHAm INfELd
for his commitment to developing
vibrant Jewish communities
and his vision for unifying
the global Jewish people.
We are grateful for his inspiration,
his vision, and his passion
in helping to establish and build
Hillels throughout Argentina.
felicitaciones on this wonderful achievement
and well-deserved honor!
HILLEL ARGENTINA IS HONORING AvRAHAM
WITH A SPECIAL LUNCHEON JUNE 6TH WHERE
THEY WILL PRESENT THE AvRAHAM INFELD AWARD.
Y

The campus is the crossroads
where Jews from around the world
meet on their journey to adulthood.
Hillel has the opportunity, and
the obligation, to guide them
in the right direction.

Kol Hakavod,
Avraham!
your vision of Jewish peoplehood and
commitment to education have strengthened our community
and inspired a new generation of Jewish leaders.
thank you for your many years of leadership,
partnership and friendship.
CharLes anD Lynn sChusterman FamiLy FounDation
www.schusterman.org

Mazal Tov
to our dear friend,
Avraham Infeld
A bold visionary and
magnificent leader,
For his invaluable contributions
to the Jewish future
With admiration and affection,
Edith Everett and Family

CONGRATULATIONS
TO
AVRAHAM INFELD
FROM
ABBY AND DAVID COHEN
AND YOUR FRIENDS AT CORNELL HILLEL

5
we salute
AVrAHAM inFeLD
no one is more deserving of this award
than this pioneer of Jewish renaissance.
with admiration,
SHENKMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
new York • stamford • london

HILLEL RIO
pays tribute to
AVRAHAM INFELD,
a dynamic educator and leader who challenges us
to shape the future of our community by fortifying our connection to
Jewish memory, tradition, the State of Israel, and the Jewish people.
With his indomitable energy and passion, Avraham is an
inspiration to thousands of Brazilian students and to
countless others within the community.
We are proud to share in this celebration and
to recognize Avraham on the occasion
of this much-deserved honor.
Mazel Tov, Avraham!

"IF YoUr aCTIonS InSPIre oTHerS To DreaM More,
learn More, Do More anD BeCoMe More, YoU are a leaDer"
John Quincy Adams
Avraham
- a true leader - with gratitude and joy
we honor your dazzling vision, inspiring passion,
boundless energy and your huge heart
which reaches out to so many and
so deeply loves the Jewish people
With love and admiration,
THe naTIonal YoUng leaDerSHIP CaBIneT alUMnI
Joel AlPersoN
sANDy ANtigNAs
BArBArA AroNsoN
sHAroN Bell AND FreD ZimmermAN
BryNA BermAN
lAurie BlitZer AND sAm leViNe
sANDy CAHN
DAN CoHeN
tim r. CoHeN
KAreN FrieDmAN CooPer AND Peter CooPer
lAurA Cutler
iris FeiNBerg
mArC Felgoise
stACy AND DAViD FisHer
CHAyA AND HowArD FrieDmAN
mArlA lANDis
JeNNiFer meyerHoFF
weNDy AND sCott NewBerger
gAil AND elliot Norry
lewis Norry
JoDi sCHwArtZ
Betsy riBAKoFF sHeerr
melANie sturm
Julie wise-oreCK
JANe AND mArK wilF

Hillel’s Vision:
Hillel seeks to inspire
every Jewish student
to make an enduring commitment
to Jewish life.

Hillel’s Mission:
Hillel seeks to enrich the lives
of Jewish undergraduate and
graduate students so that they
may enrich the Jewish people
and the world.

We are privileged to join
In paying tribute to our
Dear friend
Avraham Infeld
n
SANDY AND STEPHEN GREENBERG

Mazel Tov
to
Avraham
on this wonderful honor
AMY AND BOB BRESSMAN

thAnk
THANK YOU AVRAHAM,
For your vision, leadership and commitment
to the joint Hillel/UJA Federation of New York
initiative to strengthen Hillels in New York
TOM AND LANIE BLUMBERG
you

Stamford, CT
salutes
our friend
Avraham Infeld

“The Genius is not only the discover of new truths
or inventions, but the man that is a light
and blazes a new trail for his generation
by virtue of his great personal influence.”
-S Y Hurvitz
three generation of Jews,
world wide, together
wish you yasher koach!
Carolyn and Steve Oppenheimer

Oregon Salutes
our friend, teacher and visionary
AVRAHAM INFELD
many generations of oregon hillel students have been inspired
by avraham’s compelling teachings and mission to challenge
each one of us to “find and own” our personal Jewish stories.
in avraham’s presence we all discover that we have been heroes,
warriors and pursuers of justice.
Knowing and listening to avraham challenges each one of us
to find the passion to reunite with our people and our history.
and most of all we thank you for putting the magic back into
our sense of Jewish peoplehood.
OREgON HILLEL
PORTLAND HILLEL
THE UNgERLEIDER FAMILY

To
Avram Infeld,
the father of International Hillel,
our teacher, inspiration and friend.
May you and your family go
from strength to strength,
With the greatest admiration,
Rosalie & Jim Shane

