Hillel Elections

Harvard Hillel elected its second consecutive female president and a new Steering Committee in open elections last Thursday.

The new leadership of Harvard’s largest Jewish organization includes President Judith T. Greenberg ’07, Vice President of Community Building Judith Z. Herbstman ’07, Vice President of Community Relations Rachel B. Nearnberg ’07, Vice President of Education M. Shai Davis ’06, Vice President of Communications Kevin C. Heaps ’07 and Vice President of Shabbat and Holidays Bryan A. Lemus ’07.

The responsibilities of the Steering Committee as a whole are to “set the direction that Hillel takes as an undergraduate organization,” Heaps said Saturday. “We direct various forms of programming and dealings with Hillel, and in general are friendly representatives of the Hillel community.”

Prospective candidates for all positions—except for the vice president of communications, who is appointed by both outgoing and incoming Steering Committee members—had to submit applications. After an open question-and-answer session at Hillel, all active members were eligible to vote on the Steering Committee posts.

According to Greenberg, the election for Presidency was closely contested, but the vice presidential elections were uncontested.

Greenberg, the organization’s second female president in its 60 years wrote in an e-mail that Hillel is “the nexus and catalyst for Jewish life on campus.” Anna M. Solomon-Schwartz ’06 was elected Hillel’s first female president last February.

Heaps said he would like to project a more inclusive and welcoming image of the organization.

“I’d like to help show people how welcoming our community can be and how welcoming of a community it is,” Heaps said.

The newly-elected members of the Committee will take office the first day of next semester.