2019-2020
Annual Report
*All group pictures taken pre-March 2020
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2020-2021 Executive Board of Directors Peter Levinson, Chair Jason Chautin, Treasurer Wendy Pake, Secretary Adam Goldstein, Past Chair
Dear Friends, While it’s easy to allow the story of the 2019-2020 school year to be dominated by the coronavirus that turned our campuses and our students’ lives upside-down, we want to zoom out and show you a bigger picture. We again connected with over 1,000 Jewish students from coast to mountains, building Jewish community despite the challenges of the spring and summer. » Our 10-week Jewish Learning Fellowship, launched at UNC Chapel Hill in 2018, continued to thrive, with 64 students - including our first cohort at NC State; » UNC Charlotte Hillel’s third annual Southern Fried Chanukah drew nearly 50 students who enjoyed friendship, festivities, and fried foods; » UNC Greensboro Hillel hosted their own on campus High Holiday services for the first time; » We adopted a new mission statement to guide and focus our work (opposite page); and » Michelle Brownstein Horowitz, UNC Campus Director, received Hillel International’s prestigious Exemplar of Excellence Award. When the coronavirus arrived in March, our exceptional staff reached out personally to over 1,000 Jewish students across the state, some of whom faced profound isolation and upheaval. Many were required to leave their housing with little notice. Some rely on college dining plans for food. Many lost jobs. We ensured that our students weren’t alone. We transitioned our JLF cohorts to Zoom. Staff and students went on virtual walks and joined weekly online events like meditation and cooking classes. For Passover,we delivered matzah ball soup, matzah, and more to students and hosted online gatherings.
At-Large Members Harold Berger Marcia Davis Stacy Gorelick Sharyn Handelsman Andrew Herman Lori Jackowitz Harry Kaplan Marci Linas Marissa Milstein Mark Rosen Mike Ross Graham Satisky Roger Schwarz Chris Smith Eileen Springer Laura Stein Gary Zarkin Representatives Rosa Perelmuter, Carolina Center for Jewish Studies Bayne Albin, UNC Charlotte Samantha Brody, UNC Greensboro Aaron Carpenter, Appalachian State Rachael Davis, NC State Rachael Stone, UNC Chapel Hill
Though our communities were scattered, we continued to provide the crucial feeling of home, which students need now more than ever. We have never been more proud of our team. As we write this, it’s not clear how long our regular operations will be interrupted. Our staff will continue to provide extraordinary support to our students, and we are grateful for your partnership in making it possible. Together, we are helping our students create lifelong Jewish memories, and together, we are delivering North Carolina’s Jewish future. Peter Levinson Chair, Board of Directors
Ari Gauss Executive Director
Our Mission North Carolina Hillel empowers and inspires students to pursue their own Jewish journeys by creating strong communities and transformative experiences. We aspire to cultivate within students a commitment to: Community ( around the world;
| Kehillah): Building relationships with Jews at home, in Israel, and
Hospitality ( | Hachnasat Orchim): Welcoming people from diverse backgrounds and creating a warm, pluralistic environment; Learning ( learning;
| Limmud): A lifelong pursuit of deeper understanding and Jewish
Spirituality ( | Ruchaniut): Investigating religious questions and seeking personal growth and moral fulfillment; and Justice (
| Tzedek): Striving for a more just and righteous world.
Fiscal Year 2020 Income & Expenses July 2019 - June 2020
75% Programming 33% Grants
» » » » »
57% Donations
Income
Donations: 57% Grants: 33% Endowment Income: 7% Other: 2% Total: $1,245,686
» » » »
Expenses
Programming: 75% Administration: 14% Fundraising: 11% Total: $1,295,705
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3 “I found my community at Hillel and have taken a leadership role to help others feel that Hillel is their home away from home, as well. After my first tour of Hillel, I knew I didn’t want to be anywhere else. I want to help grow the community that made me feel like I belong.”
