Open Hillel: The Blog

Twelve tribes. Thirteen opinions. One blog.

[openhillel]

Open Hillel's asks for the Jewish Federations of North America

November 8, 2015

To the Board of the Jewish Federations of North America:  

We, Open Hillel and our community allies, take a stand here today outside the General Assembly in accordance with the Jewish value of makhloket l’shem shamayim (disagreement for the sake of heaven).  For three years, Open Hillel -- a grassroots movement of Jewish students and recent graduates -- and our community allies have worked to promote open discussion and debate on Israel in Jewish communities on campus and beyond. We are now asking for “Open Federations”.

We are deeply invested in North American Jewish communities; and we are concerned and saddened to see how Jewish institutional red lines on Israel have served to exclude and alienate so many members of our community. At a time when increasing numbers of Jews are no longer affiliating with Jewish organizations, Jewish institutions must take active steps to welcome all members of our community and promote honest and open conversations about the issues that most divide us.

Time and again, when students or community members have tried to foster open debate in pluralistic Jewish institutions, institutional leaders have told us that they would love to create genuinely inclusive communities, but they do not want to risk losing funds from Jewish Federations.

Therefore, in an appeal to the needs of your constituents and the Jewish traditions and values of open and vigorous dialogue, discussion, and debate, we ask that by December 8th you, the Jewish Federations of North America:

State clearly and publicly that both the umbrella organization and all local federations will not condition support for Jewish institutions and organizations on these institutions’ adherence to red lines around Israel, such as Hillel International’s Standards of Partnership.

If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to meet with us, please contact Caroline Morganti, Open Hillel Internal Coordinator, at [email protected]. We look forward to working with you and hope to see a policy change by December 8th.

Thank you,

Open Hillel

[openhillel]

Statement on Hillel CEO Eric Fingerhut’s Upcoming Address to J Street U’s Summer Leadership Institute

Open Hillel commends Hillel International CEO Eric Fingerhut for accepting the invitation to speak at the upcoming J Street U Summer Leadership Institute on August 17.  We are encouraged that Mr. Fingerhut has decided to engage with J Street U students after rescinding his offer to speak to over a thousand of them at the J Street Conference in March.

Over the last three years of the Open Hillel campaign, the position of J Street U chapters in relation to local Hillel affiliates has improved considerably. Mr. Fingerhut’s decision to attend the J Street U Leadership Institute is a testament to the tireless work of J Street U students on behalf of inclusion and open discourse inside their Hillel chapters, and of the countless local Hillel directors who have recognized the fundamental importance of political pluralism in the American Jewish community. As evidence of this progress, most J Street U chapters that have attempted to affiliate under their local Hillel’s umbrella have successfully done so. Now Hillel International is finally catching up with the progress that has been made on the ground at local Hillels across the country.

While we celebrate this decision, we note that liberal Zionist students like those at J Street U face still significant barriers to inclusion at many local Hillels. Many J Street U leaders report that their programming incurs greater scrutiny from Hillel staff members than does that of other pro-Israel groups.  We hope that Hillel staff will continue to dialogue with J Street U students so progress can continue to be made in welcoming their voices in the Jewish community.  

Finally, we note that non-Zionist Jewish students and others whose views fall outside of Hillel’s Standards of Partnership are entirely excluded from having a voice in their Hillels’ programming.  Hillel International’s spokesperson, Matthew Berger, said that “[a]ll Hillel professionals value opportunities to speak to as many Jewish students as possible.” We hope Hillel International sticks to its word, and seeks out opportunities to speak not only to liberal Zionist students such as those of J Street U but also to the growing numbers of non-Zionist and anti-Zionist Jewish students who are being actively and passively driven from Hillels around the country.  We hope that in the future, Hillel International will recognize the value that these students can also add to their campus Jewish communities, alongside their liberal Zionist, centrist Zionist, and right-wing Zionist peers.

[openhillel]

Let’s Stop Fearing Disagreement: Rabbi Brant Rosen and Opening Jewish Communities

by Cantor Michael Davis

Note: The following is a guest post by Cantor Michael Davis, the president of our rabbinical council.  

In September 2014, Rabbi Brant Rosen received a terse letter on official letterhead from the Chicago Board of Rabbis. He was informed that, effective immediately, he was no longer a member. Rabbi Rosen was not told why he had been expelled. Never, in living memory, has a rabbi been removed from the representative body of all Chicago’s rabbis - with the sole exception of reasons of moral turpitude.

Rabbi Rosen is a past president of the Reconstructionst Rabbinical Association. For 17 years he served as the Senior Rabbi of a synagogue in the Chicago area. He has played a prominent role in a range of social justice campaigns locally and internationally. Rabbi Rosen was named as one of America’s top 50 rabbis.

Something didn’t seem right. So I got on the phone and called seven members of the Chicago Board of Rabbis Executive Committee whom I knew. I was astonished to learn that five of them - including an officer of the organization - did not know of the decision to bar Rabbi Rosen, that had been taken in their name. They actually learned this news from me. These rabbis all pledged to call on the organization’s leadership to re-instate Rabbi Rosen.

I then met in person with one of the key leaders of the Chicago Board of Rabbis. This rabbi argued that by expressing certain opinions on Israel- Palestine, Rabbi Rosen had “placed himself outside the boundaries of the community.” An employee of the organization made a different accusation which was relayed to me in writing: during Israel’s summer war on Gaza, the Chicago Jewish Federation had held a gala event in support of the war. A group of Jewish activists including Rabbi Rosen’s congregants staged a disruption of the event with Rabbi Rosen in attendance.

But nobody in the Chicago Board of Rabbis was willing to make a specific allegation in writing or to point to which of the organization’s rules had been violated by Rabbi Rosen.

