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Parents, grandparents and community visitors join students to celebrate Shabbat at Hillel at EMU.

Transition

EMU Hillel joins MSU Hillel's Campus Alliance of Michigan group.

Ken Guten Cohen I Story Development Editor

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

"I believe this coming fall will still be a
difficult transition for those of us used to
having a house, but I also believe this is
going to help us succeed in the long run:'
The transition also means no on-cam-
pus staff. Clara Silver has served as execu-
tive director of EMU Hillel since it broke
away from Hillel of Metro Detroit in 2009
to become a stand-alone operation. She
has had assistance from various engage-
ment fellows during her tenure.
"Clara has done a wonderful job and
should be commended; she will help Cindy
create a smooth transition:' said Jason
Weiss of Novi, chair of the Hillel at EMU
oversight board. "The goal is for Cindy
and her team to get on campus to identify
opportunities and challenges so they are
ready to roll in fall when school starts:'
Silver said, "When Jewish communities
in many places are contracting and contin-
ue to face funding challenges, the Detroit
Jewish Federation has made significant
efforts to make sure that students at every
university in Michigan, including Eastern
[as well as nearby Washtenaw Community
College], continue to be nurtured and sup-
ported as they develop their adult Jewish
identities.
"Consolidating Hillel at EMU with
HCAM is a logical step to make sure stu-
dents continue to receive support, while
community dollars are distributed in the
most efficient, responsible way possible.
"I have great respect for my colleagues
at MSU Hillel and know that their skills
will allow Hillel at EMU to continue to
thrive long into the future. I loved my
role as executive director, and hope that
I can continue to contribute my profes-
sional skills to the Jewish community in
Southeast Michigan:'

12 June 13 • 2013

Jh

Weiss estimates between 700 and 1,000
Jewish students are enrolled at EMU, but
says far less live on campus. He believes a
large percent commute.
"About six months ago, when I took over
as board chair, we looked harder at the
organization to see if we were providing
the best to students on campus:' he said.
"The reality is that we didn't have the size
and strength to accomplish all that we
believe is feasible on this campus. HCAM
should be viewed as very exciting thing:'
Although there were informal discus-
sions about rejoining Hillel of Metro
Detroit, which now serves six campuses,
it was mutually understood that Hillel at
EMU should go forward and not back-
ward.
"We were part of their initial growth:'
said Miriam Starkman, HMD executive
director. "Then they decided to go in a
separate direction, and now this is the next
step in their growth:'
Weiss, an EMU alum, said, "With the
overall expense load reduced, no board,
no director, no staff, the ultimate goal is to
use allocation dollars more for program-
ming for students on campus.
"[The HCAM model] is a more appro-
priate use of dollars:' he said.
"Federation supports the EMU board's
decision and will work with them to
ensure a smooth transition to HCAM:' said
Linda Blumberg, Detroit Federation plan-
ning director.
"Funding for this transition and for
EMU Hillel to be served by HCAM has
been allocated to an EMU Hillel/HCAM
Reserve to pay expenses until such time as
it is clear that all expenses related to this
change are covered. The funding in the
reserve is the same as the current EMU

Hillel allocation, $70,476:'
Weiss, who will join MSU Hillel's board,
said, "There are people on the board
who have put in many years to help grow
Eastern Hillel into what it is. We worked
hard to be a stand-alone, and now we're
going back to no board, giving up con-
trol — and it's a little scary for some. But
HCAM can help us provide a better cam-
pus experience for Jewish kids at EMU."

Cindy Hughey and her team came to the
Hillel at EMU board meeting on April 30
to present information about HCAM, and
to meet with some student leaders.
"We explained we are here to support
them:' Hughey said. "We told them to
think of what they want their vision of
Jewish life on campus to look like, and
we'll help them do it, as we have with
other campuses. We'll begin this summer.
I'm excited to work with them:'
Friedman said, "After meeting with
Cindy and her staff, I feel much more
comfortable about the switch. I think their
strategies and resources are numerous
and, because we have them at our disposal,
I don't see how we can't be successful.
"Before we only could do so much, and
really only had a small group of students
actually interested in Hillel, but with the
help and outreach strategies that HCAM
has given us, I think we will be able to
reach many more students that might not
have known we even existed:'
With EMU coming on board, Hughey
has added staff; now five programming
professionals work with MSU and the nine
HCAM campuses: Albion, Alma, Central
Michigan (Mount Pleasant), EMU, Grand
Valley State (Allendale), Kalamazoo,

Michigan Technological (Houghton),
Northern Michigan (Marquette) and
Western Michigan (Kalamazoo).
An Israel fellow from the Jewish Agency
for Israel will provide Israel programming
on all campuses.
Staff members are assigned to specific
Hillels, but travel in pairs to campus pro-
grams, which are usually in the evenings
and require at least 90 minutes of travel
each way. Staffers communicate with cam-
pus leaders nearly each day by Skype.
"We're very team-oriented, and it's
worked quite successfully:' Hughey said.
She believes the only other model simi-
lar to HCAM is in North Carolina.
"We will be able to do really fun things
for the students there:' she said. "We bring
more resources than they had in the past
— the magnitude of our staff, Alternative
Spring Breaks, the many times we go to
Israel, leadership development — and the
funding we raise will give them opportuni-
ties they have not had.
"We enjoy working with smaller Hillels,"
she said. "On many levels, the kids are
very grateful and don't take things for
granted. And, they like one another so
much; it's like a little social club:'
Hughey and staff met last week with Dr.
Martin Shichtman, an English professor
and director of EMU's Jewish Studies pro-
gram, which had partnered many times
with Hillel at EMU.
"I came away feeling really good;
they are deeply committed [to EMU],"
Shichtman said. "We and the students will
work more closely with MSU and the other
campuses. It will give us greater connect-
edness than ever before. I think this holds
fabulous potential, and I'm very excited
and very much looking forward to it:'

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