Hillel Fall 2016_Final 11/16/16 6:34 PM Page 32
FROM HILLEL TO THE
WHITE HOUSE In their own words, two Jewish liaisons reflect on their paths to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. B Y G E O F F R E Y W. M E L A D A
Who: CHANAN WEISSMAN What: White House associate director of public engagement and liaison to the American Jewish community under President Obama Age: 33 Where: Weissman lives in Baltimore, Md., with his wife and three young daughters.
Tell us about your Jewish upbringing. I grew up in a household that espoused an abiding love and pride in the Jewish tradition, and a firm commitment to the Jewish future. My parents inspired in me a commitment to my faith and my community by modeling it with integrity, not by demanding it of me and my siblings. That’s something my wife and I hope to replicate for our three daughters. Were you involved in Maryland Hillel? How did Hillel impact your college experience? Maryland’s Hillel was one of the epicenters of my college experience. It was a space where I could grab a quick bite to eat or place to daven, deepen existing friendships and create new ones, reserve time to study for a test or glean some words of wisdom from [Executive Director] Ari Israel. It was a
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• Jewish Life on Campus
place that fostered community without uniformity, that took pride in the eclectic mix of Jewish students that entered its doorways. It’s the type of place I know my grandparents wished they had when they attended university many decades ago and one I hope my future grandkids will have many decades from now. Do you have any advice for students who want to work in government/politics? There are multiple ways to approach one’s career but two stand out in my mind. The first is to consider the end state from the beginning — whether it’s becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon, a pulpit rabbi, or an ambassador — and then plot out the steps ahead of time necessary to achieve that goal. The second is — to paraphrase the president — focus less on what you want to be and focus more on what you want to do.
College is the ideal time to take the risks you would otherwise not be able to later in life. It’s also the ideal time to explore what issue animates you the most and then search for those internships, mentors, research opportunities, academic courses, travel grants and language skills that will help you actualize what motivates you to make a societal difference. How did you end up working at the White House? I often wonder the same thing. I never imagined a path that would one day end up at the doorsteps of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. But life’s a series of inflection points, some you prepare for and some that are unexpected. After graduating from Maryland, I worked at several international public relations firms only to realize that the foreign policy client base energized me more than,
CHANAN WEISSMAN PHOTO BY GEOFFREY W. MELADA; ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/JAKEOLIMB
Education: Master’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and bachelor’s degree in journalism and government & politics from the University of Maryland