In response to Rabbi Rosen’s objection to his expulsion and my round of phone calls and meeting, the Chicago Board of Rabbis decided to review its decision. Yet even during this “review”. Rabbi Rosen was never informed what specific accusations he was charged with, what rules of the organization he had violated; none of the officers who reviewed the issue reached out to him to hear what he had to say.

On March 6, the Chicago Board of Rabbis confirmed its September 2014 decision. In response, we started to publicize this incident within a couple of Jewish communities. As a result of going public, a local Jewish journalist arranged on March 24 for Rabbi Rosen to comment on the Israeli elections (of the previous week) on the news program of the main Chicago public television station, WTTW. One mainstream rabbi, representing J Street, appeared alongside Rabbi Rosen. WTTW tried repeatedly to include an AIPAC spokesman in this segment too, but - as the host, Phil Ponce, announced three times on air - AIPAC refused to send a representative to appear with Rabbi Rosen. WTTW was told explicitly that AIPAC would not appear with Rabbi Rosen.

http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2015/03/24/local-rabbis-israeli-election

Rabbi Rosen was willing to appear in public with AIPAC. Yet, because Rabbi Rosen was included in the conversation, AIPAC boycotted the program.

The tide is turning. Rabbi Rosen appeared in public while AIPAC stayed home.

This is why the brave students of Open Hillel are so inspiring. They refuse to shun anybody on account of their views on Israel. They refuse to be barred from Jewish spaces on account of their beliefs.

The students of Open Hillel deserve our support. We need to hear their voices. They are the future of an open and vibrant Jewish community.

[openhillel]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Guilford College Hillel Declares itself an Open Hillel

April 2, 2015 --  Early Thursday morning, Guilford College Hillel declared that it is now an open Hillel, becoming the fourth Jewish campus community to do so.  In response, Open Hillel’s Steering Committee has issued the following statement:

“Open Hillel applauds the students of Guilford Hillel for bravely declaring their community to be open to all Jewish students and free discourse about Israel/Palestine. With this decision to become open, Guilford Hillel has demonstrated that it is committed to building a pluralistic Jewish community. In the wake of Hillel International’s rash legal threats against Swarthmore College’s Hillel, Guilford’s opening demonstrates that Jewish students will not be deterred from creating vibrant communities of open discussion.

“Hillel International’s exclusionary Standards of Partnership continue to exclude and marginalize Jewish students on campus.The leaders of Guilford Hillel -- like those at Swarthmore, Vassar, and Wesleyan before them -- are furthering Hillel’s stated mission of making Jewish life truly accessible to all Jewish students by declaring that the Standards of Partnership run counter to the needs of their community.  

“We call upon Hillel International to respect the student leadership of Guilford Hillel and prioritize inclusive communities over the political agenda of right-wing donors. Hillel International has a chance to show that it has learned from its mistakes and the immense backlash that it has received over the last several weeks. Open Hillel stands ready to work with Hillel International and students everywhere to create communities that can belong to us all. We hope that Hillel International will support Jewish student leaders who rightfully prioritize the needs of their Jewish campus community.   We further hope that Hillel International will seize this opportunity to shift from pursuing legal actions against its students to supporting local leaders’ efforts to serve all Jewish students.

Open Hillel’s national Communications Coordinator Caroline Morganti, a junior at MIT, commented, “I commend the Guilford Jewish community’s decision. Having first met a delegation of Guilford students at the Open Hillel conference, I know that this has been a months-long communal conversation for them.  I’m thrilled that they have taken this step.”

[openhillel]

Open Hillel Statement on Muhlenberg Civil Rights Event

Open Hillel commends former Hillel President Caroline Dorn and her fellow students at Muhlenberg College for continuing to hold our civil rights program despite pressure from Hillel International and pushback from the school administration. This event’s overwhelming success in the face of great opposition proves that students know better than anyone else how to create relevant programming for their campuses. While we are saddened that Hillel’s actions left Caroline with no choice but to resign from her position as president of her Hillel, we are optimistic that Hillel will learn from its mistakes and support future programming of this kind.

Hillel is facing a choice - it can continue to spend valuable resources devoted to fighting its own students in an attempt to dictate what students can and cannot say about Israel/Palestine, or it can return to its mission of engaging Jewish students.

[openhillel]

Jewish Professionals stand with Swarthmore Jewish students!

(Do you work in the Jewish world or are otherwise a Jewish communal leader? Add your name here!)

“As Jewish professionals and leaders committed to making Jewish life flourish, we call upon Hillel International and Eric Fingerhut to stop driving students out of the Hillel community. By threatening Swarthmore's Jewish community with legal action, Hillel International is wasting valuable resources that could be used to engage Jewish students instead of pushing them away. Hillel’s mission is to enrich the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. We urge Hillel International to return to its mission.

We stand in support of the students involved with the Open Hillel movement and the Swarthmore Jewish Community, fighting for inclusive and politically pluralistic Jewish communities on college campuses. We are deeply disappointed in the actions that Hillel International has taken against these motivated Jewish students.

We, the undersigned hope that Hillel International will prioritize its students over its donors and live up to Hillel’s esteemed name.”

