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On campus, Hillel is much more than just a club

Julie Schechter of West
Bloomfield was frankly a bit
apprehensive about enrolling at
Wayne State University. "All my
friends were either going to U-M
or MSU and I honestly thought
that I wouldn't like Wayne
State," she says. Her fears turned
out to be entirely groundless,
however, and Schechter is now
a senior at WSU, majoring in
marketing.

Schechter says she came to
Wayne State looking for the
typical college experience,
complete with friends, new
ideas and fresh opportunities.
She found all that and much
more when she discovered
Wayne State's Jewish student

organization, Hillel of Metro
Detroit (HMD).

Hillel offered Schechter more
than just a chance to meet other
Jewish students; it also gave
her a place to network with
people in the business world
and eventually helped her land
an internship at a major metro
Detroit marketing agency.

"Hillel has opened up a lot of
doors for me," Schechter says.
"It's also a great place to hang
out between classes and just be
yourself."

Schechter, 21, is now HMD's
Grinspoon Advocacy Intern,
organizing programs and
staging events to educate other

students about Israel. Schechter
got the post after traveling to
Israel with Hillel and discovering
that she had both a passion for
the nation's culture and history
and a desire to learn more about
it. The most recent event about
which she was especially excited
was the Israeli Marketplace,
which took place April 17
in WSU's Student Center.
Featuring uniquely Israeli food
and products, the Marketplace
was designed to help students
experience a bit of Israel for
themselves.

For Schechter, Hillel has a place
where Jewish students can
explore and celebrate their

cvniutaed

10)e- e

T4 '

Making a
difference

As an undergraduate student,
Jodee Fishman Raines'
impression of lawyers included
litigators or corporate types.
Not until she attended a panel
presentation for undergraduate
students contemplating law
school did she realize she
could make a difference in her
community by studying social
issues and the law.

Raines, executive director of
The Jewish Fund in Bloomfield
Hills, was encouraged by a
mentor to obtain practical work
experience before going to
law school full-time. She was
quickly hired in philanthropy as a
program associate at The Skillman
Foundation, where she worked for
more than two years.

"One of the smartest things I did
was work for a few years before I
went to law school," Raines said.
"It allowed me to gain a different

Julie Schechter:

"Hillel has opened up a lot

of doors for me."

F4t. e 8

perspective on the
world and gave me
time to evaluate my
options."

Fortunately, her
immediate supervisor
and the president
of The Skillman
Foundation were
both lawyers, and
supported her
decision to attend
Wayne State Law
School beginning in
1989.

"The school seemed
small enough
that I felt that the
professors and other
students would know
who I was and would
Jodee Fishman Raines:
care about me as a
"My
heart
really was in philanthropy."
person, but large and
sophisticated enough
foundation and nonprofit clients.
that I knew I would obtain a
quality education," she said.
"I enjoyed my experience at
Bodman but quickly decided my
While a law student, Raines
heart really was in philanthropy,"
honed her leadership skills and
Raines said. "Despite leaving the
gained practical experience
actual practice of law, I could
in social law issues such as
think of no better education for
domestic violence, homelessness
the type of work that I wanted
and civil rights by volunteering
to do."
at the Free Legal Aid Clinic
and co-chairing the Women's
After another four years at The
Law Caucus. She carried those
Skillman Foundation, Raines
experiences with her to Bodman
was encouraged to apply at
LLP upon earning her J.D. from
The Jewish Fund. As executive
Wayne State in 1992. She spent
director, she oversees grants
nearly five years there, working
from a $69 million endowment
with an impressive portfolio of
created by the sale of Sinai

Wayne State University • 4

Hospital in 1997. The fund
gives grants primarily to address
health and welfare needs of the
Jewish community and priority
capital and equipment needs of
The Detroit Medical Center.

"My current position with The
Jewish Fund allows me to work
directly with some of the best
lay people in the state and has
allowed me to reconnect with
my Jewish roots," she said. "The
greatest satisfaction I get is
knowing that my work ultimately
helps to significantly improve
the lives of our community's
most vulnerable members."

Raines' work at The Jewish Fund
is not going unnoticed. She was
honored as one of Southeast
Michigan's Most Influential
Women by Crain's Detroit

Business.

Raines has volunteered on
boards and committees such
as City Connect Detroit,
the Council of Michigan
Foundations, the Program for
Holocaust Survivors and Families,
and the Jewish Community
Center. As the mother of two
school-age children, she also
volunteered as a Girl Scout
Troop leader for two years.

She was elected to the Wayne
State University Alumni
Association Board of Directors
in February.