Rachel Savadow

Please write a paragraph response to the following questions. All responses will be posted on the web:

 1)      Describe your involvement with Hillel.

a.   As a freshman, I began my involvement with Hillel as an active member of  FYSH (First Year Students of Hillel) and my involvement has slowly flourished. I came to Hillel last year of second semester as an incoming freshman who didn’t know anyone. Through time I have gotten more and more involved with Hillel, and I love it!! When I first started coming to Hillel last year, I would come and hang out almost everyday. Even though I wasn’t on the board I had so many great ideas in mind that began sharing with the board at that time and they loved my ideas. I help to plan an Ultimate Frisbee game, helping to plan FYSH events since I was a part of FYSH (but now I am proud to say that I am apart of SUSHI or SYSH), and so much more. I started to help plan events for Hillel with some other fellow FYSH members. That is where I learned how to advertise for programs, come up with my own ideas for programming, and tell other Jewish freshman all about it. FYSH was one of the best things that I ever got involved in. became involved with the rest of the Hillel community as well, hanging out in the JAC quite often, attending Shabbat dinners, FYSH Lock-In, Phone-athons, a trip to the Ronald McDonald House, visits to Levindale and holiday events. I had a very positive first experience in Hillel being apart of FYSH so that has led my enthusiasm further in my excitement to be apart of Hillel and to help create that for other Jewish students.

When I became a sophomore, my involvement Then, I decided to run for a position on the Hillel board and I became the Engagement Chairperson. I was in charge of designing the Hillel giveaways (I designed those AWESOME blue water bottles that you probably have sitting in your dorm room or use for the gym!!). I also was a part of doing tabling for Hillel in the Union. This past summer I went to Charles Schusterman’s Leaders Assembly in Clayton, GA where I met a ton of other Jewish students who were learning to become better leaders for their Hillel. Through that I decided that I would become apart of the Hillel of Greater Baltimore Leadership Series where I meet once a month with students from Goucher, Johns Hopkins, and Towson and we discuss events, ideas, and learn from special speakers about things that we can do in our own Hillel’s. Through the HGB leadership series and through Ken our Hillel director I decided to go on Birthright Israel this past winter break and had the time of my life. I learned a lot about what Hillel means to me and how to help other Jewish students understand that. Another thing that I have recently been appointed to was that this past week, Stephanie our JCSC asked me if I wanted to help plan a citywide social event with people from the other Hillel’s in Baltimore. So, look for me because I will be involved in that. Next year, I hope to attend another Hillel conference and learn some more awesome ideas that we can learn in out Hillel

2)      Why do you want to be on the Hillel board?

a.      I want to be on board because I was on the board last year and I absolutely loved it. I formed many new friendships, learned new leadership skills, took a part in planning events, and so much more. I also like to be very involved in what I love to do.  I feel I would genuinely do a great job and really affect Jewish people. I work hard and I think I would do a great job in the position.  I like to see things flourish and I like being a large part of that.   I have been very proud of myself of what I was able to accomplish, do, and achieve through Towson Hillel has become a major part of who I have become as a Jewish, young, college student.  By continuing to be involved with Hillel for a third year is my way of giving back and being able to strengthen my Jewish identity as a Jewish student who has also been a Towson University leader

3)      Why do you feel you would be good for the position that you are running for?

a.      I think that I would be good for this position that I am running for because I have a lot of practice in leadership training and organizing events. I have some awesome ideas that I learned through all of the experience that I have had throughout my time at Towson I have come up with many awesome ideas for fun events. Some of my ideas include: Purim Masquerade Ball, Mishloach Manot Making, Latke Cook off, Lag Ba’Omer picnic, Yom Hatzmaut Party, Israel Week, Community Menorah Lighting, Sukkah Camp Out, Billiards Blowout, Spare Me (bowling night), Twister Tournament, Holocaust Commemoration Program, Kickball Tournament, Shabbat Gone Wild- New Orleans Style, Israeli Café, The Blamin Haman Purim Party, Discover DC: Washington Wizards Game, Trips to Hershey Park or Six Flags, city wide events, Hillel Bagel Brunches, going to see plays, trips to New York, Screening of "The Children of Chabannes", trying to bring Matisyahu to Towson and so much more!! Also, throughout my years in high school I was involved with USY, planning Hebrew school events, leading junior congregation, and Hebrew school classes. Also as I stated in question # 1 I have been through some leadership workshops that have really helped me. Being apart of the HGB Leadership Series has really helped me to come up with some new ideas for Hillel events for us to have. Such as last year I planned an Ultimate Frisbee game, which was a big hit because it got people involved of normally weren’t involved.

    4)      What do you hope to accomplish during your year on the Hillel board?

a.      I hope to get people excited and involved in Hillel. I want to make it something that people genuinely want to be involved in.  By planning fun social events that people will remember for a lifetime and tell other Jewish friends to come to.

5)      Describe previous programming experience that you have had with Hillel.

a.      I helped to plan the Welcome Back BBQ in the beginning of the year and help to advertise it and to get people involved. I designed the water bottles that we handed out to everyone and I went around talking to new freshman about events and what Hillel is about.

b.      I also have helped plan a summer program for Hillel of Greater Baltimore in the HGB Leadership Series. Which is a program that is open for future leaders of Hillel who have nothing to do over the summer and want to spend it in Baltimore learning about new leadership skills, volunteering and learning about Baltimore.

6) Please answer the following if running for President:

Describe previous leadership experience that you have had with Hillel.