Student Groups & Leaders
Click here to download the 2023-24 Student Leader Packet
Hillel Student Board
Student Officers
Co-Presidents: Odessa Goldberg and Sophie Dauerman
Communications Chair: Eliza Josephson
Sophomore Rep: Jake Berg
Junior Rep: Izzy Kalb
Culture Chair: Sammy Rosenberg
Shabbat & Holidays Chair: Noah Tirschwell
Community Building Chair: Elisheva Feintuch
Outreach Chair: Sophie Schonberger
Social Justice & Arts Chair: Ava Leipzig
Student-Led Minyanim (Prayer Groups)
Reform Chavurah
The Reform Chavurah holds Friday night and holiday reform services throughout the year.
Aaron Mesa aaron.mesa@yale.edu
YIHY (Young Israel House at Yale)
YIHY represents the Orthodox Jewish community at Yale as well as the Orthodox Jewish community of downtown New Haven, catering to the needs of observant Jews on campus and in the surrounding area. As a group, we arrange daily minyan services, Torah learning initiatives, social events and other activities for the Yale Jewish community at large. Website: yihy.org
Shlomi Helfgot- shlomi.helfgot@yale.edu
Eytan Israel- eytan.israel@yale.edu
Sammy Rosenberg- Samuel.a.Rosenberg@yale.edu
Sabrina Zbar- Sabrina.zbar@yale.edu
Egal Minyan
Egal is a student-led, egalitarian minyan that meets every Friday night and Saturday morning to daven together.
Etan Basser – etan.basser@yale.edu
Sophie Dauerman – sophie.dauerman@yale.edu
David Liebowitz – david.liebowitz@yale.edu
Eden Migdal – eden.migdal@yale.edu
Josh Siegel – josh.siegel@yale.edu
Matthew Siff – matthew.siff@yale.edu
Music, Arts, and Culture
Asian Jewish Union
The Asian Jewish Union is a group for students who identify as Asian Jews to build community. Meetings consist of weekly dinners at local restaurants.
Zach Pan – zach.pan@yale.edu
Jamin Nuland – jamin.nuland@yale.edu
JStreet U
JStreet U is pro-peace, pro-democracy student organization, promoting nuanced and critical discourse on Israel/Palestine with speakers, discussions, and film screenings.
Odessa Goldberg – odessa.goldberg@yale.edu
Danya Dubrow-Compaine – danya.dubrow-compaine@yale.edu
Daniella Shear – daniella.shear@yale.edu
Not Your Bubbies Bakery
An organization dedicated to celebrating Jewish culture through baking, usually in the form of Thursday night challah bakes.
Hannah Edelstein- Hannah.edelstein@yale.edu
Amy Cohen- amy.cohen@yale.edu
Harry Gold- Harry.gold@yale.edu
Magevet
Magevet is Yale’s first, best, and only Jewish, Hebrew, and Israeli a cappella group! We sing in eight different languages with musical origins ranging from Israel to Calcutta to Uganda and dates of composition ranging from 1623 to 2023. You can learn more about us at www.magevet.org.
Hemakshi Gordy – hemakshi.gordy@yale.edu
David Liebowitz – david.liebowitz@yale.edu
Uncle Moisty and the Towellettes (Magoovet)
Magoovet is Yale’s second, also and sort-of Jew-ish singing group! We sing however you want to, in whatever language you want to. We are the lowest pressure singing group, where you go if you like music and people and no expectations and jokes. But again, we are not a joke! You can learn more about us at www.magoovet.weebly.com.
Abe Tolkoff – abe.tolkoff@yale.edu
Daniella Shear – daniella.shear@yale.edu
Shibboleth
Shibboleth is Yale’s undergraduate journal of Jewish thought. We typically put out 2-3 issues a year: a series of reflections from community members around the High Holidays, and the academic journal, which features student essays, art, and creative writing. Find more here! Contact us if you want to contribute or get involved as an editor. Learn more at their website here: http://shibbolethjournal.com/.
Yosef Malka yosef.malka@yale.edu
Ruthie Davis ruth.davis@yale.edu
Yale Friends of Israel
Yale Friends of Israel is a student group for those who care about the State of Israel and wish to learn & discuss issues related to Israeli politics, diplomacy, and history, as well as celebrate Israeli art, music, theatre, literature, cuisine, and technology.
YFI- board@yalefriendsofisrael.com
Yale Nigun Circle
Nigun Circle is a singing circle dedicated to Nigunim. We meet weekly to sing together wordless Jewish melodies and rounds.
Medad Lytton – medad.lytton@yale.edu
Ruthie Weinbaum – ruthie.weinbaum@yale.edu
Yale Student Klezmer Band
The Yale Student Klezmer Band meets weekly to practice klezmer music and holds occasional performances. We seek to provide a welcoming environment for people to play music and to educate people about klezmer music.
Aaron Mesa aaron.mesa@yale.edu
Noam Scully noam.scully@yale.edu
Ned Swansey ned.swansey@yale.edu
Yiddish Tisch
Yiddish Tisch is where culture, language, history, and jewish peoplehood meet. It’s the place to be if you love, have loved, or might be inclined to love Yiddish. We also watch movies and go on fun trips and stuff.
Ruthie Davis – ruth.davis@yale.edu
Study
Selves and Texts
This group is a weekly study without prescribed topics. Each week, a different member (or pair) selects a topic that speaks to them, and then, in conjunction with Rabbi Jason, helps lead a text study related to the subject of their choosing. Session leaders would ideally balance sources and personal reflection on their chosen topic. We’ll operate with a couple assumptions: the Jewish canon can shed light on anything occupying us, and learning is most fun and meaningful when it meets us where we are.
Izzy Kalb – isabel.kalb@yale.edu
Eli Buchdahl – eli.buchdahl@yale.edu
Jewish Christian Bible Study
Yale’s Jewish Christian Bible Study is dedicated to fostering interreligious dialogue through Biblical study. We seek to learn from one another and our diverse approaches to a shared text, and hope to build a strong, collaborative relationship between Jewish and Christian communities on campus. We meet weekly over dinner at the Slifka Center.
Medad Lytton medad.lytton@yale.edu
Lukas Bacho lukas.bacho@yale.edu
Social
Nasheem
Nasheem is a jewish womxn’s social club. We provide a space for Jewish Womxn to celebrate their culture and jewish feminism through various social events and activities.
Hannah Edelstein- Hannah.edelstein@yale.edu
Rachel Sragovicz- rachel.sragovicz@yale.edu