“As a student leader, I try to establish as many meaningful connections as I can with people who come through Hillel. The values of friendship, open-mindedness, and adventure are most important to me when it comes to creating our Hillel community. I love getting excited about other people’s ideas, and then hopping on with them to try and make them a reality!” - Adam Sichel, NC State ‘23 Communications Chair
- Zach Coman, UNC Chapel Hill ‘23 Hachnasat Orchim/Welcoming Chair
Student Leadership How do our student leaders promote their values of community and hospitality? Our student leaders have long displayed a committment to building a welcoming Jewish community. Even when campuses closed because of COVID-19, they were eager to continue providing a space for their peers to come together, albeit virtually. Adam Sichel (above) created and led an event in the spring for graduating NC State seniors that allowed them to feel a sense of normalcy. During the remote gathering, Adam played a touching video he created full of shared memories. Each senior was praised by a younger student and the seniors all had time to reflect, give thanks, and say goodbye to their friends. With the support of Hillel staff, student leaders across our nine campuses interacted with Jewish undergraduate students
879
through
1,447 touchpoints during the year.
Jewish Learning Fellowship
How do we make Jewish learning accessible and engaging to all students? Our Jewish Learning Fellowship (JLF) is a 10-week experiential, conversational experience for students to deepen their understanding of Judaism on their own terms. 64 UNC Chapel Hill and NC State students enjoyed Jewish discussions about life, love, and Israel. “I looked forward to JLF each week to take a break from school, meet other Jewish students, and develop opinions about new, interesting topics. I was able to connect to my Judaism through texts I never encountered at religious school.” - Chad Purcell, UNC Chapel Hill ‘23 “JLF really changed how I connect with people. It helped me realize that making time for Hillel is important, not just because I learned more, but because the people I connected with through JLF are now friends I talk to almost daily!” - Malone Hanis, NC State ‘22
Israel Programming How do we support students in developing a meaningful connection to the Jewish State?
Through programs like Birthright Israel and Onward Israel, North Carolina Hillel brings nearly a hundred students annually to Israel, where they learn about their Judaism, connect with Israeli peers, explore Israeli culture, and become inspired to bring their experiences back to campus. Students have the opportunity to celebrate their b’nai mitzvah, like Davis (right) and those pictured above on our Winter 2019 trip.
“I have never felt more in touch with my Jewish identity than during Birthright Israel. I grew up in a small town with no Jewish presence, and the best part of Birthright was meeting people who had similar experiences. For the first time in my life I felt Jewish, and that means so much to me. I also got to experience Israel with my cousin, Davis, which was amazing. We plan to continue celebrating our Judaism and know we will be back in Israel someday!” - Shayna Farris, UNCC ‘21, with cousin Davis Noblitt, App State ‘21
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5 Preventing and Responding to Anti-Semitism
How do we make our campuses the best environments possible for Jewish students? We are committed to prioritizing Jewish students’ safety, promoting a healthy campus climate, and fostering students’ pride in being Jewish. We have cultivated strong relationships with senior administrators and student groups across our campuses, engaging diverse students in education and dialogue. Additionally, we continue to work with local Jewish agencies in each of our communities to create a united front against hate.
“Hillel has been very effective at preventing anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism and fighting them when they do appear. Last year when an anti-Semitic speaker came to UNCC, Hillel was ready to stand up for my Jewish peers and me. Because of Hillel, I got the chance to work with our chancellor to keep an incident like that from happening again. I am very grateful to be a part of an organization that prioritizes the safety and well-being of my Jewish community.” - Bayne Albin, UNCC ‘24
Social Justice and Interfaith Connections
How do we inspire students to to seek a more just and righteous world? “Serving as Interfaith Chair helped me identify my passion for building community across different groups of students. Hillel is not only my Jewish home on campus, but has also become a place where I can make a difference in the issues that matter most to me. Hosting a vibrant and meaningful Interfaith Shabbat with over a hundred diverse students was my proudest achievement of the year.” - Mikhal Ben-Joseph, UNC Chapel Hill ‘23 “Our Pizza with a Purpose events brought so many different faiths together and showed how much we can learn from one another. We created a safe space to learn and have fun. I was so proud to be a part of this.” - Seth Wittenberg, UNCG ‘22
Campus Partnerships
How do we empower our students to be proud of their Judaism in spaces that are significantly non-Jewish? As Siona (right) relates, many of our students were raised in communities that were unfamiliar with Jewish culture or traditions. These students grew up being the token Jewish ambassadors in their peer groups. Hillels empower our students to connect with each other so they can partner with other student organizations to combat ignorance. Through educational programs and volunteer opportunities, our students create positive, lasting impressions.
