Three Hillel campus centers in the Washington area and one staff member were among the recipients of awards from Hillel International, presented at Hillel International’s annual Global Assembly in Orlando this month.
Melissa Kansky, director of Jewish engagement at Hillel at University of Virginia, received the Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence Award.
Hillel at the George Washington University won the Joseph Meyerhoff Award for Jewish Educational Vision; Goucher College Hillel won the Israel Education and Engagement Award; and University of Maryland Hillel received the Phillip H and Susan Rudd Cohen Outstanding Campus Award.
In addition, Hillel International received its largest gift ever, $38 million from a foundation established by the co-founder of the Home Depot stores.
The Marcus Foundation, established by Bernard Marcus and his wife, Billi, said it would make the multi-year donation to a new Hillel staffing initiative, Talent Grants.
The initiative seeks to “recruit, train and retain talented professionals who will inspire every Jewish student to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel,” according to a statement. n
—WJW Staff
