Cultural center celebrates anniversary

By Esten Hurtle

Published April 8, 2008

For a culture with a few thousand years of history, sixty years might not seem like such a long time. As the MU chapter of Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life celebrates its 60th anniversary, all eyes are pointed toward the future.

“I like what we have become, but I would like the future of Hillel to be even better,” Hillel Director Kerry Hollander said.

Since its inception at MU in 1948, Hillel has encouraged community building for Jewish college students.

“Hillel does a great job of promoting their mission, which is get Jews to do things with other Jews,” Jewish Student Organization spokesman Scott Susman said.

Hillel spokeswoman Amanda Rude said the organization provides a place where Jewish students can find friends quickly and easily.

“It’s a really amazing thing when you get a bunch of Jewish people together, they bond pretty much immediately because we have this one thing in common,” Rude said.

Hillel Board of Directors President Aaron Krawitz said the most important part of the organization is providing a place for those who identify with their Jewish roots to reinforce those cultural ties.

“The cultural, ethical foundations of the religion are as relevant today as they were back when people were roaming around in the desert,” Krawitz said.

The 60th anniversary celebrations for the organization included Shabbat services Friday night and Saturday morning, as well as a reception Saturday night and a brunch Sunday morning. The future of the organization was the focus of Saturday’s reception, as an endowment fund was announced to support programs planned by Hillel.

“It’s to support the program activities of the Hillel foundation,” Krawitz said.

Krawitz said the Kerry Hollander Endowment Fund, named for the current Hillel director, could be used to bring in speakers and fund social gatherings and events.

“The thing that has meant the most to me has been getting our events more visible across campus,” Susman said.

One of the most important events, Susman said, is Holocaust Memorial Week, starting April 27 and lasting until May 3. This year’s activities include a candlelight vigil, a reading of victims’ names in Speaker’s Circle and a speech from a survivor of the Holocaust.

“Getting (a survivor) to come speak is a very emotional thing,” Susman said. “It has a huge impact.”

JSO and Hillel will not exclusively be a part of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Week. Instead, organizations will take part in raising awareness of the genocide, including the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning Resource Center, the Muslim Student Organization, the Multi-Cultural Greek Council and the Women’s Center.

“It’s not just a Jewish genocide now, it’s all sorts of genocides,” Susman said. “It’s women being oppressed, it’s gays being oppressed, it’s Jews being oppressed, it’s everyone. It really unifies the thing.”