In mid-November, the 
Jewish Community Relations 
Council/American Jewish 
Committee (JCRC/AJC) 
had the opportunity to host 
its annual Media Luncheon 
after one year off due to the 
pandemic. During the pro-
gram, which took place at the 
Detroit Athletic Club, several 
dozen members of Metro 
Detroit’s print, broadcast and 
online news outlets heard 
from the executive directors 
of Michigan’s Hillels as they 

described Jewish life on their 
campuses, as well as what the 
students are experiencing. 
 University of Michigan 
Hillel’s Tilly Shemer, Metro 
Detroit Hillel’s Miriam 
Starkman and Michigan State 
University and Hillel Campus 
Alliance of Michigan’s Cindy 
Hughey each discussed their 
different perspectives, making 
local media aware of both 
the successes and difficulties 
students have been faced with 
over the last several years. 

Attendees hear from panelists.

COURTESY OF JCRC/AJC

JCRC/AJC Hosts Media

From WDIV-TV: Devin Scillian, Ro Coppola, Kim Voet-Potter, Bob 
Ellis and Jason Laverty.

JCRC/AJC President Seth Gould, Cindy Hughey, Miriam Starkman, 
Tilly Shemer and Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit CEO 
Steven Ingber

H

illel Day School 
announced its 2022 
Dream Maker and 
Rabbi Jacob E. Segal(z’l) 
Honorees, Nancy and 
Robert “Bobby” Schostak, 
in celebration of their more 
than 50 years of commit-
ment to the school. 
 Bobby, an alum and 
past president of Hillel, 
and Nancy, a past Hillel 
student-teacher and avid 
volunteer, are the parents 
of three Hillel alumni, 
Michael, Jodi and Jeffrey, 
and the grandparents of 
five current Hillel stu-
dents (soon to be six) and 
four grandchildren who 
attend Jewish day school in 
Minneapolis. 
The Schostak Hillel lega-
cy dates back to 1965, when 
a young Bobby began third 
grade, and has continued 
for every decade since 
Bobby’s graduation in 1971. 
The school has Bobby to 
thank for its central loca-
tion that attracts families 
from almost every corner 
of Oakland County; fam-
ilies from Detroit, Ann 
Arbor and Windsor even 
make the commute. Bobby, 
an astute strategic thinker 
and masterful fundraiser, 
brought these skills to the 
table when he was presi-
dent of the Hillel Board of 
Trustees. 
During his leadership, 
Bobby led a historic $13 
million capital campaign 
to expand and renovate 
Hillel’s current facility, all 
within the Shostak Family 
Campus. 
The couple, along with 
the entire Schostak fam-

ily, are exemplary role 
models for their enthusi-
astic support of Hillel, the 
larger community, educa-
tion, Israel and Oakland 
University, where Bobby 
is currently the chairman 
of the Board of Trustees. 
The Schostak Family 
Foundation Endowed Fund 
supports Judaic Studies at 
OU and its medical school 
with scholarships. Together, 
the couple’s impact can also 
be felt at the University 
of Michigan C.S. Mott 
Children’s Hospital. 
The Gala will take 
place on Monday, May 2, 
2022, at the school. For 
more information and 
sponsorship opportunities, 
contact Amy Schlussel 
at (248) 539-1484. To 
inquire about gala tickets 
and journal opportunities, 
contact Marni Cherrin at 
(248) 539-2920. 

Hillel to Honor Bobby 
and Nancy Schostak

Bobby and Nancy Schostak

DECEMBER 30 • 2021 | 35

