Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life announced that Emory University student leader Erika Rief was among the winners of its 2011 Philip H. and Suzi Rudd Cohen Student Exemplar of Excellence Awards at the recent Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly in Denver.

The Student Exemplar of Excellence Award is annually awarded to five students who have displayed exemplary leadership on their respective campuses by inspiring others to act and lead, building meaningful relationships, fostering innovation and creativity, and modeling and inspiring Jewish growth. Selected from among numerous nominees, Rief is joined by fellow winners Will Eastman of Rutgers University, Benjamin Elkind of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Toby Ring of the State University of New York at Geneseo, and Joshua Yudkin of Washington University in St. Louis. Each winner and their respective Hillel receive a prize of $150 and a plaque in recognition of their outstanding leadership efforts.

As you settle into your new home for the next four years, Hillel is here to help give you a true sense of community. Yes, there are 2,000 or more Jewish undergraduates at Emory, but what brings people together is community - close friends, exciting events, opportunities to learn and grow, occasions to celebrate.

A great way to get plugged into the Jewish community at Emory is through the First Year Students of Hillel (FYSH) program. We'll match you up with an upperclassman, a "Big FYSH", who will help you find your way throughout your first months at Emory...and beyond.

Hillel at Emory has been named one of four Hillels in North America this year as a "Center for Israel Excellence" to function as an innovation laboratory for Israel advocacy and educational programs. The designation also comes with grant money to be used toward the planning and implementation of the Excellence models.

Working together with staff, students, board and other campus and community stakeholders, these Hillels will develop and pilot creative approaches to Israel education, engagement, advocacy, and civil dialogue and become resource centers to develop and spread best practices throughout the Hillel field and influence university culture on Israel.

Students at Emory can expect new opportunities for student leadership and creative ways to experience Israel, both in Israel and on campus. The university community will experience Hillel's "Big Tent" approach to discourse on Israel incorporating civil dialogue and engagement, a multi-vocal approach to programming, and learning from a diversity of viewpoints.

Click here to view Hillels of Georgia’s guide to “Israel Discourse on Campus.” Stay tuned for more information as the year continues.

Ben Leiner, a rising sophomore at Emory University, is a past BALTIMORE JEWISH TIMES intern. This article was originally printed in the Baltimore Jewish Times on June 2, 2011.

When I ask my Jewish American friends how they would describe their Judaism, most reply with the canned response, “culturally Jewish, not religiously Jewish.” I used to think this response only meant that they like corned beef, and for most of them, this is the case. However, after traveling to the Holy Land this past week, I can elaborate on what my “cultural Judaism” means to me—something more than eating a sandwich.

I have always regarded my Judaism not as a religious experience, but one of participation. In more than a few ways, Judaism is like a big club, with benefits of which its members may or may not choose to partake. I go to services not because I feel a strong religious connection with God, but because I like feeling the sense of community there.

Hillels of Georgia kicked off the start of a new year at the annual board meeting on June 16 by welcoming incoming President Heidi Berger Geller, who plans to boost fundraising efforts and maintain the organization's commitment to building a vibrant Jewish future for students across the state.

The organization also thanked outgoing President Steve Levene ('83MBA) for his years of dedicated service. Steve helped guide Hillels of Georgia as it opened its impressive new Marcus Hillel Center on Emory's campus, and worked to attract funding and attention across the state and nation despite the down economy.

Executive Director Wayne Silverman addressed the challenges to come as Hillels of Georgia works to attract more funding while beefing up the programming opportunities and projects aimed at the thousands of students the organization serves each year. But he expressed confidence in the board, which remains committed to Hillels of Georgia's unique mission.

The highlight of the meeting, though, were the success stories from students and alumni who shared how Hillels of Georgia helped them find a home away from home on campus.

Some students said they were only marginally connected to Jewish life before finding a place at Hillel, while others praised Hillels of Georgia as a rare refuge for Jewish students amid a tumultuous campus.