BACKGROUND
The President traditionally meets with leaders from the Jewish community prior to the White House Hanukkah Reception. In 2001 and 2003, he met with organizational leaders of the Jewish community. In 2002 and 2004, he met with congregational rabbis, and in 2005 he met with Jewish day school leaders. Today The President will discuss his higher-education priorities with administrators, professors, and students in the the higher education community.
BIOGRAPHIES OF PARTICIPANTS
Karen Bacon, Dean, Stern College for Women of Yeshiva University (New York City, New York)
Dr. Bacon received her Ph.D. from UCLA and has spent most of her professional career in academic administration, fostering the education and upward mobility of the undergraduate women of Stern College. Established in 1954 through a major gift from the late industrialist Max Stern, Stern College for Women is the undergraduate college of arts and sciences for women of Yeshiva University.
Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz, President, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (Elkins Park, Pennsylvania)
Dan Ehrenkrantz is the President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC). Founded in 1968, the RRC is the rabbinical training institution of Reconstructionist Judaism. The RRC offers a five to six year curriculum leading to a master’s degree in Hebrew letters and the title of Rabbi.
Arnold Eisen, Chancellor-elect, Jewish Theological Seminary (Stanford, California)
Arnold Eisen is the Chancellor-elect at the Jewish Theological Seminary, the academic and spiritual center of Conservative Jews worldwide. Previously since 1986, Professor Eisen served as a Professor of Jewish Culture and Religion at Stanford University. As a product of the Conservative Movement, he has long been known as an avid advocate for strengthening the connection between American Jews and Israel. Professor Eisen’s book, Taking Hold of Torah: Jewish Commitment and Community in America, addresses the renewal of the Jewish community and commitment in America.
Rabbi David H. Ellenson, President, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (New York City, New York)
Rabbi Ellenson is the eighth President in the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s 130-year history. Rabbi Ellenson received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1981, and is considered a distinguished leader of the Reform Movement. He is internationally recognized for his publications and research in the areas of Jewish religious thought, ethics, and modern Jewish history.
Rabbi Zalman Gifter, President and Dean, Rabbinical College of Telshe (Wickliffe, Ohio)
Rabbi Gifter has served as the President and Dean of the Rabbinical College of Telshe since 2001. The Rabbinical College of Telshe provides a well-rounded education to Jewish students and affords them the opportunity to become concerned, involved members of the Jewish community, and productive members of society as a whole.
Richard Joel, President, Yeshiva University (New York City, New York)
Richard Joel was inaugurated in September 2003 as the fourth president of Yeshiva University. Founded in 1927, Yeshiva University ranks among the Nation’s leading Jewish academic research institutions. The university currently enrolls 7,000 students from 38 states and 55 countries. Mr. Joel previously served as the President and International Director of Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life.
Danielle Josephs, Student, Rutgers University (Teaneck, New Jersey)
Danielle Josephs is a student in her senior year in the Douglass College at Rutgers University. She founded the Middle East Coexistence House with hopes of bridging the gap between Jewish/Israeli and Arab/Muslim/Christian women at Rutgers and encouraging women’s involvement in international conflict resolution and negotiation.
Bernard Lander, Founder and President, Touro College (Forest Hills, New York)
Dr. Bernard Lander is the Founder and President of Touro College. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia University and was ordained a Rabbi by the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University. Touro College was established in 1971 as an academic institution of higher learning, designed to enhance the Judaic heritage and to serve the larger society. It now enrolls upwards of 23,000 students in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.
Avi Mayer, Student, University of Maryland (Silver Spring, Maryland)
Avi Mayer is the Founder and President of The Pro-Israel Terrapin Alliance (PITA), a political advocacy group on the campus of the University of Maryland. Avi is an active member of the Hillel Center for Jewish Campus Life and has served as President of the Jewish Renaissance Project; as Vice President for Education and Religious Life of Kedma, the Orthodox Jewish student organization; as Vice President for Education of the Tzedek Hillel Social Justice Institutive; and as Opinion Editor of The Mitzpeh, the University of Maryland’s Jewish newspaper. Avi is currently a Senior at the University of Maryland and expects to graduate in May 2007.
