HUC-JIR and Hillel International to Continue Partnership into 2024, Expanding Educational Opportunities and Alumni Engagement for Hillel Professionals

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HUC-JIR alumni and Hillel professionals at the 2022 Hillel International General Assembly

July 19, 2023

NEW YORK – Today, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) and Hillel International announced that their joint effort to help build the pipeline of the next generation of Jewish leaders will continue through June 2024. By establishing this partnership, HUC-JIR, a global institution of Jewish higher education, and Hillel International, the world’s largest Jewish campus organization, sought to engage Jewish communal professionals in educational opportunities as students and alumni by developing a robust professional development pipeline.

“Hillel and HUC-JIR share a commitment to the future of Jewish life and are committed to developing the next leaders of Jewish communities around the world,” said Andrew Rehfeld, HUC-JIR President. “In the past year, our partnership has reduced the barriers to Jewish leadership by inspiring and training Hillel staff to advance as Jewish professionals and better serve their campus communities. Entering year two, I am confident that the impact of our work together will only grow.”

The collaboration’s mission, to enable Hillel professionals to become Jewish leaders and engage HUC alumni across the Hillel movement, will continue for another year. Whether during Hillel Birthright trips, professional development conferences, or as part of Hillel’s Springboard Fellowship, leaders at HUC-JIR will engage and illuminate the pathway for students and professionals alike to become Jewish leaders.

“At Hillel International, we continue to place our focus on recruiting, developing and supporting talented professionals, who can serve to both inspire a new generation of Jewish leaders and themselves develop into leaders on campus and beyond,” shared Adam Lehman, President and CEO of Hillel International. “Our continued partnership with HUC-JIR plays an important part of expanding the pipeline of Jewish professionals and in advancing our shared talent development goals.”

While HUC-JIR and Hillel have collaborated for many decades, this formal partnership began in September 2022, and will now continue through June 2024.

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About HUC-JIR

Founded in 1875, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is North America’s leading institution of higher Jewish education and the academic, spiritual, and professional leadership development center of Reform Judaism. HUC-JIR educates leaders to serve North American and world Jewry as rabbis, cantors, educators, and nonprofit management professionals, and offers graduate programs to scholars and clergy of all faiths.

About Hillel International

Founded in 1923, Hillel has been enriching the lives of Jewish students for 100 years. Today, Hillel International is a global organization that welcomes students of all backgrounds and fosters an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel. Hillel is dedicated to enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. As the largest and most inclusive Jewish student organization in the world, Hillel builds connections with emerging adults at more than 850 colleges and universities, and inspires them to direct their own path. During their formative college years, students are challenged to explore, experience, and create vibrant Jewish lives.