Dessert Gala

Honoring all its Past Presidents and celebrating the Double Chai

Thirty-sixth anniversaryof Presidential Leadership

Sunday, April 25, 20107:30 pm

Houston Hillel Student CenterIda & William Zinn Building

1700 Bissonnet, Houston, Texas 77005

Congratulations to

Houston Hillel on its

Thirty-sixth Anniversary

And to all

the Past Presidents

who have helped

to shape this

wonderful organization

Linda and Larry Blumenfeld

Dessert Gala

Honoring all its Past Presidents and celebrating the Double Chai

Thirty-sixth anniversaryof Presidential Leadership

Sunday, April 25, 20107:30 pm

Houston Hillel Student CenterIda & William Zinn Building

1700 Bissonnet Houston, Texas 77005

The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life

Event Co-ChairsFrieda & Melvin Dow Denise & Steve Moore Linden & Roger Sofer

Houston Hillel’s Past Presidents

Event CommitteeLinda Blumenfeld

Shirley CohnAlan Cohn

Marian DaumMichael DukeAron Frank

Anniversary Couple Sponsors

Ron Nodler, 2008-2009

Lenny Holzband, 2004-2008

Jerry Paine, 2002-2004

Daniel Musher, 2000-2002

Karol Musher, 1998-2000

Gary Swartz, 1995-1998

Marilyn Shaw, 1992-1995

Max Goldfield z”l, 1990-1992

Larry Smith, 1988-1990

David Jacobson, 1985-1988

Richard Brochstein, 1983-1985

Alvin Zimmerman, 1981-1983

Double Chai Sponsors

Fredi FranksMark Hochstein

Ellen LoweDaniel MusherMuriel MeiclerLennie Roth

Michael Sachs

Alan Levin, 1975-1981

Phyllis & Aron FrankDiane & Alan Levin

Ellen & Richard LoweKarol & Daniel Musher

Linda & Jerry PaineSusan & Ed SeptimusHelen & Andy Spector

Susie & Alvin Zimmerman

Shirley & Alan CohnFredi Franks

Nancy & Ron NodlerEsther Polland

Vice President of DevelopmentShirley K. Cohn

Ed SeptimusSusan SeptimusHelen SpectorLeah StolarDavid Vener

Sharla WertheimerSusan Yarbrough

Marvin Rich

Daniel Pickelner President

Shirley CohnAron Frank

Susan SeptimusMichael Wadler

Vice Presidents

Andy Priesman Secretary

Mark Hochstein Treasurer

Ron Nodler Immediate Past President

Michael DukeKelli Cohen Fein

Fredi FranksMarshall Levit

Ellen LoweMabel MassinMuriel Meicler

Rabbi Steve MorganSteve Moore

Daniel MusherIrving Pozmantier

Lennie RothMarlene Rubin

Marsha SachsMichael Sachs

Joyce SchechterEd SeptimusRoger Sofer

Andrew SolomonHelen Spector

Brad SteinLeah Stolar

Bill SunshineDavid VenerLauren Vines

Ronnie Yambra

Houston Hillel Board of Directors

Adam BrackmanGary & Debby Cortes

Marian DaumLinda Davis-Blumenfeld

Dan GoldmanKarol Musher

Esther PollandGloria Ribnick

Irene Shaw Marilyn ShawGary Swartz

Sharla Wertheimer

Houston Hillel Advisory Committee

Rabbi Kenny WeissExecutive Director

Tamara Marks-MosesDirector of Jewish Life

Barbara DryerAdministrator

Susan Yarbrough

Robert Zinn

The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life

Early years of Jewish student life through the 1950’s

Jewish life for Houston’s college students began in 1915 with the establishment of the Menorah Society at Rice University.

The October, 1916 issue of the Rice Thresher observes, “Judging from the fact that the membership is twice as large as it has previously been,

a most successful year is promised, toward which every member is ready to strive; an effort which can culminate in nothing less than success.”

Left - Menorah Society page from the 1918 Rice University Campanile.Right - Menorah Society page from the 1948 Rice University Campanile.

Top left - Hillel Society page from the 1950 Campanile.

Left - 1950 Rice Hillel gathering at Congregation Emanu El. Photo courtesy of Ellis Rudy.

Right - Jewish Herald Voice, September 5, 1940. Article courtesy of the Jewish Herald Voice.

Rice University

1940’s & 1950’s

In 1940 B’nai B’rith Hillel announced the appointment of Rabbi Robert Kahn as Director of the new B’nai B’rith Hillel Counselorship at Rice University, although for almost a decade students at Rice continued to celebrate Jewish life as the Menorah Society.

Although founded in 1927, the first mention of the Hillel Society in the University of Houston Houstonian appears in the 1947 issue. Jewish life on campus grew tremendously during the post-war years.