Rabbi Richard Levy, Former Director of UCLA Hillel, Los Angeles, CA

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Ph.D, The Shalom Center, Philladelphia, PA

Ilana Sumka, Center for Jewish Nonviolence, Washington, DC

David Tulin, Former Philadelphia, BJE, Past Chair, Philadelphia Zionist Federation, Philadelphia, PA

Richard Goldwasser, J Street, Chicago, IL

Marjorie Dove Kent, Director Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, New York, New York

Dorothy M. Zellner, New York City, NY

Ira Grupper, New Jewish Agenda, Louiseville, KY

Larry Rubin, Washington, DC

Mark Levy, New York City, NY

David Herris Gershon, Pittsburgh, PA

Gideon Aronoff, New Jersey

Simone Zimmerman, Former J Street U National President, If Not Now Founding Member, Brooklyn, NY

Martin R. Federman, Former Hillel Director and Jewish Chaplain, Northeastern University, Somerville, MA

Moriel Rothman-Zecher, Former President Middlebury Hillel, Tel Aviv

Ben Meiselman, Ameinu, Ann Arbor, MI

Andrew Gordon-Kirsch, The New School, New York NY

Professor Amy Kaplan, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Professor Barbara Mann, Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, NY

Professor Daniel Segal, Pitzer College, Claremont, CA

Professor David Biale, UC Davis, Berkeley, CA

Professor Emeritus Alan J Weisbard, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

Professor Hasia Diner, New York, NY 

Professor Terry Winograd, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Professor Irene Tucker, University of California, Irvine,Irvine, CA

Professor Lawrence S. Moss, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

Professor Naomi Koltun-Fromm, Haverford College, Haverford, PA

Professor Seth L. Sanders, Hartford, CT

Professor Todd Gitin, Columbia University, New York, NY

Professor, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

Professor Irene Tucker, University of California, Irvine, Los Angeles, CA

Professor Irwin Sandler, Arizona State University, Temple Chai, Phoenix, AZ

Distinguished Professor Eric Alterman, Brooklyn College, CUNY, New York, NY

Professor David Kader, Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Tempe, AZ

Professor Jeffry V. Mallow, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL

Professor Roger Waldinger, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

Professor Robert Rosen, University of Miami School of Law, Miami, FL

Professor David Abraham, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

Professor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Professor, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA

Rabbi Alana Suskin, Rockville, MD

Rabbi Becky Silverstein

Rabbi Dr. Barbara Shulamit Thiede, Charlotte, NC

Rabbi Drorah Setel, Kehillah Buffalo, Swarthmore College '78, Buffalo, NY

Rabbi Edward J. Klein, Queens Community for Cultural Judaism, Queens, NY

Rabbi Ellen Lippmann, Brooklyn, NY

Rabbi Joseph Berman, Boston, MA

Rabbi Joseph Kolakowski

Rabbi Linda Holtzman, Jewish Voice for Peace, Philadelphia, PA

Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, Shomeret Shalom Rabbinic School and Learning Center, Berkeley, CA

Rabbi Maralee Gordon, Crystal Lake, IL

Rabbi Michael Lerner, Beyt Tikkun Synagogue, Berkeley, CA 

Rabbi Moti Rieber, Lawrence, KS

Rabbi Rebecca Lillian 

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, New York, NY

Rabbi Tzipi Radonsky

Rabbi Zev-Hayyim Feyer, Pomona, CA

Rabbi, Upper Gwynedd, PA

Ariana Katz, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Philadelphia, PA

Aryeh Bernstein, Mishkan Chicago/Jewschool.com, Chicago, IL

B. Ever Hanna, Kol Tzedek, Philadelphia, PA

Dr. Jeffrey Shoulson, Center for Judaic Studies, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Ben Lorber, Chicago, IL

Cantorial Soloist Susan Glickman, Temple Beth Avodah, Newton, MA

Daniel Sieradski, Founder and editor at large of Jewschool.com, Syracuse, NY

Alfredo Roldan Flores, Temple Shalom, Newton, MA

Leanne Gale, Former J Street U & Reform Jewish Community Co-President, Penn Hillel, Washington, DC

David Meyer, Habonim Dror North America, Brooklyn NY

David N. Goodman, Oak Park, MI

Diane L. Wolf, Ph.D., University of California, Davis, CA

Dr. Dov Waxman, Boston, MA

Dr. Hanna Chusid, Ed.D, Los Angeles, CA

Dr. Henry Greenspan, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Dr. Shirley Rausher, New York, New York

Eric Wilmer, Columbia-Barnard Hillel, New York, NY

Emily Schaeffer Omer-Man, Tel Aviv, Israel

Eric Wimer, Columbia-Barnard Hillel, New York, NY

Erica Sigmon, Brooklyn, NY

Estee Chandler, Jewish Voice for Peace, Los Angeles, CA

Franny Silverman, Brooklyn, NY

Gidon D. Remba, Jewish Alliance for Change, New York, NY

Hannah Frank, Hillel Chapter President, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA

Hayyim Feldman, Boston, MA

Hillary Kunins, New York, NY

Jacob Silverman, Orange County, CA

Jay Clayton, Swarthmore, PA

Jimmy Taber, New York, NY

Jonathan Rich, Los Angeles, CA

Judith Gelman, Chair

Larry Moskowitz, The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, New York, NY

Larry Saltzman, M.A.

