Houston Hillel honored as Outstanding Campus

Students at a recent Rice Hillel lunch.
By JUDY BLUESTEIN LEVIN
Hillel International, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, recently recognized outstanding Hillel professionals and campus Hillels that are leading the way in creating innovative programming and strengthening campus communities during this challenging time.

Among those Hillels recognized this year was Houston Hillel.

Honored on Dec. 13, Houston Hillel earned the Phillip H. and Susan Wright Cohen Outstanding Campus award, before a virtual audience of more than 1,000 Hillel professionals from around the world. The program was part of Hillel International’s Global Assembly.

“Houston Hillel represents Hillel at its best: uplifting and inspiring participants, and building a thriving Jewish community,” said Hillel International president and CEO Adam Lehman.

“Hillel’s mission is more important now than ever, which is why we’re elated to honor Houston Hillel’s staff – Rabbi Kenny Weiss, Alyssa Silva, Lior Ashkenazy Dor and Carly Fleck – who go above and beyond in bettering the lives of Jewish students on more than a dozen campuses in Southeast Texas and young professionals throughout Houston.”

COVID created a situation where Hillel had to come up with different approaches to reach their students. Many students found that learning remotely wasn’t for them and dropped out for a semester or two. Others, unenrolled. Houston Hillel went all out to keep in touch with students, wherever they were.

“We spent a lot of time and effort during the pandemic, connecting with students because so many were learning remotely,” Rabbi Weiss, Houston Hillel executive director, told the JHV. “We went for more than a year without really a single person walking into our building.”

While about half of Rice University students were on campus and attending classes, enabling Houston Hillel’s staff to hold weekly outdoor lunches, there were University of Houston students who live locally and were not seen in person for nearly a year-and-a-half.

“I remember there was a freshman, who we connected with regularly, who was attending virtual programs and our Zoom Shabbats,” said Rabbi Weiss. “And then, finally, after more than a year, I see her in person. And she looks at me and she says, ‘I know, you thought I was taller.’

“Really, I think it’s a great little anecdote because it talks about what is going on, during the pandemic and how we connect with people.”

The Outstanding Campus award is about excellence in engaging and reaching a breadth and depth of students. That’s a technical term. Breadth describes the number of students who have at least one interaction with Hillel in a year. Depth refers to the number of students who have six or more interactions throughout a year. The outcome Hillel is looking for is an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and the State of Israel.

“We’re not all about numbers by any means, but we do take seriously trying to connect regularly with students,” explained Rabbi Weiss. “Every month, we think to ourselves, who did we not see last month and then we try to connect with those people.

“Sometimes, they were just busy, but sometimes, something might be going on in their lives,” continued the rabbi. “It’s important for us to keep in touch and provide support for those students.”

Houston Hillel doesn’t just provide support for Houston-area students, but also for students at colleges all across Southeast Texas.

“We have students who connect with us from Beaumont, at Lamar College; from Blinn colleges; and in Galveston to the south. And Carly Fleck, our Springboard fellow, she drives up every three weeks to Sam Houston State University to have lunch with Jewish students there,” said Rabbi Weiss. “And, I drive every semester up to Stephen F. Austin State University, which is two-and-a-half hours north of us, because that’s part of Houston Hillel, too.”

In addition to their engagement with college students, Houston Hillel works to connect with young adults. About half of what Houston Hillel does is through Jewston, a program for Houston’s 20somethings. Mirroring what Houston Hillel does for its college students, Jewston stepped up communications and held events both remotely and outdoors for graduate students and young professionals.

“Houston Hillel and Hillels all around the world are working super hard right now,” Fleck told the JHV. “And so, it’s just nice to be noticed. This award solidified everything. … we are doing enough and we are reaching students and we are making a difference.”

When the award was announced, Rabbi Weiss was at Hillel UT, attending a watch party for the Hillel International Global Assembly with other Hillel professionals from around Texas.

“They started talking about the award and they start describing the campus that won. And they do it in a very clever way. They describe the campus without telling you the name of the campus until the last phrase of their speech,” said the rabbi.

Amy Epstein, director of High Point University’s Hillel, which won the award last year, presented the award to Houston Hillel.

“This year’s first honoree has become nationally renowned for its openness and flexibility to traits that are more necessary today than ever before. The staff at this Hillel has made themselves available, not only to their city’s college students, but to young adults throughout the region who need and deserve a Jewish home,” Epstein said in her remarks.

“And, it’s become an incredible community-building opportunity for their city’s small but mighty Jewish population, from undergrads to graduate students, to young alumni, nontraditional students and beyond. The innovative and engaging work of this Hillel means that no one feels like an afterthought,” Epstein continued. “That is critical to the outstanding success this Hillel has seen in the last year. We should all be so lucky to live in a city served by a Hillel like this.”

The honor comes with a plaque and a cash award.

For information about Houston Hillel or to donate, visit houstonhillel.org.