An old man was planting a tree.
A young person passed by and asked,
“What are you planting?”
“A carob tree,” the old man replied.
“Silly fool,” said the youth,
“Don’t you know that it takes 70 years
for a carob tree to bear fruit?”
“That is okay,” said the old man.
“Just as others planted for me,
I plant for future generations.”
Talmud, Ta’anit 23a
Avraham, Mazel Tov!
Your extraordinary contributions to
the Jewish people and particularly its
youth are legendary. Thanks to you
that “carob tree” is now bearing fruit.
Judy and Isaac Thau
Vancouver, Canada

Mazal tov to
Avraham infeld
and Hillel
for your inspiration, dedication,
commitment and leadership
towards ensuring a stronger future
for the Jewish people around the world
TINA AND STEvEN PRICE

MAZAL TOV
HILLEL
Best wishes to
AVRAHAM INFELD
Recipient of the Annual
RENAISSANCE AWARD
�is is a well-deserved honor for your efforts in
promoting Jewish identity, your devotion to Israel
and your vision of “peoplehood”
Harold Grinspoon and Diane Troderman
“And you shall show them the way they should go”
Exodus 18:20

To our dearest Avraham,
You have given so much
to the world....
We are privileged to be
part of the thousands
who have benefited by your
wisdom, knowledge and
love of the Jewish people.
With all of our love
and best wishes to you
on this wonderful occasion,
CAROL B. WISE and JULIE WISE ORECK
ij

ttttttt
Congratulations to
Avraham Infeld
teacher and visionary extraordinaire
Thank you
for all you have done for students
and Jewish life on campus!
BiLL & anita heLLer

8
Mazel Tov
to a Real Mensch
Love
Jane and Larry Sherman
(and the Treadmill Co)

AVRAM INFELD
We are blessed to have you as a leader
and thank you for your dedication
and fabulous contributions to
young adults and the Jewish people.
Mazel Tov to a lekker ou!
Best wishes
Linda Mirels, Martine and Stanley Fleishman

In Honor of
Avraham Infeld,
a giant in the world of
Jewish education and continuity,
an inspiration to everyone he touches
and a role model for the masses
in Tikkun Olam and selflessness.
You are loved and respected and
have created a legacy that is unique to you.
Sending blessings for many years of health,
happiness and the ability to enjoy your family.
Chaiki and Ziel Feldman

mazel tov to
AVRAHAM INFELD
an educator par excellence
committed to inspiring Jewish pride and peoplehood.
thank you to the
UJA FEDERATION OF NEW YORK
for making it possible for us to bring avraham’s vision to life
through your continued support of hillel’s work on campus.
hillel at binghamton
Queens college hillel
hillel at the college of staten island
tanger hillel @ brooklyn college
edgar m. bronfman center for Jewish student life at nYu
columbia/barnard hillel
hunter college hillel
hillel at baruch college
hofstra hillel
hillels of westchester
stony brook university hillel
hillel of long island university

Mazal Tov to
Avraham Infeld
on being honored by
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
You are an inspiration to Jewish students, young adults,
and leaders in Israel and around the world.
Hillel said, "Where there is a need, stand up and address it." (Avot 2,6)
Avraham Infeld is the embodiment of this precept.
We wish you good health as you continue
to go from strength to strength.
Adam Bronfman, Chair
Joseph Ciechanover, Co-Chair
Yossie Goldman, Director General

Hillel Russia
is proud to pay tribute to
AVRAHAM INFELD,
a man who has helped bring about a
renaissance of Jewish life throughout russia.
over his lifetime, avraham has transcended
language and cultural barriers to inspire
tens of thousands of russian Jews.
as the beneficiaries of his wisdom, humor,
and kindness, we are privileged to honor him
for his wonderful achievements.
.,

Hillel CASE
honors
Avraham Infeld,
a friend, a mentor, and a leader
who has inspired the Jewish journeys of
tens of thousands of young people across
Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Uzbekistan,
Moldova, and Azerbijan.
We are proud to celebrate this wonderful recognition
of such an extraordinary individual.
May Avraham continue to go from strength to strength!
Edgar Bronfman
SASHA GRANOvSKIY YOSIF AKSELRUD
Chair Regional Director

Have you heard the one about the bank
in Manhattan (“At their bank you have a friend,
at ours we’re all mishpocha!”)?
Or the one about the rain we pray for in the Diaspora,
which is the same rain that falls in Israel?
Or about why Judaism is NOT a religion!?
You may have been lucky enough to hear avraham’s stories once
twice or fifty times, but now you can hear them again!
coming soon is www.5leggedtable.org, a new website dedicated
to collecting and disseminating avraham’s insights, ideals and zest for life.
for all students of avraham infeld - to learn, enjoy and connect
to the wisdom of this great teacher.
Initiated by Avraham’s colleagues and students,
from Melitz, MAKOM and beyond.
for more information, email fiveleggedtable@gmail.com

.
Raya Strauss Ben-Dror
and
Shmuel Ben-Dror
are proud to honor
Avraham Infeld
for his life-long commitment to
Jewish and Zionist education,
for the hundreds of thousands of young people
and many leaders that he has inspired,
,
and for the great institutions that he built and led.
May his legacy continue to grow in the decades to come!

