Annual Report 2021–22
As I enter my tenth year here at Hillel at ASU, the most accurate thing I can tell you is that Hillel at ASU has never been more ready to connect with every single student at ASU. In all that we do, we align ourselves with ASU’s charter to be measured “not by who we exclude but by who we include and how they succeed”. Our new tagline, “Find Yourself Here”, says it all. College is a time of growth, and Hillel is the special, safe, supportive environment to dive right in. With new staff focused on first-year students, the Greek Leadership Village, ASU Downtown, and Barrett, The Honors College, opportunities to connect to Jewish life will be almost as plentiful as chances to shop at that coffee shop with the green logo. The following pages highlight some of our largest communal moments of the year. They also share some student reflections on what I might call Hillel’s “special sauce”. Our talented staff is the reason we are able to continue growing as a student-led organization. Our staff lead from behind, nurturing students' ideas, dreams, and leadership skills. Many pressures of day-to-day life, from peer pressure to academic pressure, can melt away when a student is with a staff member who is there just to Ourlisten.staff team is also our largest program cost, and I truly thank all of our supporters as well as Hillel International for the resources that have allowed our team to grow to nine professionals who are here for students day in and day out. As everything changes around us, the generous support from parents, alumni, community members, and foundations has allowed Hillel at ASU to be a reliable constant for ASU students. We are their constant support, a constant place to make sense of the world’s events and life experiences, and a consistent home base. As we remain a constant, the coming months will bring the opportunity to share some exciting announcements that will enhance our ability to support students. Stay tuned—we are just getting started! With deep appreciation,
Executive Director Debbie Yunker Kail
Board President Ed Ober
Thanks to you, our generous supporters who continue to invest in our Jewish future, our wonderful staff, led by our tremendous Executive Director, Debbie Yunker Kail, and our talented and engaged students, Hillel at ASU is thriving. There are so many accomplishments to Firstappreciate.andforemost, Hillel is the center of Jewish life on the ever-expanding ASU campuses. It is where so many of the more than 3,500 Jewish students gather to celebrate Shabbat and holidays and share a meal together, receive a well-rounded Jewish education, develop as leaders, and engage in a variety of social activities. Hillel at ASU has created an environment and culture that is inclusive, diverse, and welcoming and honors our Jewish tradition and values. The wellness of our students is always a priority. It is a place to be far too many highlights from this past school year to include in this letter; however, I must brag about a few of them. This past spring, 60 students, the largest ASU contingent ever, went on a Birthright Israel trip, filling two full buses. Hillel’s Eco Shabbat program was recognized by the University as a 2022 Outstanding Innovative and Creative Program. The LAUNCH Professional Development Series, supported by a generous grant from the Jewish Community Foundation (now the Center for Jewish Philanthropy), was created to provide a semester-long program of career development and mentoring. And, thanks to a second Strategic Growth Grant from Hillel International, Hillel at ASU has greatly expanded its student engagement efforts. During this next school year, there will be nine Hillel staff members. Thank you again for your support. Together, we are nurturing the future leaders of our Jewish community.
Ed Ober
Thereyourself.are
3
Resuming Travel to ISRAEL Israel travel promotes Jewish exploration, con nects students to Israel as the Jewish homeland, and builds strong relationships students can bring back to ASU and the Phoenix community. In May, we resumed travel to Israel for the first time since December 2019! Our group of 60 students was the largest we have ever taken on a Birthright Israel trip, showing that even as the pandemic temporar ily changed circumstances, student in terest in travel to Israel has never been higher. Even better, 30% of this group was brand new to Hillel. The trip also included 29 students from AEPi and AEPhi and individuals from eight ad ditional Greek chapters, deepening the relationship between Hillel and Greek life on campus. Following the experi ence, eight students stayed in Israel for summer internships, and two stu dents were later selected to partici pate in a highly selective student lead ership trip run by Hillel International. The two students had such positive experiences on Birthright Israel that they will now continue to de velop their relationship with the