Golden Hanassi
Fellows Program

“The Golden Hanassi Fellowship strengthens ties between HUC-JIR’s American and Israeli students and alumni, provides a unique opportunity for cross-cultural learning and understanding, and ultimately strengthens the Jewish People and Reform Jewish life in both North America and in Israel.”
— HUC-JIR President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.

Program Details and Benefits

Fellows lead services, teach in congregational education programs across all generations, participate in pastoral care, and serve as ambassadors of Israeli life, culture, and politics. They are exposed to vibrant expressions of Reform Judaism. They develop a profound understanding of the ongoing process of Jewish identity formation and affiliation within the North American Reform Movement, empowering them to strengthen Reform Judaism in Israel and engage those seeking spiritual meaning in a polarized society. By providing opportunities to develop lifelong connections, the program strengthens and sustains the bonds that link Israeli, North American, and world Jewry.

Upon their return to Israel, the Fellows are better able to engage Israelis who are seeking spiritual meaning in a society often polarized between ultra-orthodox and secular approaches to religious life. Following their residencies, the Hanassi Fellows continue to be mentored by their North American clergy hosts through on-line meetings.

By the Numbers

• Established in 2012
• 10 years of Fellowship Placements
• 29 Fellows
• 4 weeks spent at 29 U.S. Reform congregations during 2 separate trips
• Guided by 29 American HUC-JIR rabbinical, cantorial, and education alumni mentors

About Suzanne and John Golden

Formerly a partner at Goldman Sachs, John maintains his own private direct investment organization. He is a former Chair of the Board of Trustees of Colgate University. For over 16 years, John has served on the HUC-JIR Board of Governors, including as Vice Chair, Chair of the Nominating and Israel Committees, and a member of the Executive, Investment, and Presidential and other leadership search Committees.

“In these unprecedented and challenging times, when some question the importance of Israel to American Jewry, we need to strengthen our bond between Israelis and American Jews and ensure strong Jewish leadership for the future. After ten years, Suzanne and I are proud of the Hanassi Fellows’ impact in Israel and North America and remain committed to the continued efforts and success of this important program.” — John Golden

Suzanne is a Board member and former Vice Chair of the Board of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, which funds grants for basic research in mental health issues. She was a founder of Suzanne Golden Associates, a pioneer in law firm outplacement, and of Suzanne Golden Antiques. The Goldens are blessed with two daughters, two sons-in-law, and six wonderful grandchildren.

“I am thrilled to recognize all that HUC-JIR does to make the study and practice of Judaism a joyful and powerful experience. Its rabbis, cantors, and educators have exponentially added meaning to our lives and have provided our family with a Jewish tradition that embraces the past and carries us into the future.”
— Suzanne Golden

John and Suzanne established and have provided ongoing support for an endowment fund to support recruitment of North American rabbinical and cantorial students (which has now reached $1 million). They also endowed and have provided ongoing support (which has now reached $1 million) for the Golden Hanassi Fellows Program, bringing Israeli rabbinical students to intern in North American Reform congregations.

Read the announcement of the 2024-2025 Hanassi fellows.

Spotlight on the Hanassi Fellows

Smadar Bilik

Smadar Bilik is a rabbinical student at the HUC-JIR Jerusalem campus, to be ordained in November of 2024, and a rabbinical intern at Kehillat YOZMA in Modi’in. She lives in Modi’in with her husband Ilia and two sons, Jonathan and Ronnie.

Smadar grew up in a secular home in central Israel. After celebrating her Bat Mitzvah in a Reform congregation, Smadar’s family joined the Israel Reform Movement and have been active members since then.

Smadar holds a BA in Art-Education from the Beit-Berl College, and an MA in Pluralistic Jewish Education from HUC-JIR in Jerusalem and the Hebrew University. She is also a graduate of the HUC’s one-year program for Hazanim and cantorial soloists.

Over the years, Smadar has taught arts and Jewish studies at several public schools in Israel. Later, she served as director of Jewish Studies at the YOZMA day-school in Modi’in. In the years 2015-2019, Smadar joined the professional staff of the Israel Reform Movement, working in project DOMIM, which promotes partnerships between Israeli and diaspora reform congregations.

During her many years of engagement in the Israeli Reform Movement, Smadar has taken a substantial part of congregational life as professional or lay leader in several Reform congregations, and has gained experience in leading Shabbat and High-holidays services and life cycle events.

Rabbi Yael Katz Ben Yitzhak

Rabbi Yael Katz Ben Yitzhak joined the Israel Reform Movement as Head of Community and Educational Activities in October of 2022. Rabbi Yael brings a wealth of professional experience and academic training to her leadership role as a former educator, community organizer, and entrepreneur in the field of developing and managing programs that empower women, social action ventures and educational initiatives.

Rabbi Yael completed a BA in social work and an MA in community and nonprofit management; she is a certified organization consultant, mentor, and teacher, and was ordained this November by the Hebrew Union College – Jerusalem Institute of Religion.

Professionally, Rabbi Yael has served in a range of management, content, and community development roles in such organizations as: Melitz – the Institute for Jewish Zionist Education, Leo Baeck Education Center, the Israel Reform Movement, the Midrasha in Oranim, the Halutz Organization, the Megiddo Regional Council and the Jewish Agency. Rabbi Yael initiated the establishment of the Reform Community in the Megiddo Regional Council and its related nonprofit organization.

Yael is married to Chen and mother of Noam, Ori, Elad, and Omer. She and her family live in Kibbutz Megiddo.

Rabbi Tamir Nir

Rabbi Nir serves as the congregational rabbi for Congregation Achva Bakerem, which he founded in 2007. Tamir teaches Jewish and Islamic thought in a high school for religious and secular Israelis.

Tamir served recently as Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem where he bridged differences between the many diverse communities that make up the city, as the head of the BINA Secular Yeshiva, and as chair of the Heschel Center for Sustainability.

Rabbi Nir is an ordained Reform Rabbi, has an M.A. in Jewish Education and a B.A. in Architecture and Urban Planning.

Yael Schweid

Yael Schweid was born and raised in Jerusalem in a secular and Zionist family, granddaughter to Third Aliya pioneers and daughter to Palmach veterans. From an early age she was in search of God but couldn’t find herself in orthodoxy and wasn’t aware of alternatives.

She earned her B.A. in psychology and Jewish thought, M.A. in psychology, and became a clinical psychologist and later also a psychoanalyst. She also holds a private practice at home.

In 2000 Schweid moved to Tzur Hadassa at the age of 33, married and a mother of two children. She became acquainted with the Reform Congregation there and slowly began her religious journey, became one of the leaders in her local congregation and has been part of efforts to create bridges between different religious congregations. She became involved in the IMPJ, and occasionally joined Women of the Wall in their Rosh Hodesh prayer.

After divorcing, at the age of fifty Schweid began studies for her second M.A. at Shechter Institute of Jewish Studies, majoring in Jewish Thought and Jewish History; and three years ago, applied to HUC-JIR for Rabbinic Studies. She also met her life-partner, Naomi, who will be ordained this coming November. Schweid has three children – Neta (30), Ehud (28) and Hadas (21), the youngest still at home.

Last year she did her Rabbinic internship at “Achva Ba-Kerem” congregation in Jerusalem with Rabbi Tamir Nir, and next year she will replace him partially during his half sabbatical.

Past Fellows

Rabbi/Cantor Shani Ben Or

Rabbi Shani Ben-Or served as a Hanassi Fellow at Central Synagogue in New York City, hosted and mentored by Rabbi/Cantor Angela Warnick Buchdahl and Cantor Julia Cadrain. Ben Or was the first person ordained simultaneously as a cantor and a rabbi in the progressive community of modern Israel, and the first HUC cantor ordained in Jerusalem. She currently serves at Hebrew University in Jerusalem in the division of social involvement and diversity and as an independent Rabbi Cantor in a variety of organizations.

During her fellowship, Rabbi Ben Or was inspired by the versatility of Central Synagogue’s clergy, comprising rabbis that sing and play guitar and cantors that teach. She appreciated the spirit of flexibility and experimentation that makes worship alive and exciting. Rabbi Ben Or noted of her time as a Fellow, “When Israelis like me come to where Reform Judaism is thriving, we can learn and bring back to our Israeli communities the North American innovations in music, prayer, learning, and other strategies.”