Laynie Soloman, Rabbinical Student, Hebrew College, Boston, MA

Leah Zimmerman, Temple Beth Israel of Pomona, Pomona, CA

Lex Rofes, Former Hillel International Student Rep, Jackson, MS

Mackenzie Reynolds, Philadelphia, PA

Maia Ettinger, Esq., Guilford, CT

Max Rosen-Long, M.S.Ed, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, Philadelphia, PA

Maya Paris-Saper, Jewish Educator Habonim Dror, New York, NY

Michael Levin, Ph.D., Chicago, IL

Mónica Gomery, Rabbinical Student, Hebrew College, Boston, MA

Neal Feldman, Denver, CO

Paul Glaze, Red Hare Media, Atlanta, Georgia 

Rabbinical Student Leora Abelson, Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Boston, MA

Rabbinical Student Marisa Elana James, Senior Organizer, RRC / T'ruah, New York, NY

Rabbinical Student Jeremy Sher, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel

Rabbinical Student Joseph Gindi, Hebrew College, Boston, MA

Rachel Biale, Berkeley, CA

Rebecca Ennen, Washington, DC

Samantha Brotman, Champaign, IL

Sarah Snyder, Former Ohio State University Hillel Member, Boston, MA

Sean Segal

Susan Landau, Philadelphia, PA

Ted Greenwood, Temple Israel, Boston, MA

Miriam Grossman, Rabbinical Student, Hebrew College, Boston, MA

Abigail Weber

Rebecca Ennen, Washington, DC

Shelly Fisher Fishkin

Daniel Kaplan, Chicago, IL

Irene Lehrer Sandalow

Alanna Kleinman, Jackson, MS

Robert W. Snyder, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, NJ

Edward Goldstein, Newton Centre, MA

Hannah Ellenson, San Francisco, CA

Ernst Benjamin, Silver Spring, MD

Robert Jennings, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Anonymous, Philadelphia, PA

Anonymous, New York, NY

Anonymous, Oakland, CA

[openhillel]

Statement on Hillel International’s Legal Threats Against Swarthmore Hillel

Open Hillel is outraged that Hillel International threatened to pursue legal action against Swarthmore College in response to Swarthmore Hillel’s invitation to hear Jewish civil rights veterans speak.

Forced to decide between creating their own programming and remaining Hillel-affiliated, Swarthmore Hillel students chose autonomy. Instead of buckling under pressure and intimidation from Hillel International's legal team, Swarthmore Jewish students held fast in their commitment to openness and inclusivity by continuing to host Ira Grupper, Mark Levy, Larry Rubin, and Dorothy Zellner.

Hillel International’s mission is to engage Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. Instead of providing meaningful Jewish experiences that work towards achieving these goals, Hillel International is stifling Jewish life on campus and actively driving students away. Hillel International has a unique ability to engage young Jews. Instead, they have chosen to devote valuable resources to pursue legal action against their own students.  

Rather than empower young Jews who are working to create meaningful programming, Hillel International has tried to bully them into silence. As students involved in our Hillels around the country, we demand an immediate halt to any attempts to legally blackmail our peers and ask that supporters of openness in the American Jewish community join us in actively expressing our shame in Hillel International’s actions.

[openhillel]

Open Hillel Announces Rabbinical Council

We are excited to welcome the following sixty-nine rabbis, cantors, and rabbinical students to our newly-formed rabbinical council!  We thank them for their support and commend them for their dedication to pluralism and an open Jewish community, inclusive of all Jews: religious Zionists, progressive Zionists, secular Zionists, non-Zionists, anti-Zionists, and more.

All of the members signed the following statement:

"In the spirit of an open Jewish community, I commit to upholding the sacred Jewish principle of machloket leshem shamayim. I will not lend my name or my authority to any initiative that bars any Jewish individual or organization a place in the Jewish community on account of their beliefs or positions on Israel/Palestine. I accept that there is a range of opinion on Israel in the Jewish community, including BDS and non-Zionist Judaism. While I may agree or disagree with all or parts of these positions, I cannot agree to censor them or deny those who hold them the right to be heard in the Jewish community as Jews. Therefore, I support and endorse the Open Hillel campaign as well as similar initiatives to 'Open' Jewish Community Centers, Jewish schools, synagogues, and other Jewish institutions to be inclusive of the range of perspectives on Israel-Palestine that exist in the Jewish community."

Signed:

