Genesis Philanthropy Group, Hillel International Launch Global Partnership
Foundation’s $1 million grant to Hillel will strengthen and expand programs for Russian-speaking Jewish college students around the world
Genesis Philanthropy Group (GPG) and Hillel International today announced a partnership that will expand Hillel’s ability to serve Russian-speaking Jewish college students in North America, the Former Soviet Union, Germany and Israel.
The $1 million grant from GPG will allow Hillel, the largest Jewish student organization in the world, to expand its geographic reach, diversify its programmatic offerings and increase accessibility for students on campuses and in communities across the globe.
“We are grateful for the support and partnership of Genesis Philanthropy Group in our effort to expand Hillel International’s mission within the Russian-speaking Jewish community,” said Eric D. Fingerhut, President and CEO of Hillel International. “Through our Drive to Excellence strategic plan, Hillel seeks to reach every Jewish student in enduring and meaningful ways. This new grant builds on our previous work with GPG serving students at Hillels in Russia, Ukraine and other countries of the former Soviet Union, which helped launch the metric-based engagement approach we are expanding through the Drive to Excellence.”
Hillel works toward helping every Jewish student make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel. The partnership with GPG will make Hillel increasingly relevant to the lives of Russian-speaking Jewish college students, both in North America and internationally, as well as encourage the development of meaningful, robust connections with fellow Jews around the world.
“All university-aged members of the Jewish community, no matter where they live, should be able to be a part of the global movement Hillel has created, a goal this partnership will facilitate,” said Ilia Salita, CEO of Genesis Philanthropy Group. “An overwhelming majority of young Russian-speaking Jews attend institutions of higher academic learning. Involving them Jewishly during this formative time in their lives is integral to establishing early and enduring engagement for what amounts to one-fifth of the global Jewish student population.”
The plans for 2016 include launching several new initiatives in the United States and Canada, solidifying Hillel’s sustainability in the former Soviet Union during a challenging economic downturn, further expanding programmatic offerings for Russian-speaking Jewish students in Israel, as well as expanding Hillel’s presence and outreach in Germany. With the two organizations’ shared values and history of success at the local level, the global partnership will enable deeper engagement and sharing of best practices and resources, while fostering a true sense of Jewish peoplehood and making an impact on tens of thousands of students.
Additional details on new programs to come out of the Genesis Philanthropy Group/Hillel International partnership will be released in coming months.