Thursday, October 13, 2022
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Erin Fine (she/her)
Assistant Director, Office of Recruitment & Admissions
How did the new partnership between HUC-JIR and Hillel International come about?
The Office of Recruitment and Admissions (ORA) has been partnering with Hillel International for years on the Hillel International Global Assembly (HIGA) and other individual programs. The more we worked together, the more it became apparent that our goals overlap, leading to more collaboration.
How does this initiative relate to your role at HUC-JIR?
My role in ORA is to look for future Jewish leaders. I do this by working directly with prospective students and applicants, and also by seeking out up-and-coming leaders and leadership pipelines. My role at HUC-JIR has become more focused on how the ORA team and HUC-JIR as a whole can partner with organizations in order to achieve mutual goals, such as finding, training, and supporting Jewish leaders. This partnership initiative has growth potential for years to come, and I hope we can create more like it.
What does our new partnership with Hillel offer?
Our new partnership provides Hillel professionals more access to the professional development and learning opportunities that HUC-JIR offers through a Springboard elective class, teaching sessions and events, mentorship, and more. In turn, HUC-JIR is able to reach current and future leaders through the Hillel movement in order support their paths forward and careers as Jewish professionals.
Why is this important to both Hillel and HUC-JIR?
It forwards our mutual goals of identifying, creating, and sustaining Jewish leaders. All too often in the Jewish world there is an unfortunate sense of competition for the same participants, leaders, and donors. This partnership really highlights how working together and eliminating the sense of competition benefits everyone.
How does this new partnership build on our longstanding relationship with Hillel?
This partnership creates year-round opportunities for Hillel and HUC-JIR to work together on the future of Jewish leadership. Previously, we had a few different avenues of partnership, but they were project-based and timebound. This partnership expands on those particular instances and thinks holistically about how we work together throughout the year on an ongoing basis.
What is one word that describes HUC-JIR to you? Progressive.