Position |
Name |
Contact |
| Director | Jeremy Brochin | Contact Jeremy! |
| Associate Director | Rabbi Mike Uram | Contact Rabbi Mike! |
| Director of Engagement | Debbie Yunker | Contact Debbie! |
| Jewish Student Life Coordinator | Rabbi Janice Elster | Contact Rabbi Janice! |
| Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow | Matt Susnow | Contact Matt! |
| Israel Program Coordinator | Hela Lahar | Contact Hela! |
| JLI Educators | Rabbi Mordy Friedman Limor Friedman |
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| Office Manager | Joan Bobroff | Contact Joan! |
| Facilities and Operations Manager | Bob Williams | Contact Bob! |
| Executive Director Hillel Greater Philadelphia |
Rabbi Howard Alpert | Contact Rabbi Alpert! |
| Director Jeremy Brochin
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Jeremy Brochin is in his 20th year as Director of Penn Hillel and still loves his job! Over those 20 years he has seen the Jewish community grow and become an even more vibrant presence in the Penn community. Jeremy supervises the staff, administers Penn Hillel, raises funds, and helps to create a vision for Jewish life on campus. But his first love is still spending time with students at Steinhardt Hall and throughout the campus. He is an avid bicyclist and hiker and loves the outdoors. Jeremy is married to Rabbi Reena Spicehandler. Their oldest child Ari is a student at the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. Their daughter Elana is a participant in Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps in Washington D.C. |
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Associate Director
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Rabbi Mike Uram moved to Philadelphia with his wife Leora after finishing his rabbinical studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He also holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and has worked with congregations in Southern Georgia, New York's East Village and Cleveland, Ohio. Mike has also worked with college students at Northwestern, NYU and Columbia. He is most passionate about breaking down the social, intellectual and spiritual barriers that separate Jews from the richness of our tradition. When Mike is not at Hillel he loves to listen to and play bad music (think Bon Jovi) and be outside either biking or hiking. |
| Director of Engagement Debbie Yunker
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Debbie Yunker is a big fan of running around campus and hanging out with as many students as possible each day! Originally from Framingham, MA (the largest town in MA!), Debbie received her B.A. from Emory University in Atlanta and her M.A. from New York University, with a 2 year stint in St. Louis in between. Debbie has been known to cover the cost of coffee during meetings, take flyers from everyone she sees on the walk, and sit at the same table at Houston Hall for hours at a time! When she’s not hustling between coffee shops on campus or moving around the country, Debbie likes to spend time keeping in touch with friends, running, reading, playing tennis, cooking, traveling and trying to take advantage of local cultural activities. She is also a big fan of the Cosby Show, mint chocolate chip ice cream, and Twix bars. |
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Jewish Student Life Coordinator |
Rabbi Janice Elster moved to Philadelphia with her husband Michael from Cincinnati, where they both completed their rabbinical studies at Hebrew Union College. Janice hails from the land of Canada and has been working on perfecting her American accent since she has been living in the US. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto and has worked in the Jewish community in Hillel, with youth, at camps and in congregations. Janice is passionate about pluralism and creativity so Penn Hillel is a natural home for her. When not at Hillel Janice likes to read, crochet and cook (usually while watching the Food Network). |
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Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow
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Matt Susnow was born and raised in sunny southern |
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Israel Program Coordinator |
Hela Lahar moved to |
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JLI Educators
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Rabbi Mordy & Limor Friedman are new to the Penn community, Philly, and the US, as they (and their adorable daughter Noa pictured with her father) have just moved to the Penn campus from Israel to take the position of Jewish Learning Initiative Educators.
Rabbi Mordy Friedman received his rabbinic ordination (semicha) from Yeshiva University, where he completed his undergraduate studies in Judaic Studies and Bible, as well as his Masters in Medieval Jewish History. Rabbi Mordy made Aliyah to Israel five years ago, where he studied in various Yeshivot, pursued his doctorate in Talmud at Bar Ilan University and taught for two years at Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi. On campus he can be found preparing for shiurim in his office or in the Beit Midrash, schmoozing in the Dining Hall, meeting with students, answering questions and being a resource for a variety of Jewish functions. Limor Friedman, a native Israeli from Netivot, has arrived on the Penn campus full of excitement, curiosity and energy. She has just completed her Master's in English Literature from Bar Ilan University and has worked for numerous years at the Jewish Agency. Limor is getting used to the American campus culture and has made her home a new popular spot on campus (especially on Shabbat!) as the Friedmans live only a block away from Steinhardt Hall. |
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Office Manager
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Joan Bobroff has been at Penn Hillel for over 8 years. Not only is she the office manager of Penn Hillel, supervising over 10 work study students each year, Joan also makes sure all the computers and networks in the building are always up and running. When she is not at Hillel she is an avid gardener, growing lots of tomatoes in the summers and slowly redoing the gardens around her home in the fall. Joan is married to Steven and is the mother of two grown children. Her son Jeff is a police officer in New York City and her daughter Meredith is an acupuncturist practicing in the Philadelphia area. Joan and Steve have adopted a rescue dog named Barkley and spend most of their free time training him. |
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Facilities and Operations Manager
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Executive Director, Hillel Greater Philadelphia |
