Hillel International Celebrates Outstanding Campus Hillels and Professional Staff at 2025 Global Assembly
The world’s largest Jewish college organization convened for the 2025 Global Assembly from Dec. 8-11 in Boston and honored remarkable achievements in supporting Jewish student life.
Hillel International, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, recognized exceptional campus Hillels and professionals for their leadership, innovation, and commitment to Jewish life during the 2025 Hillel International Global Assembly (HIGA) in Boston this week. The awards were presented during the annual conference where more than 1,100 campus leaders, supporters, sponsors, and students from around the world came together to celebrate leadership and growth.
“This year’s honorees represent the very best of what makes Hillel extraordinary,” said Adam Lehman, Hillel International President and CEO. “They’re creating vibrant Jewish student communities that foster Jewish joy, meaning and belonging. Their exceptional work shapes the Jewish students of today and the Jewish leaders for tomorrow.”
Selected for their contributions to advancing Hillel’s mission of enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, this year’s awardees were honored during a ceremony that celebrated their excellence and dedication.
The awards and honorees included:
Individual Awards
The Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence Award recognizes Hillel colleagues whose remarkable passion and outstanding devotion to the Jewish campus community sets a standard for all to emulate.
- Ella Cooperman Schachter – Director of Jewish Student Life, Penn Hillel
- Rabbi Jeremy Winaker – Executive Director, Greater Philly Hillel Network
- Antonina Grynberg – Program and Engagement Director – Hillel Warsaw (Hillel Poland)
- Jennifer Stone – Associate Director, Northeastern University Hillel
- Emily Briskman – Executive Director, Hillels of Illinois
- Jay Solomon – Chief Advancement Officer, Hillel Ontario
- Rabbi Judy Greenberg – Senior Jewish Educator, UW Hillel Foundation
- Karen Parry – Chief Executive Officer, Hillel of San Diego
The Rising Star Award recognizes early-career professionals who have worked at Hillel for at least one full year and have had a significant impact on the movement in a short period of time.
- Samantha Brody Marks – Springboard Ezra Fellow, Boston University Hillel
- Bar Segev – Jewish Agency and Escoll Family Israel Fellow, Vanderbilt Hillel
- Tair Hellerman – Director, Hillel Jerusalem
- Zander Rappaport – IACT Israel Coordinator, Hillel at the University of Miami
- Shirly Afrimi – Jewish Agency for Israel Fellow, UConn Hillel
- Dilli Kittner – Springboard Ezra Fellow, Hillel Milwaukee
Campus Awards
Innovation:
- American University Hillel, “October 7th Unity Dinner”
- Towson University Hillel, “Towson Community Multi-Faith Art Show”
- Dynamic Jewish Education: Hillel at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, “Jewish Education Module”
- Eleanor Meyerhoff Katz Innovation: Hillel CASE, “Pesach University”
Excellence:
- Hillel of San Diego, “Peace in Israel Week”
- Minnesota Hillel, “Kane Family Ha’atid Leadership Fellowship”
- Hillel Foundation at Tufts University, “Operations Fellows”
- Great Place to Work: North Carolina Hillel
- Philip H. and Susan Rudd Cohen Outstanding Campus Award:
- Small Campus – Colby Hillel
- Large Campus – UW Hillel Foundation
The 2025 Award:
The 2025 Award recognizes an initiative, program, or effort on campus that has responded to a timely need for the community. The awardee is selected through a popular vote.
- Rutgers University Hillel, “Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services and Hillel Collaboration”