Rabbi Richard Levy, Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles, CA

Rabbi Arthur Waskow

Rabbi Alana Suskin

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, New York, New York

Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari

Rabbinical Student Ariel Tarash

Rabbi Barbara Shulamit Thiede

Rabbi Becky Silverstein

Rabbi Borukh Goldberg

Rabbi Brant Rosen, Chicago, IL

Rabbi Bruce Elder

Rabbinical Student Bryan Mann

Rabbi Burt Jacobson

Rabbi Caryn Broitman, Vineyard Haven, MA

Rabbi David Basior, Seattle, WA

Rabbi David Cooper

Rabbinical Student David N. Goodman, Philadelphia, PA

Rabbi Douglass Goldhamer

Rabbi Dov Noily

Rabbi Edward J. Klein

Rabbinical Student Elizabeth Goldstein

Rabbi Ellen Lippmann

Rabbi Gerald Serotta

Rabbi Gila Colman Ruskin

Rabbi Isaac Serotta

Cantor Jan Mahler

Rabbi Jeffrey Falick, Royal Oak, Michigan

Rabbinical Student Jeremy Daniel Sher

Rabbinical Student Jessica Rosenberg

Rabbi Joey Wolf

Rabbi John Friedman

Rabbi Joseph Berman

Rabbinical Student Joseph Gindi

Rabbi Lauren Grabelle-Herman

Rabbinical Student, New York, NY 

Rabbi Laurence Edwards

Rabbinical Student Laynie Soloman

Rabbinical Student Leora Abelson

Rabbinical Student Lex Rofes

Rabbi Linda Holtzman

Rabbi Maralee Gordon

Rabbinical Student Marisa Elana James

Rabbi Meryl Crean

Cantor Michael Davis

Rabbi Michael Lerner

Rabbinical Student Miriam Levia Grossman

Rabbinical Student Mónica Gomery

Rabbi Moti Rieber

Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kramer

Rabbi Nina Mandel

Rabbi Phyllis Berman

Rabbi Rachel Barenblat

Rabbi Rebecca Lillian

Rabbi Roy Furman, Chicago, IL

Rabbinical Student Salem Pearce

Rabbinical Student Sarah Barasch-Hagans

Rabbinical Student Sarah Noyovitz

Cantor Scott Simon

Rabbinical Student Shahar Colt

Rabbi Shai Gluskin

Rabbi Shaul Magid

Rabbi Shifrah Tobacman

Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg

Rabbi Shoshana Friedman

Rabbi Steve P. Nathan

Rabbi Suzanne Griffel

Rabbinical Student Trisha Arlin

Rabbi Zev-Hayyim Feyer

Rabbi Susan Averbach, Society for Humanistic Judaism, San Francisco, CA

Rabbinical Student Mackenzie Tzvia Reynolds

If you are a rabbi, cantor, or rabbinical/cantorial student who would like to add your name to this list, please do so here.  Also, feel free to email [email protected] with questions, or email founder and president of the Open Hillel Rabbinical Council, Cantor Michael Davis, [email protected].

[openhillel]

Statement on Hillel International CEO Eric Fingerhut's Withdrawal from J Street Conference

Open Hillel condemns Hillel International CEO Eric Fingerhut’s decision to boycott the J Street Conference due to the presence of Saeb Erekat,  the Palestinian diplomat who negotiated the Oslo accords with Israel. Hillel International recently boasted about its ability to “disagree constructively,” but Fingerhut’s actions suggest otherwise. His decision to go back on his commitment to speak to over 1,000 students because of the presence of a voice with whom he does not agree is cowardly and hypocritical.

Hillel needs to realize that J Street U students, integral parts of their campus Jewish communities, are not pawns in the fight against BDS. They are liberal Zionist anti-occupation activists that deserve Fingerhut’s presence as much as the activists of groups to their right like AIPAC as well as those further left such as Jewish Voice for Peace. Fingerhut’s decision to cancel his speech is yet another instance of the interests of right-wing donors being prioritized over those of students.  The fact that Eric Fingerhut attended the Christians United for Israel conference but declined the opportunity to speak to nearly 1000 Jewish students shows the deeply misplaced priorities of the President for the Center for Jewish Life on Campus.

As Hillel International spokesman David Eden reminds us, the Standards of Partnership are at the heart of the problem. By declaring that those who “apply a double standard to Israel” are beyond the pale, Hillel International sends a strong message to students who oppose Israel’s occupation.Today, we have received a painful reminder of who is and who is not welcome in Hillel International’s tent. We at Open Hillel stand in solidarity with the students of J Street U and all other groups, irrespective of political affiliation, who demand their rightful place at the Jewish communal table.

[openhillel]

Welcome the new Open Hillel Steering Committee!

The following is a letter from Rachel Sandalow-Ash, Open Hillel's outgoing Internal Coordinator.

This has been an exciting year. Open Hillel has grown from a ragtag handful of organizers to national campaign with thousands of supporters. We hosted our first-ever national conference, drawing over 350 people. We've met with dozens, if not hundreds, of students around the country who want to challenge the restrictive, monolithic status quo.

I’m thrilled to announce that our conference and campaigns haven’t just built excitement. They’ve also built a new generation of student leaders who are ready to carry Open Hillel forward. Please join me in welcoming the newly elected Open Hillel Steering Committee:

Internal Coordinator: Amelia Dornbush, Swarthmore '15

Communications Coordinator: Caroline Morganti, MIT '16

Finance Coordinator: Josh Hoffman, Ursinus '16

Campus Outreach Co-Coordinators: Mia Warshofsky, University of Central Florida '17 and Aaron Madow, Haverford '14

Jewish Community Outreach Coordinator: Becca Rosenthal, Claremont McKenna College '15

Press Coordinator: Aryeh Younger, Yeshiva University '14, Ohio State University Law School '17

Projects Coordinator: Emily Unger, Harvard '13

Though I’m sad to be stepping down from my position on the Open Hillel Steering Committee, I’m incredibly excited to see these vibrant, dedicated leaders take my place. These students and young alumni are deeply committed to their Jewish communities and to the values of pluralism and free discourse so central to our tradition.

The past year has been exciting, but with our new size and strength, there’s even more we can achieve.  The new Steering Committee is planning local campus campaigns, a tour of Jewish Freedom Summer Veterans, and more — and they need your support.

Stand with the new Steering Committee — make a tax-deductible donation to support Open Hillel’s work in the coming semester.

As Open Hillel has grown and expanded, we've never lost sight of our central goal: fighting for full inclusion and open debate in our campus Jewish communities.  May 2015 be the year when Jewish students can learn and debate freely.

Please help us #OpenOurHillels.

Shabbat shalom,

Rachel Sandalow-Ash

Outgoing Internal Coordinator

[openhillel]

Princeton Hillel violates Standards of Partnership

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 6, 2014 Contact: [email protected]

Princeton Hillel Violates Standards of Partnership with Student Support

On Tuesday November 4th, less than a month after the Open Hillel conference, Princeton’s Hillel-affiliated Center for Jewish Life (CJL) co-hosted an event with Dr. Douglas Massey entitled "The Origins of Racism and Anti-Semitism: A Conversation with Doug Massey." Dr. Massey signed a petition printed in Wednesday morning’s issue of The Daily Princetonian, saying that “[i]t is time for Princeton University to...divest from all companies that contribute to or profit from the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the continued siege of Gaza."

In addition to its informative content, this event represents a significant break with Hillel International's Standards of Partnership, which state that "Hillel will not partner with, house, or host organizations, groups, or speakers that as a matter of policy or practice...support boycott of, divestment from, or sanctions against the State of Israel." These prohibitive policies are not unique to Hillel International - in the past year The Shondes were banned from performing at the DC Jewish Community Center because of their support of BDS, and Dr. Judith Butler was compelled to withdraw from giving a talk about Kafka at the Jewish Museum of New York.

