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Hillel International Global Assembly Brings 1,100 Campus Professionals, Partners and Stakeholders to Atlanta

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December 5, 2019

Hillel International, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, will bring more than 1,100 Hillel professionals, partners and stakeholders from 13 countries together next week in Atlanta for the sixth annual Hillel International Global Assembly and third annual Hillel International Global Leadership Conference for volunteer leaders.

The gatherings will showcase innovation from Hillels around the world and give Hillel professionals the opportunity to share ideas and successes that can be replicated on campuses of every size.

“Next week, we gather as a global movement, for what will be the largest convening of Hillel professionals in history,” said Hillel International Interim President and CEO Adam Lehman. “Hillel International Global Assembly provides us a unique opportunity to reflect on all of our progress in serving students and campus communities during the past year, celebrate the inspiring work of Hillel professionals working across our field, think critically and strategically about our goals for the year ahead, and most importantly to learn from each other, in ways that will further elevate our work on behalf of students and further strengthen our global movement.”

Held at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center Dec. 9-12, this year’s conference will feature peer-to-peer and expert-led learning modeled after corporate and academic trainings, as well as an awards ceremony to recognize outstanding Hillel professionals and campuses for their work. The Georgia Aquarium is serving as host for the evening event on Dec.11, which will include remarks from Georgia Aquarium CEO Mike Leven.

The conference “is a prime example of how we support our talented professionals in their important work, by convening them annually to meet one another, share best practices and be inspired,” said Mimi Kravetz, chief experience and talent officer at Hillel International.

Organized around the theme of “Courageous Voices,” Hillel International Global Assembly will provide a snapshot not just of campus Jewish life, but also some of the weighty issues that the larger Jewish community is currently grappling with, including how to unify our communities during divisive times, the future of Israel education, safety and security, and prioritizing mental and physical health.   

The weeklong conference helps equip Hillel professionals with the skills to impact and engage Jewish students on campuses around the world. Last academic year, the Hillel movement engaged at least 141,000 students and more than 50,000 students in deep, immersive programs.

Highlights include the third annual Hillel Talks, featuring four diverse Hillel professionals from around the world sharing their stories, insights and ideas, and a plenary on the theme of courageous voices, featuring The New York Times’ Bari Weiss, author of the new book “How to Fight Anti-Semitism,” and Varun Soni, vice provost for campus wellness and crisis intervention and the dean of religious life at the University of Southern California.

The conference concludes Thursday, Dec. 12 with a civil rights tour of Atlanta organized by Hillel International’s Center for Community Outreach and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative.