Rachel Ricklis

1) My involvement with Hillel: Hillel is not only my favorite campus club or group. Hillel is my community. Hillel is where I come between classes, where I (attempt to) do homework, where I catch up with my friends. Hillel is where I laugh my tuchas off, and where I debate with friends until I’m red in the face. It is place where I do my weekly Jewish learning and where I catch up on the good shows on cable…and that is a week when I don’t have programs. I am currently the Jewish Learning Chair for Hillel, and have implemented and planned many signature programs for Hillel. I spent my winter break painting the mural on Hillel’s wall, and it was well worth it. I plan monthly Jewish Student Faculty Luncheons-featuring eating and schmoozing-and most importantly community building. I brought Destination Homeland— a reenactment and virtual reality game, dating back to 1940’s Europe. And most importantly—I brought you Shabbat @ Dov’s- a monthly Shabbat dinner with “Friends, Fun, and Fatzah Ball Soup!”

2) Why do I want to be on the 2006-2007 board? There are a few things in my life that I care enough about to fight for them. I love my fiancée. I would do anything for him. I love my friends and my family—I would back them anywhere, and will always support them. And I love Hillel. I am passionate about Hillel. I care enough about Hillel to make it work. I see what Hillel is, and some very integral people have worked very hard to get it to where it is. I’d like to take it a step further. As I painted on Hillel’s brand new mural, “Hillel is your Jewish Home Away from Home.” Above that, I wrote in huge letters, “WELCOME.” Those statements are my ultimate goals for our Hillel. I want it to be a place where everyone can feel at home, and where everyone regardless of their religious backgrounds, feels welcome. We don’t all look the same, think the same, pray the same or even believe the same. But there is a common denominator. We are all Jewish, and my goal has always been, and will continue to be, to foster a stronger relationship and strengthen understanding of each other—to take all the wonderful, unique pieces and truly build one strong, diverse community.

3) Why do I feel I would be good for this position? In order for leadership to be successful, I believe it needs three key ingredients:

1) An understanding of the community

2) A drive to make changes and a willingness to do whatever it takes

3) A great track record.

I believe that with these components, I can work for you, for Hillel. 1) Whether you are reformed, conservative, orthodox, fall somewhere in between, or like me-prefer to not be labeled—I’ve been there. I have experienced Hillel from both ends of the spectrum thinking, “It’s way too religious for me,” and also thinking, “For a Jewish organization, where is the Judaism?” I’ve been both places, and I know how it feels. I understand our community. We are diverse, with diverse ideas, beliefs and customs-and I value that diversity 2) I am passionate. I don’t mind being the lone voice or the squeaky wheel. If I have an opinion-or think an “unrepresented” (or non-board member) opinion is being overlooked, I will work to let it be heard, whether it is popular or not. I have been successful implementing each of my programs—and I know how to get things done. Although I am usually shy, I know that the squeaky wheel gets the grease—and I know how to be heard. For Hillel, it’s worth it. 3) My track record and my past programs have shined over the past 2 years. Signature programs, invented just for our Hillel are being modeled and modified for other campuses and organizations. Because of my passion (and of course, my pride) I have never partially done a program. When I do something, I do it right. Student/Faculty Luncheons are monthly. Shabbat @ Dov’s continues to multiply, topping off at 40 people last month! (I think some people come back just for Dov’s speeches.) Every day you can find people in the Hillel doing Jewish learning together-through the Let My People Know learning buddy program. I have never given up and said, “This is as good as it gets.” I always strive for better. It is evident in my past that I understand our community will work for our community, no matter what, and that our community is worth every bit of effort it takes.

I’ve mentioned a lot of great programs that I have implemented, but also ones that were done by other board members. And since you don’t too often get the time to publicly thank people, I’d like to mention them now….

