Wilfs, RU students to be honored at Hillel dinner

By Jason Cohen
May 23, 2008

Rutgers Hillel will be honoring distinguished individuals at their Celebration of the Future dinner on Wednesday, May 28.

The honorees are philanthropists Audrey and Zygi Wilf of Springfield and Jane and Mark Wilf of Livingston. The four of them who are the Chief Visionaries for the Capital Endowment Campaign are being awarded the Chief Visionaries award. Audrey Wilf is on the board of directors of the Hillel.  

Additionally, Richard Corman, former president of the Hillel, CEO of Manhattan Jewish Experience, and former director of the JCC of Scotch plains will be given the Rabbi Julius Funk Alumni Award. Four students will also be honored for their services and exemplary leadership. They are Michelle Rosenberg of West Orange, Covey Schnipper of Fair Lawn, Eytan Morgenstern of Montgomery, Ala., and Jillian Schlanger of New York City. Also, former director of Hillel Richard Joel will be in attendance along with University president Richard McCormack. 

Audrey Wilf has served on the Hillel board for the past eight years. In efforts to raise $15 million to get a new Hillel building, the Wilfs have already helped by donating $2 million.

Rutgers Hillel Executive Director Andrew Getraer told The Jewish State why the Wilfs are so involved with Hillel.

"They recognize that it's one of the most Jewish institutions in the state, Hillel serves a large number of Jewish students on campus, and they want to insure the future of the Jewish community is vibrant and continues to grow," Getraer said. 

Erik Kessler, development director of Rutgers Hillel, said the Wilfs feel a strong connection to Rutgers Hillel, though none attended the school. 

"They realize Rutgers is the largest state university, it's in their backyard, and it's a huge Jewish community," Kessler said.

Rutgers University Hillel was founded in 1943, and today the university has 5,000 Jewish students — the fourth largest Jewish population of any state school in the country.

Yet, Kessler said, the current Hillel facility is inadequate, and the program itself has tripled in size.

"It is cramped, overcrowded, it's an old house, and we need space for people and programs in the new house," Kessler said.  

At present, through the efforts of parents, alumni, fundraising, and the Wilfs, Hillel has raised $5 million of the target $15 million. The land designated for the new 35,000-square-foot building is two-thirds of an acre, and is the largest plot of land in the area not owned by the university.

The new Hillel building will be completely different from the old one, Getraer said.

"It will be equal to the large Hillels at Boston University and University of Pennsylvania, but more importantly it will have the space and resources for Jewish life that exists at Rutgers," Getraer said.

Every Shabbat, Hillel hosts three services for the Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform students.

"On average, 100 people show up for the Orthodox service in a room that holds 75 people," Getraer said. "Some of the extra people end up spilling out into the kitchen, therefore the Conservative and Reform Jews have to walk through their service as they go to theirs upstairs. Also, there's never enough room for their services, either. Sometimes, Reform services are in offices or Hillel rents out a place for them."

Hillel sponsors free Shabbat dinner each week, however due to the lack of space in the building, a dining room is rented out each week. Often, enough space isn't available for the large group of students and guests.   

Kessler said that they are very excited to be moving, especially for the programming and space.   

"You can't even compare the size and features of the new building to our old one," Kessler said.

Kessler explained how planning for the new building had been in the works for five or six years.

"It's really very exciting that we found a space, and that hopefully by 2010 it will be finished," he said.

The building is in an ideal location: A former frat house, at the entrance to the College Avenue campus off of Route 18. Passing motorists will see a "Welcome to Rutgers" sign on one side of the street and a "Rutgers Hillel" sign on the other. The building is planned to be three stories consisting of a large dining area, a kosher café, classrooms, offices, an Israel resource center, three sanctuaries, a computer lab, an exhibit gallery, a social lounge, and a prayer space.    

There is a great deal of excitement at Hillel in anticipation of the new building.

"It's a whole new beginning for us," Getraer said. 

Getraer said the response of the community, the university, the affiliated Jewish federations, and McCormick has been very encouraging.

Getraer explained that because of where the new Hillel building will be on the corner of George Street and Bishop it is in a great location.

"As you enter Rutgers, there will be a sign saying 'Welcome to Rutgers,' then you will see Hillel as you enter the campus, showing that the Jewish community is prominent, visible, and will be very welcoming at Rutgers," Getraer said.

Currently, the layout of the building is being designed and it will be unveiled at the dinner on the 28th. Officials expect to break ground next spring.  

"Right now there is no sense of place for Hillel at Rutgers, but when we have the new building there the facility will truly be home for Jewish life on campus," Getraer said.