Left - Hillel Society page from the 1947 Houstonian.

Below - University of Houston Hillel’s first participation in Frontier Fiesta, 1947. From left, Marsha Wishnow, Miriam Joachim, Elaine Merwin, unknown, Francis Stein. Photo courtesy of Elaine Merwin.

University of Houston

Left - Hillel Society page from the 1954 University of Houston Houstonian.

Below left - 1956 Budget proposal for Hillel at the University of Houston.

Below right - Hillel Society page from the 1955 University of Houston Houstonian.

1960’s & 1970’s

Above - Hillel page from the 1963 University of Houston Houstonian.

Top right - Hillel page from the 1966 Rice University Campanile.

Bottom right - Hillel page from the 1967 University of Houston Houstonian.

Top left - Hillel page from the 1971 Rice University Campanile.

Bottom left - Hillel page from the 1973 Rice University Campanile.

Middle right - Lunch in the University of Houston Hillel Student Lounge, 1979.

Bottom right - Rabbi Shaul Osadchey with students in the University of Houston Sukkah, 1979.

1970’s & 1980’s

Top left - Frank Shaw, Alan Levin, Jerry Ribnick z”l.

Middle left - Rabbi Shaul Osadchey, Judge Alvin Zimmerman.

Bottom left - From the Hillel page of the 1981 Rice University Campanile.

On August 27, 1975 at a meeting of the Advisory Board to the University of Houston Hillel Marvin Rich proposed that Alan Levin be the chairman of the newly created Houston Hillel Advisory Board. The Board would consist of eight members of B’nai B’rith, four men and four women; eight community members; four faculty members; and students from Rice University and the University of Houston. In November, 1975 Frank Shaw was appointed Secretary/Treasurer.

Alan Levin, President 1975-1981Local lay leadership established for Houston’s Jewish col-• lege students.Rabbi Shaul Osadchey hired as first full time executive • director in 1979.University of Houston Hillel and the University of Hous-• ton become joint custodians of a Holocaust Torah Scroll, secured through the efforts of Dr. Irving Rothman.University of Houston Hillel received a neir tamid as a • gift from the Joseph Margolin family.

Judge Alvin Zimmerman, President, 1981-1983 Hillel Counselorship in Houston becomes a full Hillel • Foundation.Hillel vigorously combats an increasingly strong Pro-• Palestinian, anti-Israel campaign at the University of Houston.Through the courtesy of Joe Samuels Hillel begins the • publication of regular articles in the Jewish Herald Voice about Jewish student life.A student job network was established with local busi-• ness people.

Richard Brochstein, President 1983-1985Rabbi Sally Finestone hired as executive • director in 1983.Hillel brings Benjamin Netanyahu, then • Deputy Chief of Mission of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., to the University of Houston.

Dr. David Jacobson, President 1985-1988Dallas Jewish Federation begins allo-• cating financial resources to Houston Hillel.Houston Hillel begins outreach to • Houston’s Jewish graduate students and young professionals (GAP), an ef-fort that has become an integral part of Houston Hillel’s activities.Hillel co-sponsors Elie Wiesel’s visit to • Houston.National Hillel recommends that Hous-• ton Hillel consider a permanent city-wide facility.Marian Daum heads a search committee • for a permanent facility.

Larry Smith, President 1988-1990Fundraising for a “Hillel House” be-• comes a priority with Marian Daum and Sharla Wertheimer taking active roles.Rabbi Stuart Federow hired as execu-• tive director in 1989.Larry Massin coordinates a fund rais-• ing campaign to meet Hillel’s growing budget.

Top - Hillel page from the 1985 University of Houston Houstonian.

Bottom - Hillel page from the 1987 University of Houston Houstonian.

Max Goldfield z”l, President 1990-1992Jewish Federation of Greater Houston increases its al-• location recognizing the work Hillel does on behalf of students.Maintenance of close relationship with B’nai B’rith.• Robert and Edith Zinn make the first significant donation • for the purchase of a Hillel Student Center.

Marilyn Shaw, President 1992-1995 “On Wings of Awe” adopted as Hillel High Holy Day • prayerbook.Lex Judaica recognized as a student organization at Uni-• versity of Houston Law Center.Establishment of the B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation of • Greater Houston Hillel House Fund to purchase and cre-ate the Hillel Student Center.Establishment of the Ernest Krautkopf Houston Hillel • Special Program Fund.

Gary Swartz, President 1995-1998 Hillel Foundation of Greater Houston, Inc. established to • purchase the Hillel Student Center.Hillel Student Center dedicated, culminating in a fund-• raising effort in excess of $1 million.Rabbi David Moss hired as executive director in 1995.• Gary Swartz honored as the “Mitzvah Man” at a major • Houston Hillel fundraising event with more than 600 people in attendance.

