Avraham Infeld - Hillel

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.