“Being Jewish while growing up in a non-Jewish space taught me the value of being different and offering a new perspective. It has allowed me to introduce my peers to Jewish culture, history, and traditions that they might have not heard about otherwise.” - Siona Benjamin, UNC Chapel Hill ‘23
“Our student board has cultivated a range of partnerships with student groups and other Greensboro organizations to promote Jewish visibility on campus. I was so proud that we supported The Vigil Against Trans Violence. With these relationships we can create a campus culture that is safe, nurturing, and a place of learning and growth for everyone.” - Cody Scercy, UNCG ‘21
Pandemic Transition
How did our community adapt to a new challenge?
“When we first switched to a virtual format, I was worried as the Community Outreach Intern about how much other groups would want to partner with us online, but I have been able to make genuine connections that I probably wouldn’t have made without the pandemic. Once I found my footing, virtual community building was feasible despite the obstacles!” - Kenaz Flores, UNC Chapel Hill ‘22
“Hillel, and especially campus director Sarah Cohn, always made themselves available to support me when I was unsure of housing and stressed out because of the pandemic. This availability and support helped me tremendously during the COVID transition. Our virtual Shabbats always give me something to look forward to during the week, and it’s so nice to connect with friends at Hillel.” - Katelyn McInerney, NC State ‘23
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467 UNC Chapel
Hill students welcomed, up 10% from FY19
181 NC State Since 2016, the number of students who have 6+ interactions a year has grown by Since 2013, UNCC and UNCG have increased the number of involved students by
23%
students welcomed, up 18% from FY19
206% 80 UNCC
In 2019, 66 students went on Birthright Israel with North Carolina Hillel
and 24 UNC students participated in a week-long exploration of Israel and the West Bank
students welcomed, up 19% from FY19
66 UNCG
students welcomed, up 10% from FY19
259
virtual touchpoints with NC students across the country, including:
80 64
Shabbats celebrated statewide Jewish Learning Fellowship participants, including the first group from NC State! 210 West Cameron Ave Chapel Hill, NC 27516 (919) 942-4057 nchillel.org
879 total
students welcomed to NC Hillel, up 5% from FY19
Fiscal Year 2020 Donor Highlights July 2019 - June 2020
1,324
gifts received from individual and organizational donors
805
individual and organizational donors
616
donations from parents of current students or alumni
468
donations from students and alumni
392
gifts received during new campaigns (Hillel Global Giving Week and Giving Tuesday)
328
donors who have given to NC Hillel for two or more consecutive years
182
gifts to our Parents’ Clubs
162
first time donors, an increase of 86% from 2018-2019
“Having kids at both UNC and UNCC, I appreciate that they’ve had NC Hillel to turn to for support and to be a home away from home. I also am particularly proud, as a Board member, to be a part of an organization that provides a religious, cultural and social hub for Jewish students throughout North Carolina. Dona and I invest in NC Hillel because we appreciate the strong commitment to educating Jewish and non-Jewish students about the State of Israel and to fighting anti-Semitism on our college campuses.”
- Harry Kaplan, UNC ‘81 and UNC Law ‘84; Parent of UNCC ‘20 and UNC ‘22
“I feel really blessed to have been involved with NC Hillel. It was there that I found community, mentorship and friends that I still keep in touch with today. One of the reasons why I am a Jewish professional is because of the community I found at Hillel.” - Phil Brodsky, UNC ‘05
“My husband, Keith, and I feel like it is very important no matter which campus Jewish students are on, they have a place they can meet fellow Jews. Thank you for all you do, Hillel.” - Graham Satisky, Parent, UNC ‘23 “My connection to Hillel really didn’t begin until my 3 sons all attended UNC Chapel Hill in the past 12 years. I went to NC State where there was no Hillel and fewer than 50 Jewish students in the entire university. I drove to UNC for high holidays because there was no other option. It makes my heart warm to see Hillel expand across the state and to witness the amazing Hillel facility at NC State. It makes me proud to support Hillel, even with my sons long gone from their college days.” - Scott Menaker, NC State ‘81 and UNC DDS ‘85
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