Hal Ossman, Executive Director

(607) 255-4227

hjo9@cornell.edu

Hal Ossman earned his bachelor’s degree in History and Judaic Studies at the University of Arizona ‘98 and a Master’s of Management from the Heller School for Social Policy ‘01 and a Master’s of Jewish Communal Service at the Hornstein School of Jewish Communal Service at Brandeis University ‘01. He returned to the University of Arizona in 2001 to serve as Hillel Assistant Director for three years. After serving as Young Leadership Division Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, he became the Associate Director of the University of Wisconsin Hillel Foundation from 2005 to 2007.

Executive Director of the University of Delaware Hillel Foundation from 2007 to 2011, Ossman helped Hillel keep pace with the university’s growing Jewish student population, strengthening its student program, budget, professional staff and governance. He grew Hillel’s annual budget by 65 percent, and expanded the professional staff from three to six. Delaware Hillel was one of only ten Hillels to be awarded a four‐year grant from the Jim Joseph Foundation for Hillel’s Senior Jewish Educator and Campus Entrepreneur Initiatives.

Hal Ossman started as the Executive Director of Cornell Hillel in 2011.  He lives in Ithaca with his wife Rachel and daughter Sage.  The family are members of Temple Beth El synagogue in Ithaca.

Rabbi Kate Speizer, Associate Director and Campus Rabbi

(607) 255-9772

ks667@cornell.edu

Kate’s journey into the world of Jewish Communal Leadership formally began when she served as a volunteer in Israel on Project OTZMA which was followed by her first professional position in the field as Program Director at the University of Pennsylvania Hillel. 

As a campus rabbi and Associate Director for Jewish Campus Life at Cornell Hillel, Kate is a resource for students, faculty, and staff to enrich and deepen Jewish Life at Cornell.

Kate’s rabbinic studies were done at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, first in Jerusalem and then in Los Angeles. Highlights of her life are her husband, Ilan, and their young children, Yoni and Shira.  Other passions include the outdoors, cooking, creating art, and spending time with friends and family. 

Rabbi Brian Fink, Rabbinic Fellow

(607) 255-9721

bdf44@cornell.edu

A life-long Cleveland Browns fan, Brian grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and was very active in NFTY, the national Reform youth group, participating in URJ Kutz Camp and working for two summers at OSRUI summer camp in Wisconsin.  After attending college at Tulane University and developing a love for New Orleans Jazz, Brian moved to Brooklyn, participated in the Avodah: Jewish Service Corps, and advocated on behalf of disadvantaged New Yorkers at the Urban Justice Center legal non-profit in Manhattan.  He was ordained as a rabbi in June 2011 from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia, and while in school, studied for a year in Israel, worked at a number of synagogues, served as a chaplain for hospital patients, and was the rabbinic intern at the University of Delaware Hillel.  Brian and his wife Aileen are very excited to be in Ithaca, NY, and look forward to getting to know the Cornell Hillel community.  He would love to learn about your plans to change the world.

Igor graduated from Hebrew Union College (HUC)– Jewish Institute of Religion with a Masters in Religious Education and Jewish Nonprofit Management. Being with Hillel International since 2002 as a student, Igor came to Cornell Hillel in 2010 as a part of his MA internship requirements. Since then he has been getting to know students, led several Taglit-Birthright Israel trip. Among other projects, Igor directs the Campus Entrepreneurs Initiative at Cornell Hillel, works with various student groups. He is always collecting suggestions and awesome ideas. This winter Igor started taking skiing lessons, so winter in Ithaca is gradually becoming exciting for him! Igor lives in Ithaca with his wife Olga.

Eliana is the JLIC co-educator on campus. She grew up in a small town in Massachusetts, leaving early to attend college where she graduated with a B.A. in psychology. In 2004, Eliana made aliyah and immersed herself in intensive yeshiva studies in the heart of Jerusalem for five years. During that time Eliana taught Torah, ran a healthy catering company, and worked as an editor and translator for the Steinsaltz Center. She played an integral role in founding and running the Ve’ani Tefilah minyan, studied counseling at the Jerusalem Polarity School, and trained as a group facilitator for Jewish women’s groups.

Eliana loves cooking, especially large nourishing meals in the grand tradition of her Jewish foremothers—her grandmother authored many wholesome kosher cookbooks. She loves great coffee shops, reading the New Yorker and all good writing, hiking, and dancing (her guilty pleasure is “So You Think Can Dance”). As a Torah educator, Eliana’s passion is developing personal relationships that foster the individual’s discovery of a meaningful Jewish experience. Eliana can be found around campus wearing the newest (and cutest) addition to the Silver family, Noveya Tzion.

(607) 255-9769 

gn88@cornell.edu

Gil Naor is the newly appointed Jewish Agency Israel fellow to Hillel at Cornell University. Prior to coming on Shlichut, Gil served as an officer in the Israel navy and graduated with honors in the Naval Officer Unit. Gil also served as a counselor in the “Israel Identity” program as well as a pre-army mental preparation program for 12th graders in the formal education system in Israel.

Gil grew up in Herzilya and at a young age he had established a special group for American students in the Israel Scouts. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and has a BA in Political science and Education. He was previously on shlichut in North America when he served as a Counselor at the JCC Maccabi camp in Maine.

Gil looks forward to bringing Israel to the Cornell campus and to strengthening the ties between Israel and the Diaspora by fostering Jewish identity among students and exposing them to Israeli society, culture and the unique Israeli experience. 

He enjoys hiking in nature and outdoor sports as much as indoor, including  running, biking and most of all wave surfing at the beautiful beach of his hometown. He likes to balance out the day with a good book or some poetry.

Rachel began her Hillel career in 2002. She has worked at the Johns Hopkins University Hillel, Hillel of Greater Philadelphia, and the University of Delaware. She received her Masters Degree in Higher Education Administration from New York University and her BA from Rutgers University. Outside of work she can often be found at the gym or running, crocheting & knitting, or catching up on the many hours of "junk" TV waiting on the DVR. Rachel lives in Ithaca with her husband, adorable daughter Sage, and cute dog, Orly.

Alexis Robins, Engagement Associate 

(607) 255-6159

amr372@cornell.edu

Alexis, who likes to go by the nickname of Lexi, graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in May with a bachelor’s degree in Jewish Studies and Sociology. Lexi is excited to be the new Engagement Associate at Cornell Hillel and looks forward to meeting the many wonderful students on campus. At Penn State, Lexi was active at Hillel and learned the fundamentals of engagement by being a Peer Network Engagement Intern, a MASA representative on campus, and a Facing Change Intern. Born and raised a Jersey girl, Lexi enjoys going to concerts, taking photographs, and traveling in her free time.