Hillel shutting up shop in Sydney
THE largest organisation for Jewish students across the world is no longer operating in Sydney.
THE largest organisation for Jewish students across the world is no longer operating in Sydney.
During a restructure of the Shalom Institute, Hillel has been closed and its work will be picked up by other organisations within the Shalom family.
Hillel, which was founded in 1923 and now has offices in five continents operating in 11 languages, has become redundant according to Shalom Institute chief executive Hilton Immerman because the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) provides the same services.
“Soon after its inception in New South Wales in 1948, Hillel worked closely with AUJS to support, engage, develop and enrich Jewish university students,” Immerman said.
“The Hillel Foundation, and later Hillel under the banner of the Shalom Institute, has long recognised AUJS as the address for Jewish student life on campus.
“Through this close and productive relationship, we have observed over time a positive shift towards greater AUJS independence as it transitioned to a more professional model.”
Immerman said AUJS’ two Israeli shlichim will help mentor and develop the leadership of students, and that the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies provides great advocacy training.
“Hillel’s current service-based partnership with AUJS will therefore conclude at the end of 2015,” he said.
“Prior to this, a comprehensive handover will take place between Hillel and AUJS.”
Under the restructure, all of Hillel’s programming work – such as the Ideation Project, which promotes Jewishly inspired social enterprises and community innovations that want to be incubated, nurtured and launched, and Moth, a style of storytelling which encourages live performances and presentations – will continue for students and young adults under the Shalom Institute.
Shailee Mendelevich, who was the assistant director of Hillel, will take a permanent role at the Shalom Institute to help implement the programs that she started while working at Hillel.
Mendelevich and Hillel captured the attention of the community earlier this year when The Red Rattler theatre in Marrickville refused to accept a booking from Hillel and said in an email to Mendelevich: “Our policy does not support colonialism/zionism. Therefore we do not host groups that support the colonisation and occupation of Palestine.”
The Red Rattler later apologised after a meeting between Mendelevich, Red Rattler leaders and the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies.
EVAN ZLATKIS
comments