What is Hillel? Who is Wagner College Hillel?
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world. Hillel provides opportunities for Jewish students to explore and celebrate their Jewish identity through its global network of over 500 regional centers, campus foundations, program centers, and affiliates.
Wagner Hillel aims to bring the goals of Wagner College and Hillel together. Our goal is to have an open environment where students and faculty can come together to celebrate their Jewish heritage while using the vast resources that Wagner, Hillel, and New York City have to offer.
What is Hillel’s mission?
Hillel’s mission is to maximize the number of Jews doing Jewish with other Jews. Hillel actively seeks to engage uninvolved Jewish students on their own terms: to provide them with opportunities to do Jewish that are meaningful and appealing to them. Students are empowered to take responsibility for their Jewish identity, whether they wish to participate in a community service project, participate in a social event, engage in informal Jewish learning or attend religious services
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The mission of Wagner College Hillel is to provide students, faculty, and staff with an opportunity to grow their Jewish identity. We aim to provide a balanced Jewish profile for anyone in the Wagner Community who wants to learn more about their Jewish history, meet other Jews on campus and to “do Jewish.” Doing Jewish means being with other Jewish students and faculty to do those things that college students do best. Wagner Hillel provides a pluralistic environment for students to express who they are.
How is Hillel structured?
Through a model of interdependent self-sufficiency, Hillel’s Charles and Lynn Schusterman International Center and regional offices help local foundations with strategic planning, leadership development, fundraising, and communications.
Wagner College Hillel is overseen by our advisor, Rabbi Abraham Unger, and student-run by a President and Vice-President. Religious/Cultural, Social Action, Recreational, and Financial Officers work with the Advisor, President, and Vice-President to offer a wide variety of activities to the Wagner Community.
What are some of the major Hillel initiatives?
• Hillel’s Birthright Israel- provides a free, ten day, campus-based trip to Israel for thousands of Jewish students, ages 18-26, which have never been to the country on a group tour.
• Israel Advocacy
• Local Philanthropy- Powder-puff Football for Autism
• Jewish/Religious learning- Hillel students participate in religious services both on campus and within the Staten Island community. We have been invited to several Synagogues on the Island and continue to have good relationships with many Jewish organizations on Staten Island.
BOARD MEMBERS
PRESIDENT
The President is responsible for the general management of Wagner College Hillel. The President supervises all other board positions and works with each board member and with the Hillel advisor to ensure the success of all events. The President calls and runs all meetings, organizes the calendar, and manages the Hillel email account. The President represents Wagner College Hillel to the campus community and administration, the Chai Society, the Staten Island community, and to other Hillel organizations.
Elena Stekolchik
Elena Stekolchik is a senior, chemistry major. Elena is also involved with Project Sunshine, the Pre-Health Society, Alpha Phi Omega, and Up Til Dawn.
VICE-PRESIDENT
The Vice-President will fulfill all the duties of the President in the event that the President cannot perform his/her job. The Vice-President will prepare the minutes for each meeting to be handed out to each member of the Wagner College Hillel Community. The Vice-President will attend all Student Government General Assembly meetings and report back to the President, Advisor and Executive Board members on all pertinent information. The Vice-President is responsible for coordinating with the Co-Curricular Office to make sure all event spaces are booked.
Michael Schultz.
Michael Schultz is a senior, business administration major with a concentration in business management, with a minor in Government and Politics. Michael plans to attend law school upon graduating Wagner. He is also a member of the Pre-Law society and a founding member of the Wagner College Moot Court Team as well as the CLARO Program on Staten Island.
COORDINATOR OR RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
The Coordinator of Religious and Cultural Activities is responsible for organizing, coordinating, and implementing all Holiday related events including Shabbat with the help of the President. The Coordinator of Religious and Cultural Activities is expected to attend all General Assembly meetings, Executive Board meetings, all Wagner Hillel events, and any other meetings or events that are required of him or her.
Robert Kupferberg
COORDINATOR OF SOCIAL ACTION ACITVITIES
The Coordinator of Social Action Activities is expected to attend all General Assembly, Executive Board meetings, all Wagner Hillel events and any other meetings or events that are required of them. The Coordinator of Social Action is responsible for planning at least one social action event per month. The Coordinator of Social Action Activities shall complete all Wagner college forms. For each community service event the Coordinator of Social Action will complete and hand in the Student Government Association (SGA) community service event form, ensuring that both on-campus and off-campus community service requirements are fulfilled.
Samantha Zanatta.
COORDINATOR OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
The Coordinator of Recreational Activities is responsible for organizing, coordinating, and implementing all recreational events with the help of the President. This includes all events which are not related to holidays or community service. The Coordinator of Recreational Activities is expected to attend all General Assembly meetings, Executive Board meetings, all Wagner Hillel events, and any other meetings or events that are required of them.
Sara Auerbach.
Sara is a senior psychology major, minoring in sociology. Sara is also a member of Alpha Phi Omega, as wel as a student ambassador and peer leader. Sara is also active in civic engagement.
The Coordinator of Financial Activities is responsible for recording all information regarding Wagner College Hillel’s finances. The Coordinator of Financial Activities will work with the President, Vice-President, and Advisor to create a budget proposal for the Student Government Association (SGA) and Chai Society each semester, and work with other Coordinators to effectively budget for each event.
Becky Kalman
Becky Kalman is a sophmore theater performance major with a minor in dance. Originally from Long Island, she actively participates in the theater department as well as in student run productions. She currently has a job on campus as a DA in guild hall.
COORDINATOR OF HISTORICAL ACTIVITIES
The Coordinator of Historical Activities is responsible for documenting all Hillel events. The Coordinator of Historical Activities is expected to attend all General Assembly, Executive Board meetings, all Wagner Hillel events and any other meetings or events that are required of them. The Coordinator of Historical Activities is in charge of the safekeeping of the digital camera and its accessories. The Coordinator of Historical Activities takes pictures at all events, saves them to a CD, and posts them online and create captions.
Sarah Rosen
Sarah is a sophmore Theatre Performance major and the historian of Wagner's Hillel. She holds a job as a desk attendant on campus and is in the school's honors program.