During her fellowship, she worked with b’nai mitzvah kids, lead Shabbat services, taught parashat hashavua classes, and rotated among the clergy as needed. She learned to incorporate music as a means of transformation, breaking barriers, and molding relationships. Her training in North America prepared her to be the first ordained Israeli woman cantor in Israel, a leadership role in which she will have great opportunities to transform worship and influence Israeli society.

Rabbi David Benjamin

Rabbi David Benjamin ’18, is a former career officer in the IDF legal division who immigrated to Israel from South Africa over 30 years ago. He served as a Hanassi Fellow at Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles, CA. He currently serves at Kehilat Brit Olam, Kiryat Ono, Israel.

“What is a Hanassi fellow? During one’s studies at the Hebrew Union College to become a rabbi in Israel on the Jerusalem campus, we get to spend two two-week stints with a congregation in the States. I was very fortunate to be sent to a congregation in California, Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles. It was an incredible experience, really, a formative experience for me. I was seconded to the amazing Rabbi Zoe Klein. She was my mentor. The idea was that I would shadow her and she would coach me. But she also gave me the chance to do rabbi stuff in her congregation. I think we’re still in the historical, pioneering stage of reform Judaism in Israel. But to have this vision of what things can be like further down the road, is important for us. This program has a huge impact. For anyone who does the Israeli rabbinical program, this is one of the highlights. It really exposes us to a vision of what things can be like in Israel.”

Mini Fellows Spotlights

Rabbi Rinat Safania Shwartz

Rabbi Rinat Safania Shwartz, ordained in 2017, was a Hanassi Fellow at Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick, NJ. She currently serves at the Reform community in Shoham, Israel, V’ahavta  – HaKehila Hashivionit, where she is the founding rabbi.

Rabbi Binyamin Daniel Minich

Rabbi Binyamin Daniel Minich, ordained in 2019, was a Hanassi Fellow at Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester in Chappaqua, NY, hosted by Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe. He currently leads Kehillat Daniel in Jaffa and works at the Daniel Centers for Progressive Judaism in Tel Aviv.

Rabbi David Azoulay

Rabbi David Azoulay, ordained in 2022, was a Hanassi Fellow at Temple Beth El in Boca Raton, FL, hosted by Rabbi Dan Levin. He currently serves at Kehillah YOZMA Modiin in Modiin.

Rabbi Tamar Gur Krause

Rabbi Tamar Gur Krause, ordained in 2018, was a Hanassi Fellow at Temple Judea in Palm Beach, FL, hosted by Rabbi Yaron Kapitulnik. She currently serves as a self-employed rabbi, conducting life-cycle ceremonies, lecturing on religion and the State, facilitating workshops, working with couples, and teaching.

Voices of Impact

“The Hanassi Fellows program is one of the programs that influenced me the most in my rabbinate. I learned about American Jewry; the difference between living a Jewish lifestyle in Israel and outside of Israel, the commitment of people in the United States to their Jewish identity and to Israel and Zionism. I recognized the commitment to Jewish education, spiritual guidance, and targeted outreach; the importance of empowering community members and strengthening relationships with them.” — Rabbi Rinat Shwartz, Fellow

Participating Communities

Among the communities that have welcomed HUC-JIR’s Israeli Reform rabbinical students are Central Synagogue in New York, NY; Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale, NY; Congregation Kol Ami and Woodlands Community Temple in White Plains, NY; Temple Sinai of Roslyn, NY; Larchmont Temple, Larchmont, NY; Temple Israel of New Rochelle, NY; Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, Chappaqua, NY; Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, NJ; Temple Sholom of West Essex, Cedar Grove, NJ; Temple Judea in Palm Beach Gardens, FL; Temple Beth El in Boca Raton, FL and Temple Isaiah, Los Angeles, CA.

Please contact greenberg@huc.edu if your congregation would like to host a Fellow.

Read Article: Learning from their Rabbinic Peers: Mentoring and Residency Program with North American Congregations for Israeli Rabbis

You can invest in HUC-JIR’s programs on the Taube Family Campus, to help strengthen Reform Judaism in Israel.