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Hillel Opens First Baltimore Building
May 04, 2004Comments (0) | Add | E-mail this to a friend  Baltimore may be one of the oldest, largest and strongest Jewish communities in the United States but it did not have an independent Hillel facility until this week when Hillel of Greater Baltimore dedicated the Smokler Center for Jewish Life, Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Building, at Johns Hopkins University.
According to Marc B. Terrill, president of THE ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore, "The opening of this new facility is significant not only for the ways it enhances campus life at Johns Hopkins, but for the way it enhances Jewish life throughout Baltimore. THE ASSOCIATED is proud of the work Hillel does to engage college-age youth, and we celebrate its continuing growth and success."
"The Smokler Center will inspire and house a Jewish community that reflects the essence of our tradition," says Rabbi Joseph M. Menashe, director of Johns Hopkins Hillel.
"It's meant to be welcoming to everyone," says Beth Gansky, the newly appointed executive director of the Hillel of Greater Baltimore. "We certainly hope it's not just the Jewish students at Hopkins who take advantage of it."
The building is named for Johns Hopkins alumnus Irving Smokler and his wife, Carol, who in 1999 made a generous contribution launching a campaign for the project. The building is also named for the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg whose foundation committed funding designated for construction and a challenge grant for the center's endowment. Contributions to the campaign, a cooperative effort of Hillel of Greater Baltimore and the university, are also credited toward the university's "Knowledge for the World" campaign. Terry Meyerhoff Rubenstein, president of the Harvey and Joseph Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds, and Dr. Norman and Marion Lavy were also instrumental in bringing the building into creation.
The opening of the building reflects the growth of Jewish student life at the university and the increased demands on the Hillel program which has been housed in an interfaith facility. "The Jewish population at Hopkins has been growing over the last few years, and the active population as well," Hopkins Hillel student President Stephanie Hauser told the Baltimore Sun.
The 16,000 square-foot building houses rooms for prayer, study and social activities. It offers both kosher meat and dairy kitchens, classroom and program space, an outdoor terrace, conference rooms, a multipurpose room, and staff and student offices.
Among the dignitaries on hand to celebrate the dedication of the building were Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Rep. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Johns Hopkins President William R. Brody, ASSOCIATED Chairman of the Board Carole Sibel and Hillel International President Avraham Infeld.
Read the Baltimore Sun story (requires registration) >>
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