Karol Musher, President 1998-2000 Houston Hillel begins its first accreditation process.• Hillel Student Center used as BJE Distance Learning site • for Cleveland College of Jewish Studies.Establishment of the Ben McGuire Houston Hillel Lec-• tureship and Program Fund.Establishment of the Beulah Axelrad Yellen (Rice ’36) • Houston Hillel Entertainment Fund.

Top - Planning the 1991 auction, from left, Marilyn Shaw, Gary Swartz, Larry Smith and Marian Daum.

Middle - The Hillel Student Center shortly after its dedication.

Bottom left - Rabbi Stuart Federow, Rabbi Jimmy Kessler and Max Goldfield z”l.

Bottom Middle - Gary Swartz at Houston Hillel’s Mitzvah Man Celebration.

Bottom right - Hillel page from the 1994 Rice University Campanile.

1990’s

A New Century

Dr. Daniel Musher, President 2000-2002Houston Hillel begins holding Shabbat services • weekly rather than monthly.Houston Hillel, Inc. created to formally separate • Houston Hillel’s work with students from owner-ship of the Hillel Student Center.Rabbi Kenny Weiss hired as executive director in • 2001.Houston Hillel hosts Hillel’s International Board of • Governors meeting at the Houston Hillel Student Center as part of the Shusterman Hillel Interna-tional Lay Leadership Conference. Shirley K. Cohn serves as Houston Chairman.Establishment of the Gloria and Jerry Ribnick • Houston Hillel Passover Seder Fund.Establishment of the Freda and Louis Rubenstein • Hillel Jewish Holiday Fund.

Top left - Shabbat dinner at the Hillel Student Center, 2008.

Bottom left - Daniel Musher speaking to stu-dents at Baylor College of Medicine, 2008.

Top right - High Holy Day services at the Hillel Student Center, 2003.

Middle right - Lunch at Hillel’s University of Houston Student Lounge, 2009

Bottom right - Baylor College of Medicine Hillel dinner, 2008.

Jerry Paine, President 2002-2004Torah donated to Houston Hillel by Congre-• gation Shearith Israel of Wharton.Kinky Friedman performs at a very success-• ful Houston Hillel fundraising event.Establishment of the Holzband Hillel • Programming Fund and installation of the Holzband Endowment Tree in the lobby of the Hillel Student Center.

Top left - Post-Passover pizza celebration, 2010.

Top right - Tu b’Shevat tree planting at Rice University, 2009.

Middle right - Preparing for the Welcome Back BBQ, 2008.

Bottom right - Enjoying a springtime Shabbat picnic at Hermann Park, 2009.

A New Century

Lenny Holzband, President 2004-2008 Houston Hillel begins participating with the Joint Distribu-• tion Committee’s alternative spring break trips to Argentina.Zinn Challenge gift raises a $250,000 Endowment for student • programming, establishing the Houston Hillel Robert and Edith Zinn Program Fund.Establishment of the Houston Hillel Larry Massin Sports • Lounge Fund.Ziggy Gruber sponsors first in a series of successful “Ziggy’s • Romanian” fundraising dinners co-chaired by Shirley Cohn and Sandra Finkelman.First annual “Chai Tea” luncheon held under co-chaired by • Ellen Lowe and Jenny Tavor.

Ron Nodler, President 2008-2009 Houston Hillel hosts Hillel International President Wayne • Firestone and Chairman of Governors Edgar Bronfman.Houston Hillel’s GAP (graduate students and young profes-• sionals) programming is rebranded as Jewstontexas.

Top left - Rice University President David Leebron addresses students during the annual Shabbat dinner held at his home, 2009.

Top right - Houston Hillel undergraduates, graduate students and young professionals attend the AIPAC Dessert Reception, 2009.

Upper middle right - Shirley Cohn, Ziggy Gruber and Sandra Finkelman at the first “Ziggy’s Romanian” dinner, 2006.

Lower middle right - Rabbi Kenny Weiss with Rice students during a campus lunch, 2010.

Bottom right - Hillel page from the 2009 Rice University Campanile.