Maya Pick, Student, University of Virginia (Annandale, Virginia)
Maya Pick is a second year student at the University of Virginia. In the spring of 2006, Maya traveled to Biloxi, Mississippi to work with the Hands On Organization, gutting houses and removing debris as a result of Hurricane Katrina. She later worked with the directors of Hillel to plan a similar trip to New Orleans in the summer of 2006.
Danielle Rugoff, Student, University of Texas at Austin (Dallas, Texas)
Danielle Rugoff is currently a Senior and serves as the Student Body President at the University of Texas at Austin. Danielle has been recognized by the University’s oldest and most prestigious honor organization, The Friar Society, where she serves as an Executive Officer. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and is highly involved on campus in Texans for Israel and Texas Hillel. Later this month, Danielle will be traveling to Israel in the American Delegation to the World Union of Jewish Student Congress.
Julian Sandler, Chairman of the Board, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life (Dix Hills, New York)
Julian Sandler received a Ph.D. from Rice University and is the Founder and CEO of Rent-A-PC. He has been with Hillel in a leadership position for the last eight years. In September 2006, Julian became the Chairman of the Board of Hillel, which provides Jewish college students with the opportunity to celebrate their Jewish heritage and contribute to the broader community.
Rabbi Menachem Schmidt, Founder, Lubavitch House (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Rabbi Schmidt was appointed by Rabbi Abraham Shemtov to work in Philadelphia as an emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. That year, he founded the Lubavitch House at the University of Pennsylvania, where he serves as the Executive Director. He has helped to found many of the Chabad Lubavitch centers in the Delaware Valley, and was instrumental in creating the national network of Chabad Houses on campus, which evolved into the Chabad on Campus International Foundation. The Foundation has built 91 Chabad Houses on campuses around the world.
Bob Wexler, Ph.D., President, University of Judaism (Los Angeles, California)
Dr. Wexler has been with the University of Judaism since 1978, and has been President of the institution since 1992. For the past six years, he has served as host of the University Judaism Public Lecture Series. Founded in 1947, the University of Judaism provides a wide array of undergraduate educational programs and curriculum for Jewish and non-Jewish students.
Posted: 12/21/2006
The President traditionally meets with leaders from the Jewish community prior to the White House Hanukkah Reception. In 2001 and 2003, he met with organizational leaders of the Jewish community. In 2002 and 2004, he met with congregational rabbis, and in 2005 he met with Jewish day school leaders. Today The President will discuss his higher-education priorities with administrators, professors, and students in the the higher education community.
BIOGRAPHIES OF PARTICIPANTS
Karen Bacon, Dean, Stern College for Women of Yeshiva University (New York City, New York)
Dr. Bacon received her Ph.D. from UCLA and has spent most of her professional career in academic administration, fostering the education and upward mobility of the undergraduate women of Stern College. Established in 1954 through a major gift from the late industrialist Max Stern, Stern College for Women is the undergraduate college of arts and sciences for women of Yeshiva University.
Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz, President, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (Elkins Park, Pennsylvania)
Dan Ehrenkrantz is the President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC). Founded in 1968, the RRC is the rabbinical training institution of Reconstructionist Judaism. The RRC offers a five to six year curriculum leading to a master’s degree in Hebrew letters and the title of Rabbi.
Arnold Eisen, Chancellor-elect, Jewish Theological Seminary (Stanford, California)
Arnold Eisen is the Chancellor-elect at the Jewish Theological Seminary, the academic and spiritual center of Conservative Jews worldwide. Previously since 1986, Professor Eisen served as a Professor of Jewish Culture and Religion at Stanford University. As a product of the Conservative Movement, he has long been known as an avid advocate for strengthening the connection between American Jews and Israel. Professor Eisen’s book, Taking Hold of Torah: Jewish Commitment and Community in America, addresses the renewal of the Jewish community and commitment in America.
Rabbi David H. Ellenson, President, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (New York City, New York)
Rabbi Ellenson is the eighth President in the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s 130-year history. Rabbi Ellenson received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1981, and is considered a distinguished leader of the Reform Movement. He is internationally recognized for his publications and research in the areas of Jewish religious thought, ethics, and modern Jewish history.