Josh Leifer, a sophomore at Princeton, was thrilled to attend the event. "Professor Massey is a world-renowned scholar, and it was great to hear him speak about how the legacies of racism and anti-semitism continue to shape politics and public policy in the United States,” said Leifer. “During the question and answer portion of the talk, I asked if Israel's occupation of the West Bank has complicated black-Jewish relations due to recent social media ties between activists in Ferguson and the West Bank. Massey replied that Israel's refusal to reach a just and peaceful resolution to the conflict is isolating Israel and its supporters, not just in the US, but worldwide.”

Lily Gellman, also a sophomore at Princeton, believes that this talk represents the first step towards the university becoming an Open Hillel. “It was really powerful to see that the CJL sponsored an event with Dr. Massey. The very next day Dr. Massey’s signature was in an ad in the school paper calling for BDS and everything was okay,” said Gellman. “I hope that this will lead the CJL to embrace Hillel participants like me who support BDS and want to hear our perspectives given a platform in the same way that our peers who oppose BDS are given a platform.”

This event comes in the wake of student backlash against the role CJL staff played in blocking another speaker, Dr. Max Weiss, from speaking about Gaza at a panel sponsored by two CJL-affiliated student groups. Weiss was passed over due to his support for BDS.

Hillel International has not yet publicly issued a response to the Princeton’s CJL hosting Dr. Massey. Open Hillel encourages Hillel International to join us in publicly commending the event.

Open Hillel supports Princeton students’ call for a complete end to Hillel International’s Standards of Partnerships, and applauds this event as one positive step forward in this direction.

###

[openhillel]

This Was Historic.

Last weekend, we did something historic.

We brought together 350 students, professors, journalists, heads of NGOs, and people from every political position and walk of life.  We talked about Israel, Palestine, Zionism, anti-Semitism, diaspora, intermarriage, BDS, values, history.  We had a real debate, an open discussion, a forum without redlines.

The result was beautiful.  We learned.  We grew.  We thought deeply about issues we hadn’t considered before.  We argued respectfully.  We supported one another.  We took the first steps towards building the kind of Jewish community we want to see.

We showed that when people come together in search of justice and understanding, no institutional policies, no “Standards of Partnership,” no powerful donors can stand in our way.

Open Hillel is changing the face of the American Jewish community -- and whether you were at the conference or not, you’re part of this movement.  We couldn’t have done this without you.  Every small donation you made, every supportive email you sent, every article you posted on facebook helped make this conference happen.

Looking ahead, we know our struggle is far from over.  Hillel International’s standards still stand.  Palestinian voices, and far too many Jewish voices, are still excluded from our Jewish communities.  But seeing the passion of the hundreds of young leaders who came to the conference, I know that we will keep fighting and keep growing until we succeed.

The space we created this weekend was amazing, but it’s not enough to stop there.  In the coming year, we’re planning new campaigns: bringing Jewish Freedom Summer veterans to local Hillel chapters, shifting the balance of power from donors to students, supporting students who want to be a part of their Hillel even though their views fall outside Hillel International’s prescriptions.  We’ll harness the energy from the community we created this weekend and channel it to make real change in the world beyond the Open Hillel conference.

This was historic -- and it’s just the beginning.  We hope you’ll continue to stand with us as we push for inclusion and free discourse in our Jewish communities.

With solidarity and excitement, Rachel Sandalow-Ash Open Hillel Internal Coordinator

P.S. If you missed the conference, there’s some great coverage of it in the media.  Check out these sources:

+972 magazine: At Open Hillel conference, Jews demand their spot at the communal table

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency: After rejecting BDS ban, Open Hillel holds first conference

Haaretz: The Israel conversation American Jewish leaders aren't willing to have

The Daily Kos: Historic Moment Signals a Revolution Brewing in the American Jewish Community

Plus, check out #OpenHillel14 on twitter, and find a curation (courtesy of JVP) of the live tweets from the conference here!

[openhillel]