In honor of
Mr. Avraham Infeld
- a warm and passionate soul
- a (grand)fatherly figure to thousands
- a pillar of identity in a time of challenge and confusion
One who knows, above all, that the greatest joy of our Creator is
the unity of His people which reinforces the eternity of His Torah
To a man who has given more than he would ever accept
or will ever receive
Mazel Tov on this recognition.
May others learn from you how a true love of Torah and of the Jewish
people are ultimately the twin pillars of our survival
RABBI LEvI SHEMTOv
American Friends of Lubavitch, Washington, DC

MAZEL Tov
Mazel tov to
Avraham Infeld
on the Renaissance Award.
Congratulations to
the Bronfman Center
and the entire Hillel staff
on all your hard work and dedication.
Job well done to Hillels
all over the world
for inspiring students of
the next generation.
Love
Alan and Elisa Pines and Family

Avraham,
We don’t just love you. We also like you.
Mazal Tov on this well-deserved honor.
Love,
Hillel’s Schusterman International Center Fellows
Classes of 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and beyond
Rachel Alexander
Jessica Beitch
David Bernay
Amy Born
Eric Buckstein
Julie Finkelstein
Represented by:
Zach Gelman
Emily Goodstein
Danny Greene
Jen Gubitz
Jonathan Horowitz
Aaron Juda
Reuben Posner
Stephanie Schwartz
Lisa Stella
Lina (Dreyfus) Wallace
Naomi (Korb) Weiss

Congratulations Avram
Thank you for inspiring
so many generations
with your wisdom, wit and warmth
Michael and Andrea Leeds

Avraham Infeld
has brought to the NADAV Foundation
his vast experience and knowledge,
his love of the Jewish People
and a wonderful sense of humor.
He is truly an ambassador for Jewish Peoplehood,
a value he has dedicated his whole life to.
Avraham is our wisdom and inspiration
and we are very proud that
he is receiving this award.
IrInA nevzlIn KogAn
President of the NADAV Foundation

You once taught us, as your father taught you,
“there is no such thing as Jewish history,
only Jewish memory.”
For all of the generations you inspired as students
to become teachers of Jewish memory,
thank you.
vcr vsu`
Wayne L. Firestone
President
Hillel: �e Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
on behalf of the thousands of Hillel staff around the world
(past, present and future)

Avraham-
For your years of service to Hillel
and the Jewish people…
For your commitment to making our
world a better place…
For your mentorship of our
professional staff…
For your wisdom and leadership…
We salute you!
Hillel at Kent State
Cohn Jewish student Center
613 e. summit street - Kent, ohio 44240
www.kenthillel.org
330-678-0397

Thank you
for your visionary leadership
AVRAHAM INFELD
our leader and our teacher
Los AngELEs HiLLEL CounCiL
CALiforniA institutE of tECHnoLogy
CALif. stAtE PoLytECHniC univ., PomonA
CALiforniA stAtE univErsity, nortHridgE
tHE CLArEmont CoLLEgEs
CLArEmont grAduAtE univErsity
CLArEmont mCKEnnA CoLLEgE
HArvEy mudd CoLLEgE
PitzEr CoLLEgE
PomonA CoLLEgE
sCriPPs CoLLEgE
Los AngELEs vALLEy CoLLEgE
LoyoLA mArymount univErsity
moorPArK CoLLEgE
oCCidEntAL CoLLEgE
PiErCE CoLLEgE
sAntA BArBArA City CoLLEgE
sAntA moniCA CoLLEgE
univErsity of CALiforniA, sAntA BArBArA
univErsity of CALiforniA, Los AngELEs
univErsity of soutHErn CALiforniA
CLEVELAND HILLEL FOUNDATION
salutes
AVRAHAM INFELD
For his lifetime of building
Jewish identity among young people
and on the occasion of receiving
hillel: the Foundation for
Jewish Campus Life’s
renaissance award
“May you go from strength to strength”
www.clevelandhillel.org

Cornell Hillel
congratulates
AVRAHAM INFELD
for his award.
From generation
to generation
may his teachings
inspire future Jewish leaders
as they have inspired us.
Marc Schlussel ’77 MBA ’78,
Board Chair, Cornell Hillel,
& Ronnie Schlussel,
Parents of Emily ’13
on behalf of the
Cornell Hillel
Board of Trustees & Staff

Cavanaugh Press

Yossi son of Yoezer of Zeredah said:
“Let your house be a meeting place for scholars;
sit at their feet in the dust
and drink in their words thirstingly.”
Pirkei Avot 1:4
Avraham,
It has been our pleasure to work shoulder-to-shoulder
with you in fulfilling a vision for Hillel that is
“distinctively Jewish and universally human.”
Your teaching continues to influence our work
and enrich our lives. We look forward to sitting
at your feet for many years to come.
The Staff of
Hillel’s Charles and Lynn Schusterman
International Center

Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
Charles and Lynn Schusterman International Center
Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building
800 Eighth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001-3724
(212) 284-6801
www.hillel.org