"Breakthrough" Ends Period as Largest Jewish Group on Public Campus Without Hillel
Jewish students at Binghamton University will wait for Hillel no longer: A Hillel will open on the upstate New York campus in the fall of 2001.
"We are pleased that the estimated 3,500 Jewish students at Binghamton will be able to participate in the full range of programs offered by Hillel," explains Jay Rubin, executive vice president of Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life and a Binghamton alumnus. "Binghamton has the largest Jewish student population in a public university without a Hillel. This represents a quantum leap in the development of a strong, diverse Jewish campus community."
"Binghamton University is continuously working to improve the quality of life for our students and to be supportive of their interests," said President Lois B. DeFleur. "The creation of a Hillel here at Binghamton will enhance Jewish life on the campus."
Funding for Hillel at Binghamton will come from UJA-Federation of New York, the Solelim Fund of UJA-Federation of New York, and from Hillel's Leonard and Tobee Kaplan Campus Transformation Fund. Additional support has been obtained from Binghamton alumni. Contributions can be made through The Hillels of New York, (212) 957-2030.
"This is a breakthrough," explains Hillel Associate Vice President Robert Lichtman. "The UJA-Federation recognized the needs of Binghamton's Jewish students and stepped forward to work with their partner, Hillel, to meet these needs." Lichtman also serves as executive director of The Hillels of New York.
Hillel is currently searching for a professional to become full-time director at Binghamton this fall. The goal is to fully staff the Hillel with a Jewish Student Life Coordinator and a Steinhardt Jewish Campus Service Corps fellow within the next year. Interested professionals, with or without previous Hillel experience, should contact Human Resources Director Jill Goldwater at (202) 857-6558.
The largest Jewish campus organization in the world, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, is committed to creatively empowering and engaging Jewish students through its network of over 500 regional centers, campus Foundations and affiliates. Its long-standing dedication to building Jewish identity, while nurturing intellectual and spiritual growth in a pluralistic community, positions Hillel as a leader in building a stronger Jewish people and stronger Jewish future.