Hol HaMoed Pesach, 5770 Dear Friends and Supporters of Hillel, It is with pleasure and joy that I write this note of mazal tov to the past presidents of Houston Hillel for their devoted service to the Jewish students on Houston’s cam-puses. Since I came to Houston as the founding director of the Hillel Foundation in July, 1979, I have regarded Hillel as one of the critical institutions of the Jewish community. Hillel’s role is singularly important as a place where Jewish students can deepen their Jewish identity as they journey through the transformative college years. It further serves a critical function of being the bridge to the adult Jewish community. As such, I applaud the past presidents who have given of their time and resources to strength ening the Jewish experience on campus and creating dedicated leadership for the Jewish future. In particular, I offer my personal appreciation to Alan Levin, Alvin Zimmerman, and Richard Brochstein who served as presidents of the Hillel Foun-dation during my tenure. They had the patience and wisdom to allow a young and energetic rabbi to begin the work that was thereafter capably assumed by his succes-sors. The partnership of competent Hillel directors and experienced lay leaders has resulted in the accomplishments that Jewish students in Houston now enjoy. I extend my “Yashar Koach” to Hillel’s past presidents for helping to insure that Jew-ish stu dents on campus become active and knowledgeable Jews in the future. With sincerest regards from Calgary, Alberta Canada where I have already partici-pated in Hillel activities at the University of Calgary, B’vircat Shalom v’Hatzlacha (with blessings for peace and success), Rabbi Shaul Osadchey

RABBIShaul Osadchey

CHAZZAN

David Edwards

PRESIDENTStuart Myron

CHAIRMAN OF THE

BOARDH. Markham Silver

VICE-PRESIDENTS

Maxine FischbeinLorne Pearl

Leonard Seidman

TREASUREREdward Dunn

CORRESPONDING

SECRETARYNorman Greensides

RECORDINGSECRETARY

Teresa Cheyfetz

PAST PRESIDENTCheryl Shiell

SISTERHOOD

PRESIDENTBev Dunn

EXECUTIVE

DIRECTORLouis M. Bracey

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April 16, 20102 Iyar, 5770

Dear Dedicated Presidents of Houston Hillel, I wanted to add my voice to the many voices congratulating you on your devotion and care for the Jewish students of Houston.

It takes courage and vision to step forward and become a leader, especially when there are many challenges facing Jewish students on today’s cam-puses. Yet as Moses has shown us, it takes more than courage and vision. One must also have compassion, a strong love for the work, and devotion for one’s community. You have all shown all of this in your commendable work at Houston Hillel. May you continue to bless your community with your hard work and dedi-cation, and may Adonai continue to bless the work of your hands. B’Shalom,

Rabbi Sally FinestoneFormer Director of Houston Hillel1983-1988

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Congratulations to Houston Hillel and the achievements of its past presidents.

Mazel Tovto

Houston Hillelon its Double Chai Anniversary

“May it go from strength to strength”

and

Todah Rabah to its

Past Presidents who have guided our young people toward productive Jewish lives

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With thanks and gratitude to the past, present,

and future leadership of Houston Hillel

The Septimus Family

Yasher Koachto Houston Hillel’s Presidents

for creating Jewish memories for generations of college students

Rabbis Amy & Kenny Weiss

Drs. David Vener

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We want to thank

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1988-1990Phyllis and Aron Frank

The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life

Jerry Paine

We appreciate all that you do for your family and the Jewish community.

Thanks for being such a great husband, dad and zayde!

We love you,

Linda Paine, David Paine, Jennifer, Gregg, Elijah, Joshua and Rebekah Costa

Congratulations to Houston HillelPast Presidents,

And Current Leadership

We salute Lay and Professional Leaders Who built and sustained Hillel

May it go from strength to strength.

Warm wishes always

Shirley K. and Alan Cohn & FamilyGail Gluckman, Ilan Kuperman,

Lynn and Loren Chorn, Maya and Benjamin

In Honor of Hillel’s Past Presidents,Community Partners of

Mom / Minga / Karol and Dad / Pampa / Daniel,

Thank you for teaching us to serve our communities by your example. Mazal tov. We love you.

Love, Rebecca, Jon, Jacob, Zachary, and Jonah Benjamin, Lydia, Talia, and Avi Deborah, Joe, Molly, Gabriel, and Sammy

Congratulations to Hillel for many years of good work with our university students

Karol and Daniel Musher

Congratulations to Lenny Holzband

for his dedication and service

Gene & Betty Protas

Mazal Tov to Houston Hilleland

Hillel’s Past Presidents

Your presence and dedication in the lives of Jewish students has enriched Houston

for generations to come.

Rabbi David LyonCongregation Beth Israel

Best Wishes

Evelyn Reichenthal

“When the joys are still remembered But the sorrow has quietly gone, There will always be a special place In the heart - Where love lives on.”

In loving memory of Max Goldfield

Beloved Dad, PeePaw and now Great Grandfather.

Love forever, Beryl, Philip, Nicole and Mariah

Congratulations to all the Past Presidents

Rabbi Jack SegalRabbi Emeritus

Beth Yeshurun Congregation

Congratulations to the Past Presidents for your role

in perpetuating the continuity of our heritage.

Fran & Abe Friedman

AIPAC celebrates with Houston Hillelon the occasion of its thirty-sixth anniversary

and the accomplishments of its past presidents.

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Best wishes for the future

Elaine and Sam Merwin

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Past Presidents

In honor of

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Mindy and Ira Mitzner