Hillel International Student Cabinet
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Hillel's mission:
Enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.
Hillel's vision:
Inspiring every Jewish student to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.
Student Cabinet statement:
Hillel International's Student Cabinet represents over 500 local Hillels and nearly 140,000 students globally as the student voice and voluntary leadership body for the greater Hillel movement. We generate ideas for how Hillel can better serve students and then work with the Hillel International team to make them happen.
Have a question about Hillel International’s Student Cabinet? Want to be in touch with students? We’d love to chat!
History of the Student Cabinet:
Hillel International's Student Cabinet was founded by students Hannah Schlachter (Illini Hillel) and Evan Traylor (Kansas Hillel). The Cabinet embodies diverse facets of the modern Jewish college student voice, drives collaboration between students, and serves as the student stakeholder group representing 550 campuses to Hillel International. Each year, the Cabinet is composed of a diverse group of students representing diverse Jewish backgrounds, including students of color, students from interfaith backgrounds, students with disabilities, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and students from an array of schools and areas of study.
The student cabinet meets twice a year for in-person summits (pending health and safety protocols) and monthly on video conference calls. Between meetings, they move work forward in four ways:
Spearheading Initiatives for Student Leaders
The Cabinet develops and executes various initiatives that directly benefit and empower student leaders at local Hillels. In the last year, these initiatives included a summer Hillel Presidents Cohort leadership series, a Slack workspace for student leaders, a program bank, and more.
Work with Hillel International professionals
The Cabinet works in partnership with Hillel International professionals to represent and advocate for the interests of students, provide input on matters of Hillel policy likely to substantially impact students, and advise on other matters at the request of the senior staff. Examples of Cabinet consultations at the senior staff level include the creation of a new strategic plan or launch of projects, such as the Hillel College Fair. The Cabinet participates in these design sessions ranging from one-time meetings to ongoing work with professionals.
Formal Recommendations to Senior Leadership
When issues happen in the world that impact students, or when Hillel International is in the news, it’s critical that Hillel International’s senior leadership hear from students immediately and come away with formal recommendations on how to proceed. Cabinet members raise issues they believe require a rapid response and Hillel International staff reach out to the Cabinet.
Students on Board Task Forces
When Hillel International’s Board of Directors forms a task force to address an issue, Cabinet members serve alongside Board members and Hillel professionals. Examples of task forces that Student Cabinet members have served on include:
Governance: Focused on affiliation and how Hillel operates throughout the movement
Public Statement: Meets as needed based on current events, e.g. responding to the murder of George Floyd, the insurrection on the Capitol, etc.
Racial Justice: Drafted a position paper on Hillel’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and anti-Racism work
Finance: Focused on budget preparation and presentation to the Board
The 2020-21 Hillel International Student Cabinet
Co-chairs: Zach Epstein (University of Texas at Austin, ‘21) and CJ Wechsler, (University of San Francisco, ‘21)
Members:
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Daria Asieieva, Kyiv National University, ‘21
- Allison Bloomberg, University of Michigan, ‘21
- Brianah Caplan, San Diego State University, ‘21
- Ethan Chaiet, University of Florida, ‘23
- Sofia Freudenstein, University of Toronto, ‘21
- Jade Gordon, Stephen F. Austin University, ‘23
- Karin Hellman, Tel-Hai College, '22
- Alan Imar, Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, ‘22
- Rhodondo Jeraman, City University of New York at Hunter College, ‘21
- Chloe Laverson, University of Utah, ‘21
- Ben Lefkowitz, Emory University, ‘22
- Jonah Levitt, McGill University, ‘21
- Deanna Schwartz, Northeastern University, ‘22
- Flávio Valle, Getulio Vargas Foundation Rio de Janeiro
- Federico Zalcberg, Stanford University, ‘22