Rabbi Dov Oliver (3rd from left) stands with Hillel of Rockland students (l to r) Eden & Jacob Busani, James Villari, Aliyah Knapp, and Zach Stoll on a hill in Sderot, a city overlooking the border with Gaza that suffers frequent rocket attacks. They visited with children in Sderot to lift their spirits.
Why is Rabbi Oliver collecting cell phones in Israel?
Watch here as participants in Rabbi Dov Oliver’s current Birthright Israel trip willingly part with their cell phones for Shabbat in the #Disconnect2Connect Shabbat challenge!
Thank you for a bright Chanukah!
Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff (top right) warms up the crowd at a pre-Chanukah event at Rendezvous Cafe in Suffern. Special thanks to Rendezvous for a beautiful evening.
Hillel students serving as ushers greet the crowd at the 8th Day Chanukah Unity Concert on the last day of Chanukah.
Hillel Rocks Pomona with Huge Shabbaton
The Farkas family of Pomona graciously hosted our crowd for the Shabbos after Chanukah. Shabbat ended with a musical Havdalah service, view here.
Student Profile: Mendy Gross
president, Hillel student board, Fall '19
Q. What has Hillel done for you ? A. Honestly, Hillel has made my college experience. In my first semester I knew about Hillel but I never stepped inside, and boy did I miss out. I absolutely love spending time in Hillel; I've met a lot of great people
Q. Tell us about your background. A. I grew up haimish, meaning that my parents grew up Chassidish, but I'm not associated with any particular Chassidic group, nor do I wear the "proper" garb. I went to a haimish elementary school, but my high school story is more complex. I'm currently taking classes in RCC to earn a high school equivalency diploma as well as my college diploma.
Q. What are your educational/career goals? A. I'm studying biology and I want to get into biochemistry. Eventually I want to earn a PhD and conduct research on the structures of cells.
Q. Recent accomplishment? A. It might sound sad for this to be an achievement, but I made a close friend (who I met in Hillel, of course). I haven't had one of those in a while. Also, I gave a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation to a panel of judges and an audience in the 27th annual Beacon Conference. Even though I didn't win, it's an accomplishment to be selected to participate.
Q. What's quirky about you? A. I can do a backbend, and I used to be able to beat the Rubik's Cube in under 30 seconds. I've always been told I'm funny, so to prove everyone wrong I officially started my comedian career this past semester. I'll stop if I get booed off stage.
Q. If you could travel back in time, when would you go and why? A. As long as I wouldn't die from diseases we've managed to get rid of already the second I left the time machine, and if I'd magically know the language and proper etiquette of the culture, I'd like to go to ancient Greece to see Athens and the philosophers of the day. It would be cool to have a deep meaningful chat with Socrates.
Alumni Mazel Tovs
Mazel tov to our alumna and Board Chair and her husband, Ekka and Harrison Peck, on the birth of their daughter, Shai Leeba!
Mazel tov to Josh and Maya Dombroff on the birth of a baby boy
Have You Joined Our Hillel Heroes Legacy Society?
Huge Hillel shoutout to the following people (plus a few who wish to remain anonymous) who have designated Hillel of Rockland as a beneficiary in their wills through the Life & Legacy program:
Rabbi David Berkman & Carol King Berkman * Bert & Cathy Distelburger * Gary & Marsha Forman * Leslie Goldress * Martin & Roberta Goldstein * Lisa Green * Roberta Leitner * Rich & Melinda Levin * Michoel Muchnik * Rabbi Dov & Shevy Oliver * Kasriel & Zipporah Oliver * Ekka & Harrison Peck * Moshe & Tzipora Reitman * Shaina Reitman * Andrea Winograd * Gerri & Allan Zabusky
BE REMEMBERED FOREVER by the Jewish community with a gift to Hillel of Rockland in your will, trust, retirement plan or life insurance policy.