Jewish homeland and gain valuable leadership skills to bring back to campus.Ourstrategic educational programming encour aged students to explore the complexities of the Jewish homeland, many for the first time, facilitat ing the development of new and meaningful friend ships that will only deepen upon their return to campus. Additionally, we had the privilege of wel coming 15 Israelis to the Hillel at ASU community as they joined us for the entirety of the Birthright Isra el experience. These phenomenal Israelis gave our ASU students a glimpse into Israeli life and intro duced Zionism as a Jewish value. Upon arrival back in the States, participants said they felt validated in their own unique Jewish experiences, the peers they traveled with, and Israel. After two years of pandemic life, these con nections are invaluable. We’re excited to welcome our summer participants back to campus and continue expand ing our Birthright Israel program in the coming seasons! Going on Birthright Israel with Hillel was an amazing decision because it allowed me to deepen my relationships with my friends in AEPi, meet new Jewish friends at ASU, and explore my Jewish identity in the most unbelievable environment. I’m going to tell all my friends to go on Birthright with Hillel at ASU! Max Prushan '23
Our Best-Kept Secret:
The staff at Hillel is so supportive and never pressures us to attend events or be involved; but rather, they simply encourage us to come and always make us feel welcome. I bring my non-Jewish friends to Hillel because Hillel creates community for everyone. I feel so comfortable coming to the Hillel staff and can always count on their support when it comes to my Jewish identity, academics, references, advice, or when something comes up and I need someone to talk to! I’ve been provided with so many opportunities through the staff at Hillel including Jewish learning, leadership opportunities, and Israel travel. I participate in Hillel because the staff has made Hillel my home! Emma Plattner '23 Because I’m on the Downtown campus, I don’t spend a lot of time at the Hillel building in Tempe. I think it’s amazing that Hillel staff come downtown to connect with students and create community among the Jews on the Downtown campus. I decided to go on the Hillel Birthright Israel trip because I know and love the staff at Hillel at ASU and I’m so glad I did! Zev Black '25 I came to Hillel because I love the staff. I met incredible friends at Hillel but kept coming back because the staff deeply cares about me as a person.
Rebecca Rockmaker '22
Hiring the right people makes all of the difference in our student engagement efforts. We attribute much of our success to our staff; even through the pandemic, we continued to reach hundreds of students each year. Many of our students have limited Jewish backgrounds and talk about how the staff has positively impacted their lives and Jewish journeys.
5
The Hillel at ASU Staff
GROWING for the FUTURE New grant means Hillel at ASU is We are honored to have received a significant Strategic Growth Grant from Hillel International that will give us the resources to expand our stu dent engagement efforts over the next two years and bring our staff total to 9 in the 2022–23 school year and 10 in 2023–24. This grant builds on a pre Facility unfit for student population. Current ly, we have 1 square foot per student, which is sub stantially lower than comparable schools with 5–10 sq. ft. per student. With only one social hall for pro gramming and classes, we are limited in how many students and activities we can accommodate on any
Large social events provide students with the op portunity to connect to Hillel while fostering Jewish pride, connection, and energizing the community. During the 2021-22 year, Hillel launched our Signa ture Social initiative focused on creating four large social events per year. Fall 2021 featured the Hillel Street Fair and Food Truck Fest. The Hillel Street Fair welcomed new and returning students to ASU by featuring tables that highlighted our partner organizations on campus, including AEPi, AEPhi, and Students Supporting Israel. In November, Food Truck Fest allowed Hillel to partner with three lo cal food truck vendors, providing students with a taste of the Phoenix community and the ability to connect with 200 Jewish peers at ASU. By creating space for students to engage in the Jewish commu nity in a fun and low-barrier way, our fall Signature Socials informed the Hillel at ASU student engage ment strategy for the remainder of the year. Come spring, we had already connected hundreds of stu dents to new friends and the Jewish community.
I attended all of Hillel’s signature socials last year. These fun, social events were clearly intentionally planned and so well executed. Signature socials allowed me to hang out with the friends I don’t see regularly and meet so many new Jewish students I had never seen at ASU!