I proudly join my son Ari in his objection to the policies of Harvard Hillel and Hillel International articulated in this communication and elsewhere. Israel and Harvard Hillel have both played a central role in my life for some 45 years. Ari's mother and I met and courted at Harvard Hillel in the early 1970s. We have contributed to Harvard Hillel on a regular basis until the past few years. I have visited Israel on many occasions going back to my undergraduate years, and participated in any number of "pro-Israel" events and organizations on campus and elsewhere over the past four decades and more. In my view, Israel has lost its way in a number of respects touching both on the "peace process" and on tolerance and respect for democratic values within Israeli society. I very much fear that if Israel continues on its current path, the ideals of a Jewish and democratic society enshrined in Israel's Declaration of Independence will be at severe risk. Indeed, they already are. My own response to these concerns has been to increase my support, both verbal and financial, for those Jewish and Israeli institutions that fight for the values I believe in--NIF, APN, RHR, Truah, B'Tselem, and others. I have myself opposed BDS, at least to the current moment, and participated with groups, such as Ameinu and its Third Narrative campaign, that oppose academic boycotts, promote free speech, and seek to advance a two state approach to peace. All that said, and particularly in the aftermath of this summer's events in Gaza and subsequent behavior by the Netanyahu government, I can understand the decisions of others to take stronger symbolic actions, such as supporting a selective and carefully targeted boycott of products produced in, and helping to sustain, illegal settlements in the Occupied Territories of the West Bank/Judea and Samaria. For me, the strong disinclination to be identified with those who support more comprehensive BDS measures, many of whom oppose the continued existence of Israel as, in some meaningful sense, a Jewish State, has kept me from supporting even a more limited and carefully targeted set of sanctions directed specifically against the Occupation, and not against Israel's very existence. But that is a close call, and one I continue to ponder. It is a matter I have discussed in considerable depth and detail with others who love and support Israel as a Jewish and Democratic State, but are profoundly opposed to some of Israel's current policies. I find I can respect the conclusions and integrity of those who disagree with me on this matter, and that I learn from my encounters with them. I know that my own years at Harvard were critical to my own intellectual formation and development, and that I benefitted greatly from passionate discussions and disagreements with thoughtful classmates, faculty, and guest speakers of widely diverse views. I think today's students deserve the same opportunities, and I have faith in their ability to sort through competing views to reach their own conclusions. I would like to think that Harvard Hillel plays an encouraging and hospitable role for all this, both for Harvard's Jewish students and for others. I find the current policy of Hillel International to be both profoundly misguided and very likely to be counterproductive in its impact on today's Jewish students. While I appreciate that Harvard Hillel, probably more than most, has found ways to encourage and facilitate presentation of a fairly wide range of views on Israeli society and Middle East politics, I very much regret its decision not to support and host "open Hillel", programs including speakers who support one or another form of sanctions, or to co-sponsor events with campus organizations whose views and positions Harvard's Jewish students should understand, engage with, and, sometimes, confront intellectually. For a great many years, my connection with Harvard Hillel and other Hillel chapters at Yale, Princeton, and here at the University of Wisconsin (where I served on the Hillel Board for a number of years, and which I vigorously supported during my time on the local Jewish Federation Board), has been a source of great pride and fulfillment. I am terribly saddened by the approach that both Hillel International and Harvard Hillel have taken toward hosting and facilitating a robust exchange of views across a wider spectrum of perspectives in the context of today's debates on Israel, Palestine, and the wider Middle East. I support Open Hillel and its objectives (even while disagreeing with some of the perspectives that it seeks to engage with), and regret that Harvard Hillel continues to distance itself from activities that would be valuable to Harvard's Jewish students and to the wider Harvard community. I urge you to reconsider your policies on this matter.

Alan Jay Weisbard (HC '71/'72, GSAS '72-'74) Prof. Emeritus University of Wisconsin

[openhillel]

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: How Hillel International “Includes” Jewish students

Jewish students are speaking up, and Hillel International isn’t listening.

Eric Fingerhut and the Hillel International administration claim Hillel doesn’t have to “open” to student leadership and opinions because it already is open.  They claim Hillel’s stances don’t alienate students, even though studies have already shown that young people don’t connect to Israel in the same way as older generations have. Hillel International’s programming is already “open and diverse” -- but only to groups that toe the Hillel line. All Jewish students are welcome in Hillel International -- as long as they don’t voice any opinions on BDS and anti-Zionism that deviate from the Hillel International board of directors’. Students are encouraged to take initiative -- as long as they don’t organize an event or host a speaker that breaks Hillel’s Israel policies. Students are included in Hillel International’s decison-making positions -- as long as they are picked by Hillel staff, not elected by their peers. Hillel International’s red line is clearly drawn, but they refuse to admit that their guidelines marginalize anyone.

Last month, members of Open Hillel accepted Hillel International CEO Eric Fingerhut’s invitation to meet. On September 9, eight students met with Mr. Fingerhut to discuss the institutional factors within Hillel International that led to the creation of Open Hillel.

Our discussion focused around Open Hillel’s three principles: eliminate Hillel’s Standards of Partnership that subject Jewish students and their allies to a political litmus test, stop making political statements about Israel-Palestine that don’t represent all students, and let students elect their own representatives to the Hillel International Board and Israel Strategy Committee.

Here’s what we discussed:

1. We talked about the need to eliminate Hillel International’s Standards of Partnership.

Hillel International claims that all voices and opinions are welcome within Hillel, but we explained that Hillel’s Standards of Partnership create an unwelcoming environment that alienates many Jews, particularly non-Zionists, anti-Zionists, and liberal Zionists from Hillel and Jewish communities across the United States. We pointed out that Hillel International has a double standard that allows for individuals representing viewpoints on the far right to present at Hillel but not viewpoints on the similarly far left. This policy amplifies voices that tend to be more hawkish and war-mongering while silencing those that recognize the racism and Islamophobia that often is embedded in those views. We also asked why Hillel International celebrates diversity of Jewish beliefs in some aspects of Jewish life but not others -- why, for example, there are no similar redlines when it comes to kashrut, or Torah, or belief in God.

Fingerhut’s reply? Hillel does have policies in these other areas -- an informal standard of “respect and a broad tent” that governs all realms of Jewish student engagement. When asked why a similar standard of “respect and a broad tent” couldn’t replace the strict, exclusionary  “Standards of Partnership” that Hillel maintains around Israel, Fingerhut had no response.  He simply reiterated that Hillel allows and encourages Jewish students with different viewpoints on Israel-Palestine to attend its events, as long as they don’t try to put on events that express their own views -- because “it’s not really our objective to try to encompass the viewpoints of everyone.”

Our response: Even though no students are explicitly excluded from coming to Hillel events and expressing our views, Hillel International’s standards foster a climate that is unwelcoming to Jewish students with different opinions about Israel-Palestine and Zionism. Hillel does not have “standards of partnership” to exclude people with different opinions on multiple aspects of Jewish life. A common understanding of “respect and a broad tent” works for God, Shabbat, kashrut, and Torah, and it can work for Israel-Palestine too.