4) What do I hope to accomplish during my year on the Hillel board? As successful as I believe we were this past year, I do have a vision of what Hillel should be. I think Shabbat was shinning this year. Nicole Disney, the current Shabbat Chair, deserves “kudos” for all of her hard work and success. I thought that Holidays were highlighted and Jewish Culture as a whole truly took the spotlight as a focal point for our year. I’d like for Jewish Culture to continue to shine. As a religious and cultural organization, I believe Hillel’s mantra, “More Jews doing Jewish,” is my focal point too. I want to create more opportunities for “Jews to do Jewish” and I’d love to work with the new Jewish Learning chair and Holidays chair to do that. However, as a Jewish group-Tzedek and social action should be on the forefront of our agenda as well. I’d like to work with the social action chair, to implement NEW volunteer opportunities- lets get the community as excited about Social Action as the chairperson is. I’d like to assist the Social Chair in planning social events. Why not make every other Monday, “Monday at Mama Leah’s” or instead, have a “Take-Out” Tuesday. Or a Monthly Motzi-Shabbat Activity (Saturday Night) like a pick up game of Frisbee or a night at the movies. I want to fill our calendar. I want there to be something for everyone, so that no one can say “Hillel is just not for me.” If I am President, I will work for you…so Hillel is for you.

5) Previous Programming with Hillel:

· The Best of Bubby: A Journey though the Jewish Stomach: A night filled with free Jewish foods highlighting Jewish Holidays and customs was eye-opening and tummy-talking for the entire campus community.

· 25-hour Shabbat Lock in: Are you Shomer Shabbat? It didn’t matter! We locked about 10 Hillelians in a home in Pikesville with no TV, no cell phones and lots of homemade food! 25 hours of planned activities created a new and memorable Shabbat experience.

· Destination Homeland I & II: A true virtual reality game where you are the players and your life is at stake, dating back to 1940’s Europe and “Palestine.”

· Monthly Shabbat @ Dov’s: Friends, Fun and Fatzah Ball soup…a fifteen minute monthly car trip gets students off campus and into Pikesville for a innovative Shabbat experience. I cook a five course meal and Dov tells jokes. What could be better?

· Let My People Know! Guest Speaker Kevin Smokler engaged many student in a talk about “Books—To the People of the Book,” inspiring and kicking off a new and signature learning program which pairs students from different Jewish backgrounds as “learning partners.”

· Monthly Jewish Student/Faculty Luncheons: Reaching out to our community at large and inviting faculty to meet the students. Connections are made and of course—a great sense of community emerges.

· Tu B’shvat Learning Seder: After creating a learning Haggadah, students discussed controversial meanings and themes of this lesser known holiday.

· Holocaust Commemoration Week: A week of programming consisting of intimate dinner with survivors, reading of names of those killed in the Holocaust, followed up by Destination Homeland.

6) Describe previous leadership with Hillel: Everyone has a different idea of what a leader is. Some people lead quietly, doing a lot of the background work, but rarely with hands-on programming. Others like to lead through action, by programming and assisting others in programming, by being exciting to get others excited, by committing to ideas and programs to get others to commit. Although there is no right way to lead, I see myself in the second manner. My leadership style is seeing something that is missing-and filling that void. Throughout the past year, I have been a very vocal member of the current board. I have praised others when I felt they had great ideas, but offered suggestions to people when they are stumped. I have respected the work and ideas of my fellow board members as well as Hillel’s staff; however I have never been afraid to disagree—to make waves—in order to make Hillel a more welcoming place. I have created and planned the following programs (listed below), and created an information sheet in a portfolio for each one, so that they can be recreated in the future. Last year I was praised among Towson of Greater Baltimore for leading our Hillel in Jewish Learning. I’ve learned that leading means risk taking, it means listening, it means working together with people very different than me. I’ve learned that leading means having ideas and opinions, but being opened to other people’s ideas and opinions. Leading means growing with Hillel and for Hillel. I would love to continue to grow and learn with you- the truly integral part of this community- as your Hillel President.

(This seems a bit redundant, but here is a list…again…of programs that I led)

· 25-hour Shabbat Lock in: Are you Shomer Shabbat? It didn’t matter! We locked about 10 “Hillelians” in a home in Pikesville with no TV, no cell phones and lots of homemade food! 25 hours of planned activities created a new and memorable Shabbat experience.

· Destination Homeland I & II: A true virtual reality game where you are the players and your life is at stake, dating back to 1940’s Europe and “Palestine.”

· Tu B’shvat Learning Seder: After creating a learning Haggadah, students discussed controversial meanings and themes of this lesser known holiday.