SIGNATURE SOCIALS Bringing the Jewish Community Together
296 27%
Nate Eisenberg '25 unique students attended a Signature Social in 2021–22 of whom had never engaged with Hillel at ASU
Spring 2022 brought back Casino Night, a Hillel at ASU staple, and also featured Tel Aviv in Tempe, an Israel trivia night hosted at a local Mill Avenue venue. Hillel Signature Socials not only provide a welcoming social scene: they also serve as a pro tective factor against loneliness and help students meet friends with whom to explore their traditions. ASU is one of the biggest universities in the coun try; through Signature Socials, we help students see how many Jewish students there really are at ASU, and for students with limited Jewish back grounds, we provide an opportunity for students to be in a safe Jewish community for the first time. By branding Signature Socials as THE place to be, Hil lel saw a significant increase in first-time engage ment throughout the spring. Fostering community is not just what we do at Hillel: it’s who we are. By creating large-scale so cial events, Hillel at ASU has cultivated countless friendships and brought joy to Jewish life through out the entire academic year. 7
Hillel at ASU is dependent on the generosity of parents, alumni and friends. We sincerely appreciate every individual who supports Jewish life on campus. We apologize for any errors or omissions; please contact mikayla@hillelasu.org with any corrections. Pillar • $25,000+ The Molly Blank Fund Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix Hillel JennyInternationalNorton&Bob Ramsey Rosenbluth Family Foundation Barbara & Barry Zemel Sustainer • $10,000+ Diane & John Eckstein David Frazer Fran BenjaminFrazinGoldberg Memorial Trust Deeann Griebel Gary Jaburg/Jaburg Wilk Joel MaccabeeJacobTask Force Foundation Joel AlyseSchaller&Tony Wanger A Mountain • $5,000+ Carrie & Morrie Aaron Nancy & Zach Brooks Chulew Family Shelley Cohn Flo & Paul Eckstein Cheryl & Stan Hammerman Cyndi & Jamie Rosenthal Sheila Schwartz Tracy & Marc Schwimmer Judy & Mark Searle Pitchfork • $2,500+ Judy Ackerman & Richard Epstein Elaine & Sid Cohen Kristin & Dan Friedman Samantha Friedman Cheryl & Ira Gaines Goldberg Law Group Bruce RachelGreenberg&Jonathan Hoffer Randi & Alan Jablin/Friedel Family Foundation Selina & Eli Kaminsky Pat & Barry Kriegsfeld Laura & Herb Roskind Sacks Tierney P.A. SMS Financial Sun Devil • $1,000+ 3rd Ave Investments Arizona Community Foundation Arizona Diamondbacks Susan & Lee Berk Eva & Samuel Binder Dorothy & Michael Blaire Barbara & Lewis Brown Sharon & Allan Bulman Wendy & David Carriere Amy & Andrew Cohn Francine Coles Melanie & Hilton Efune Rosana Bodanis Farber Memorial Program Endowment Lynn Frazin Lerner & Marc Lerner Tom BarbaraFrenkel&Allan Friedman Danny Goldberg Fred DebbieHorne&Ben Kail Shari & Irwin Kanefsky Andrea & Jay Katz Rachel & David Kotin and Nina & Michael Kotin Kimberly & Norm Kur Martha & David Lieberman Ninfa & Ronald Lowe Kristina & Marvin Lustiger Stan Marks Irene Metz Erika & Steven Neuberg Gail & Ed Ober Pinewell Capital Karen LaurenQuick&Jeffrey Rips ROI BeccaProperties&Aaron Sacks Jennifer & Steven Schwarz Marlene & Eugene Shapiro Beth Shapiro & Steve Goldstein Nancy & Stuart Siefer Sara & Bob Silver Dale & Alan Singer Daniel Spiegelman Eva & Marvin Steiner Weiner PamelaWinstonInsuranceFoundation&GaryYunker Gold • $500+ David Adler Alpha Epsilon Pi ASU Lisa & Steve Banen Julian Beuzieron Vicki & Howard Cabot Sherri & David Cadmus Stacey & Mark Chulew Cynthia & Edward DuBrow Seth MarilynFriedman&Joseph Gimbel Iva & Larry Hirsch Hillel at ASU is a strategic partner of the Family Circle Join today hillelasu.org/familycircle Are you a parent? Learn how you can send your student some love (with a little help from us). THANK YOU to our supporters