2. We asked Hillel to stop making statements on behalf of all Jewish students.

In the past year, Hillel International has involved itself in an increasing number of student political affairs at numerous universities including Ohio University, UCLA, and Northeastern University. Hillel has called all critics of Israel “Hamas supporters” and claimed the “whole Hillel family” stands with the Israeli government during the Gaza war, even though growing numbers of Jewish students have begun to question and criticize Israeli policies. We told Mr. Fingerhut that these statements ostracize Jewish students by making political statements that don't reflect the diversity of Jewish opinions.

Fingerhut agreed with us that Hillel cannot speak on behalf of all Jews and that Hillel will take more precautions in its statements in the future. He insisted, however, that “overwhelming majority” of Jews supported the Israeli government this past summer, so it was reasonable for Hillel to publish those statements. He claimed that there isn’t enough evidence to show that Hillel’s policies and statements alienate young Jews, and that he’d need hard data rather than our “anecdotal evidence.”

Our response: There is significant evidence that young Jews increasingly oppose Israel’s policies and do not stand with the Israeli government in the way that Hillel’s statements suggest, as demonstrated by the Pew Center, Gallup, and prominent Jewish scholars including Steven Cohen.  Moreover, inclusive policies shouldn’t be contingent upon the exact numbers of people being excluded -- even small minorities should still be welcome in Hillel. Yet Hillel cannot deny the existence of large numbers of students that are involved with Hillel and Hillel-affiliated Jewish groups but don’t “stand with Israel.” With its goal of widespread Jewish engagement, Hillel cannot fulfill its mission if it continues to ostracize increasing numbers of students.

3. We asked Hillel to put more students in power.

Student representatives to Hillel International are not student-nominated, meaning that they often reflect the interests of the Hillel staffpeople who select them rather than the students they are intended to represent. We asked Fingerhut to let students elect their own representatives to the Hillel International board and Israel Strategy Committee.

Hillel’s response? Fingerhut agreed in the importance of “cultivating student leaders,” and declared that he would bring back the Student Leaders’ Assembly during his tenure as CEO. Yet when it comes to actual Hillel policy, he admitted that Hillel International “is not a representative organization” and “has no plans” to consult students in formulating its strategic plan.

Our response: An organization that bills itself as the “Foundation for Jewish Life on Campus” should include students in their decision-making.  Cultivating student leaders is meaningless if Hillel International doesn’t respect those leaders enough to listen to them.

What’s our takeaway?

When it comes to sharing power with students and “deviant” student political opinions, Hillel International has a strict “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

As the saying goes, “two Jews, three opinions” -- and we’ve seen on our campuses that on everything from kashrut to Israel-Palestine, this maxim holds true. College campuses are places for a variety of ideas and opinions, including ones with which we disagree. Grappling with viewpoints different than our own isn’t just an essential part of the academic environment -- it’s also what Hillel the Elder, Hillel International’s namesake, was famous for. What is Eric Fingerhut so afraid of?

Fight for your right to be heard. Join us at the Open Hillel “If Not Now, When?” Conference.

[openhillel]

Updated Schedule with Speakers Listed!

We've just posted an updated schedule for the Open Hillel conference, with all the speakers listed!  Check it out.

If you haven't registered yet, registration is still open -- register now!  And if your friends haven't registered yet, pass this on to them.  Who doesn't want to see Judith Butler, Peter Beinart, Rashid Khalidi, and over 50 other amazing speakers discuss Israel-Palestine?

[openhillel]

Tentative Conference Schedule posted!

Our tentative conference schedule is now online!  You can check it out here.  The schedule is subject to change before the conference, but this preview should get you excited for all the awesome panels we have planned!  We'll post updated schedules periodically, so check back again soon for updates.

[openhillel]

A letter to Eric Fingerhut

June 23, 2014

Eric Fingerhut, President Hillel International Washington, DC 20001

Sir:

I have your fundraising letter of May 28 and am disturbed by its approach to the Israel-Palestinian conflict on campus similar to my unease about your approach at Hillels across the country.  You seem more interested in enlisting our young people as political operatives than in helping them to explore, grow, learn and make their own decisions about how to be involved with Israel, if at all.  These are college students and they go to college, we must hope, precisely to explore, grow and learn, and to make their own decisions about their values, interests, commitments and careers.

I would suggest that rather than partner exclusively with AIPAC you arrange programming at Hillel to expose our young people to the wide, vibrant, worthwhile range of organizations and approaches to caring about Israel that exists both in Israel and the U.S.  Why don’t you add J Street to your partners list, Americans for Peace Now, Rabbis for Human Rights, New Israel Fund and -- from Israel -- B’Tselem, Ir Amim and Shovrei Shtikah?  And by all means include the ZOA, Camera and StandWithUs.

College students are especially averse to being told what to do.  They want to test and decide for themselves.  Is Israel’s case so weak that we’re afraid to let them do that?  And for that matter, is there only one “case” for Israel, one way of looking at things?

We do our kids a disservice by keeping them in a cocoon so that some of them are jolted, when coming to college, to discover that Israel is controversial or that Palestinians actually have something to say.  On campus you are still trying to keep them in a bubble by throwing up roadblocks to interaction with Palestinian and pro-Palestinian groups, including BDS adherents.  

I have three children who had Hillel experiences in college and I have donated in the past.  But now I would rather see to what degree Hillel International becomes an Open Hillel truly controlled by the students, not by professional staff or donors.  You could usefully be training the latter to step back and realize that Hillel is for the students, not for the adults.  I am waiting, as are many others, to see if Hillel begins to treat our young people as students, not political cadres.  For the latter the adults can call upon our professional Jewish communal workers as well as Israel’s diplomats.

Thank you for your time and attention to these concerns.

Edward Goldstein Boston