Rabbi Zalman Gifter, President and Dean, Rabbinical College of Telshe (Wickliffe, Ohio)
Rabbi Gifter has served as the President and Dean of the Rabbinical College of Telshe since 2001. The Rabbinical College of Telshe provides a well-rounded education to Jewish students and affords them the opportunity to become concerned, involved members of the Jewish community, and productive members of society as a whole.
Richard Joel, President, Yeshiva University (New York City, New York)
Richard Joel was inaugurated in September 2003 as the fourth president of Yeshiva University. Founded in 1927, Yeshiva University ranks among the Nation’s leading Jewish academic research institutions. The university currently enrolls 7,000 students from 38 states and 55 countries. Mr. Joel previously served as the President and International Director of Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life.
Danielle Josephs, Student, Rutgers University (Teaneck, New Jersey)
Danielle Josephs is a student in her senior year in the Douglass College at Rutgers University. She founded the Middle East Coexistence House with hopes of bridging the gap between Jewish/Israeli and Arab/Muslim/Christian women at Rutgers and encouraging women’s involvement in international conflict resolution and negotiation.
Bernard Lander, Founder and President, Touro College (Forest Hills, New York)
Dr. Bernard Lander is the Founder and President of Touro College. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia University and was ordained a Rabbi by the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University. Touro College was established in 1971 as an academic institution of higher learning, designed to enhance the Judaic heritage and to serve the larger society. It now enrolls upwards of 23,000 students in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.
Avi Mayer, Student, University of Maryland (Silver Spring, Maryland)
Avi Mayer is the Founder and President of The Pro-Israel Terrapin Alliance (PITA), a political advocacy group on the campus of the University of Maryland. Avi is an active member of the Hillel Center for Jewish Campus Life and has served as President of the Jewish Renaissance Project; as Vice President for Education and Religious Life of Kedma, the Orthodox Jewish student organization; as Vice President for Education of the Tzedek Hillel Social Justice Institutive; and as Opinion Editor of The Mitzpeh, the University of Maryland’s Jewish newspaper. Avi is currently a Senior at the University of Maryland and expects to graduate in May 2007.
Maya Pick, Student, University of Virginia (Annandale, Virginia)
Maya Pick is a second year student at the University of Virginia. In the spring of 2006, Maya traveled to Biloxi, Mississippi to work with the Hands On Organization, gutting houses and removing debris as a result of Hurricane Katrina. She later worked with the directors of Hillel to plan a similar trip to New Orleans in the summer of 2006.
Danielle Rugoff, Student, University of Texas at Austin (Dallas, Texas)
Danielle Rugoff is currently a Senior and serves as the Student Body President at the University of Texas at Austin. Danielle has been recognized by the University’s oldest and most prestigious honor organization, The Friar Society, where she serves as an Executive Officer. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and is highly involved on campus in Texans for Israel and Texas Hillel. Later this month, Danielle will be traveling to Israel in the American Delegation to the World Union of Jewish Student Congress.
Julian Sandler, Chairman of the Board, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life (Dix Hills, New York)
Julian Sandler received a Ph.D. from Rice University and is the Founder and CEO of Rent-A-PC. He has been with Hillel in a leadership position for the last eight years. In September 2006, Julian became the Chairman of the Board of Hillel, which provides Jewish college students with the opportunity to celebrate their Jewish heritage and contribute to the broader community.
Rabbi Menachem Schmidt, Founder, Lubavitch House (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Rabbi Schmidt was appointed by Rabbi Abraham Shemtov to work in Philadelphia as an emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. That year, he founded the Lubavitch House at the University of Pennsylvania, where he serves as the Executive Director. He has helped to found many of the Chabad Lubavitch centers in the Delaware Valley, and was instrumental in creating the national network of Chabad Houses on campus, which evolved into the Chabad on Campus International Foundation. The Foundation has built 91 Chabad Houses on campuses around the world.
Bob Wexler, Ph.D., President, University of Judaism (Los Angeles, California)
Dr. Wexler has been with the University of Judaism since 1978, and has been President of the institution since 1992. For the past six years, he has served as host of the University Judaism Public Lecture Series. Founded in 1947, the University of Judaism provides a wide array of undergraduate educational programs and curriculum for Jewish and non-Jewish students.
Posted: 12/21/2006
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