A list of donors and financial information for fiscal year 2020–21 is available at hillelasu.org Zachary StephanieJaburg&Frank Jacobson Ruthie & Ira Joseph Rabbi Elana Kanter & Rabbi Michael Wasserman Allison & Alan Kierman Eddie & Veronica Lange Marc Leib Tracy Leonard-Warner & Randy Warner Mecah Levy Irene AnonymousAnnJodiJulieSuzanneElanaMikaylaMaryannEvelynTraceyPamelaLindaPennRachelTomerNancyHayleyLubinMagerman&LarryMoffittRothschild&StacyPalestrant&DougPassonHillel&HowardPressman&JonathanRuzi&JordanShenker&DanielSimon&JackSpiegelmanLauferStokes&DerekStokes&DanielStorch&RichardSwift&DanielWitenstein&StevenZimelman&TedZinman Maroon • $180+ Audrey & Dan Abrams Brittany Abramson Shotsy Abramson Sandy Adler Kiera & David Allen Carol & Thomas Alpert Alpha Epsilon Phi Foundation, Inc. Rachael Barkley Richard Bash Allison & Alex Benezra Tricia & Andy Beran Steven Berger Arkady Bernshteyn Debbie Bernstein Ethan Bindelglas Lisa & Heath Blumstein Linda & Jeffrey Bonn Robin & Ian Bratslavsky Elisha & Steven Bregman Jason Bronowitz Marcy Cameron Alena CatherineRochelleNicoleAlisonSusanMichaelJenniferEdithTheShirleyHowieAlanaElisabethCantorCardy&ZachCharnofskyCheek&MarkCohenCooperFamilyCox&BrianNickelEcksteinEig&StevenFarber&MichaelFeinberg&SamuelFelberbaum&StanFerdmanFinn-Feves&Mark Feves Heather & Perry Fraiman Rina & Michael Freeman Charles Friedman Alan BarbaraGendler&Joel Gereboff Roberta DeborahJodyTanyaMatthewGershonGever&IgorGlubochansky&DavidGoffin&HirschGoffman Liza & Doug Golden Bonnie & Merrill Goldenberg Edwin Goldstein Joyce & Neil Goldstein Midge & Gerald Golner Antje Graham & Carl Zaragoza Fred SofiaOritLyleTerriAaronEtanAnitaJamieGreenberg&KevinGreenfield&ChrisGriffithHarmelechIvanhoe&RickJonasKaliser&DonKalmanKaplanOzner&Carlos Kaplan Steven E. Kaplan Rich LeoAdamKasperKass&Evelyn InnaEndowmentKelmanFundKorenzvit&Alex Khazanovich Diana & Howard Krasnow Helen Kravitz & Rabbi Robert JessielynKravitzKreitzer Hirschl & Jared Hirschl Sue & Neal Kurn Income • $872,197 55% Donations 40% Grants 5% Rental <1% Other Expenses • $886,005 66% Programs 10% Fundraising 15% Management/General 9% Occupancy Aaron Sacks President Kimberly Kur Vice President Allan Friedman Treasurer Hanna Griffin Student Representative Eva Binder Danny Goldberg Steve Goldstein BruceJoelJeffreyEdGreenbergOberRipsSchaller Hillel at ASU Board of Directors 2021–22 9
Melanie & John Lakovich Judy & Nathan Laufer Juliann & Keith Laufer Lauri Gomberg Lazarus Katie & Andrew Lerner Mindy & Shalom Lewis Lynn & Matthew Luger Ronnie Lusnewitz John RosalindMagoulas&Larry Mankin Diane Mann & Gary Grove Betsy Marks Lori & Barry Markson Kimberly Marshall & Adam Zweiback Robin Martin Mark Messinger Leila PhyllisJordanMikalMiller&Len Miller Nancy & Mitch Moss Leah Nahon Jane Neely Ben Negley Lisa & Jason Neiman Marc SabrinaSusanNewmanPersin&Daniel Plattner Monte RandeePollard&Shlomo Pri-tal Arnold Rabin Lisa & Steve Rauch Ralph JulieEliSandraTinaZacharyGaryRanaJulieDavidMichelleRobertaErinJudithKarenArturoYajadZacharySariSheldonHeatherHarrietResnick&GilRosen&MitchRossRothRoth-RoemerRottenbergRozembergRuizScates&MichaelSchaffertScharff&RabbiMartinScharfSchechnerSchneider&BradleySchoen&JosephSchwartzShapiroShapiro&IrwinSheinbeinSheinbeinShenker&D-BShinbaum Carmen & Joel Sideman Nancy George-AnnSilver & Barry Silverman Joan & Gary Silverman Kris & Ben Silverman Rosalyn Silverman Sims Business Systems, Authorized Lanier Dealer Maida