From the Desk of Adam Lehman: Hineni, Cultivating Student Leaders
Friends,
As we journey through the Torah on our path to Passover, we just concluded the Torah portion “Vayikra,” meaning “And He Called” and have moved into the portion of “Tsav,” meaning “Command”, detailing the rights and responsibilities for Aaron, his sons, and their descendants as kohanim, or priests. Both in this biblical context and our modern world, it’s hard not to think about the critical importance of leadership – the leadership to which we feel called, and that for which we feel responsible and accountable.
Fortunately, through our unique role on campuses across North America and around the world, we’re in a position at Hillel to meaningfully impact the future of Jewish leadership. In fact, we’ve made it a top priority in our current strategic plan to catalyze the largest ever generation of Jewish leaders in history, developing and empowering students who have the know-how, motivation, and Jewish grounding to lead us all into a stronger, safer, and more vibrant Jewish future.
One way we’re fostering this next generation of Jewish leaders is through our new Hillel Leadership Passport program. This Passport program brings high potential Hillel student leaders to the major convenings of partner organizations, so they can learn from the wisdom of leaders across the Jewish community, build bonds with one another, and return to campus with greater knowledge and networks they can apply in their Hillel leadership roles and broader campus work.
Last week, we hosted 65 outstanding student delegates in New York for ADL’s “Never is Now,” the world’s largest summit on antisemitism and hate, connecting them to high-impact content, professionals, and lay leaders. Highlights of the program included an exclusive breakfast with key Jewish influencers, a panel conversation featuring two exceptional student leaders, and breakout sessions and plenaries, where students learned from and built connections with community leaders. They’re returning to campus with new tools, inspiration, and a stronger sense of belonging – ready to strengthen Jewish life at their universities and beyond. Mateen Markzar, a Brown University student, reflected on this experience, saying, “The Hillel International Leadership Passport has made it possible for students like me to be front and center at these conferences and events that are shaping the future of Jewish life.”
Hillel International’s Ruach Fellowship is another program preparing Jewish students to lead on their campus communities. This new fellowship is designed for students who arrive on campus with meaningful Jewish knowledge and a passion for Jewish life, empowering them to lead Shabbat and other core Jewish experiences in ways that add energy and spirit to these foundational Hillel programs. Earlier this month, 60 campus mentors and student leaders from across North America gathered at Capital Camps and Retreat Center in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, for a Shabbaton teeming with ruach, or spirit: in soulful services, an inspiring fireside chat, and in reflections on risk-taking and authenticity in leadership. The fellows stepped into their roles as hosts and builders of sacred community, imagining vibrant future Shabbats on their campuses that welcome and inspire their peers.
This past week, we hosted our eighth annual Israel Summit, bringing together more than 150 student leaders from Hillel International’s Israel Leadership Network. Representing over 150 campuses across North America, these students are dedicated to Israel-related education, engagement, and advocacy. The Shabbaton-style summit, held at Penn Hillel, offered skill-building and learning opportunities, enhancing each participant’s ability to lead thoughtful, informed conversations about Israel at their Hillels and campuses. Among the many highlights, ILN leaders heard an incredible account from Matan Sivek about how he and his team at the Hostages and Missing Families Forum helped to secure the release of hostages brutally taken during the horrific attacks of October 7th. The students were not only moved by the incredible emotion of Matan’s stories, but also inspired by the difference he was able to make by saying hineni, here I am, when he was called upon to help. They also learned from other scholars and advocates including Ambassador Dennis Ross, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter, Iranian diaspora activist Elica Le Bon, and interfaith leader Pastor Carl Day.
Time and again, we’ve seen how strong leaders have played critical roles in protecting and sustaining Jewish life, including in Purim and Passover, the holidays which bookend this message. Now too, we desperately need leaders, and at Hillel, we are answering that call through our unique role in developing, empowering and supporting this next generation of great Jewish leaders.
With gratitude,
Adam Lehman
President and CEO of Hillel International