Hillel Elects New Leadership

Elections for the Hillel Steering Committee were held Monday night, establishing new leadership at the organization.

Benjamin Z. Galper '02 will take over as the new Hillel chair, Ann E. Chernicoff '03 will become the group's new Associate Chair and Emma A. Kippley-Ogman '03 will become the new secretary.

The students will take over for outgoing officers Michael Rosenberg '01, Naamit M. Kurshan '02 and Tova A. Serkin '02, a Crimson editor.

Their terms will officially begin on the first day of the second semester, after a training period to acclimate the new leaders to Hillel procedures.

"I'm really very excited. It's a lot more responsibility than I had two nights ago," said Galper, who is a Crimson editor.

"I'm actually really excited about getting started, and I'm looking forward to taking this position and making the resources of Hillel available to Harvard community," Chernicoff said.

The new leaders said they plan to broaden Hillel's focus to include the outer Harvard community, more than in the past.

Galper said he also hopes to make programming more cohesive at the Hillel.

Ethan M. Merlin '02 will continue in his position as annual events coordinator for the Hillel until the spring, in order to ease the transition period.

"Old members are there for transition. I would be a big link," Merlin said.

"We'll look to him to give us a little advice. We all listen to each other very carefully," Galper said.

"I'm excited to work with them," Merlin said.

Rosenberg, former chair, has some advice for the incoming members.

"Be open to advice and to recommendations. Be a good listener. I am confident in the new committee. I am very hopeful for what they can do," he said.

Candidates for office submitted an application and participated in a question and answer forum in front of the group's general Steering Committee, which includes Merlin, outgoing officers and three Hillel staff members.

Once the chair and associate chair were officially elected, they assisted the outgoing Steering Committee in appointing Kippley-Ogman secretary.