AnonymousEstherPaulRachelAdamMarieTobiGeraldLenaJaneAllenKathleenStuLaurenHavaJoAnnaRichardDeborahMarciaJulieJohannahSnapperSohn&EdwardSohn&ArlenSolochekSparrowStark&DaveTaylorAnn&JeffreyTimbanardTirosh-Samuelson&TsimchiManoachTrattnerTurgel&MeyerTurkenVaisman&FredWabnikWalentWeiner&ScottWeinstein&WilliamWolfZalkinZaslow&CoryShapiroZatulove&BenZlochower Sponsor • $100+ Mark Babadzhanov Julie & Jeff Bell Carole & H. Russell Bernard Kim & Aaron Blau Susan Block Carol Linda & Arthur Brandon Ari ElaineTerryBrooksBrown&Jeffrey Chapman Nat DebraJoyceDennisCohenCooperCooper&Stephen DeMar Ellen & Lee Eisinberg Ashley & David Flaumenhaft Leslie Fox & Bill Griffin Bernard Frogel Jason LoisCandiceFrogelGimbelGoldberg Susan & Nathan Goldberg Naomi & David Goodell Murray Goodman Jillian & Ian Greenberg Elaine & Leonard Grobstein Anita & Jerome Gutkin Yael RoryRabbiBrianBarbaraTaylorRuthMartyBunnyEileenAaronMargieMyrnaJanetBryceLindaCarolynRachelMarilynLisaAnnSandraDianeAndreaKarenPollyAndiJosephJamieSkeeterMiriamAndreaIanNancyMaryannDaisyDr.HanaSaraPennyMicheleJakeGailErinLaurieSeanCarmenRobinHartenstein&TerryHengl&MicahHenryHolcombeHopkinsItkoeFisher&MelKesslerKhazanovichKline&HaroldKlingerKorn&FrankLangeStaceyLevin&MichaelLevitt&BobbyLiebLitvakLockwood&JeffLowLowe&GaryMarcus&JoelMayersohnMillerMinkoffMorris&RandyNussbaum&RobertNagle&RichardNewhauser&SteveOzer&JosephPalais&MelPolunsky&EricPotruch&SheldonRaizesRivera&AndrewRosenthal&IrwinSandlerSchotzShalwitz&BurtFeuersteinShaperoRoss&DavidSherisSherman&ArthurShiffShuchShultz&GeraldSiegel&ZachSilverman&StephenSlogoffSmucklerSuzyStoneStone-Walsh
Sun Lakes AnonymousMarilynDonnaRandallFreyaSaraLindaWeiserCindyMarciaLaurenVonElizabethDorryCongregationJewishSisterhood&HarrySunenshineTregor-Dokken&StephenDokkenVeeh&DavidWeinzweigWeisberg&PaulWeiserFamily&HaroldWeiss&MatthewWinkler&KenWinsbergYavitz&HarryZegerson&JoelZolondek In-Kind Donations Liquid ZippsKitchenDeath18Sports Grill Kona AllanCostcoIceFriedman Judy Ackerman & Richard Epstein Tricia & Andy Beran Kimberly & Aaron Blau Nancy & Zach Brooks Karen & Jay Bycer Rabbi Micah Caplan* Barbara & James Carroll Wendy & David Carriere Elaine & Sidney Cohen Shelley KimberlyPat &NinaMelShariDebbieRandiCherylGaryDeeannStevenHirschBarbaraDavidToddJacquelineJacobPaulDianeFrancineCohnColes&John Eckstein&FloEcksteinEdelsteinandIdelleEdelsteinRevocableTrustS.Fine-BregerFranks&NancyBodinetR.Frazer&AllanFriedmanT.GoffmanM.GoldsteinJoGriebelGroveF.&StanleyM. HammermanJablinYunkerKail&BenKail&IrwinKanefskyKessler&GailFisher&MichaelKotinBarryKriegsfeld&NormKur Sue & Mark Landy Veronica & Eddie Lange Tracy AnonymousAnnBarbaraMarciaElaine WaxmanSusanPaulMarciaStuartSandra SheinbeinTracyJoelKarenDr.SusieCyndiValerieRachelBruceLarryAndiIreneStanIreneBarbara LewkowitzAndreaLeonard-Warner&JerryLewkowitz&GeoffreyGonsher&DonaldLubinMarks MetzandSherman*Minkoff&NancyMoffittNager*&ElliotRabinovich&HerschelRichter&JamieRosenthal&BobRothSariRoth-RoemerT.ScatesSchaller&MarcSchwimmerB.SieferG.LobockSolocheckE.StanderStander&BobSegelbaumandMax*Weisberg&BarryZemel&TedZinman(5) Legacy Society Members * of blessed memory For more information on how you can show your support for the long-term viability of Hillel’s presence at ASU, contact Debbie Yunker Kail at debbie@hillelasu.org. 11 users mind-share chalkboard-user scroll-torah plate-utensils795 41 75 63 983 students engagedstudents in leadershipHillelstudentsclassestookmembers in our Legacy SocietyShabbatservedmealsNUMBERSBY2021–22THE Thank you for support!your
The mission of Hillel at ASU is to enrich the lives of Jewish undergraduate and graduate students so that they may enrich the Jewish people, Israel and the world
.
