Ruderman Family Foundation, Hillel International Launch Partnership to Promote Inclusion for Students with Disabilities

WASHINGTON – Hillel International today announced a major new partnership with the Ruderman Family Foundation to promote inclusion for students with disabilities at 550 college campuses across the country and around the world. The $750,000 grant will help Hillel International address practical barriers to participation in its student programs, as well as launch the spiritual, cultural and communal reflection and action necessary to ensure all Hillel communities can be inclusive of all students. Over the next three years, Hillel International will use these funds to develop a series of professional and student trainings, place inclusion-focused interns on college campuses, and use Hillel’s communications channels to highlight best practices and stories about inclusion.

^{Shira Ruderman, RFF Trustee and Israel Director (at left), with Sheila Katz, Hillel Vice President for Social Entrepreneurship – December 16, 2015}

Jay Ruderman, President of the Ruderman Family Foundation, said: “As our society continues to recognize the rights and contributions of people with disabilities, we will need our emerging leaders to guide us along the path toward full inclusion. On campuses across our country and the world, Hillel professionals and student leaders are our best insurance that inclusion will be a priority for our community. The Ruderman Family Foundation is proud to partner with Hillel in building a Jewish community in which people of all abilities are welcomed and celebrated.”

Hillel’s partnership with the Ruderman Family Foundation will be formally announced at the Hillel International Global Assembly in Orlando on December 17. Discussions of inclusion, disability and mental health will play a prominent role at this four-day training for more than 700 Hillel staff members. The plenary program will feature a presentation from Jay and Shira Ruderman, President and Israel Director, respectively, of the Ruderman Family Foundation.  Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a Jewish text discussion about inclusion, as well as trainings for staff to identify and help support students with mental illness.

President and CEO of Hillel International Eric D. Fingerhut said, “I couldn’t be more grateful for the support of the Ruderman Family Foundation or more excited about the work we’ll do together. As Hillel International continues the Drive to Excellence, our comprehensive plan to make an enduring impact for all Jewish students on campus, we must ensure that no students are left behind. This partnership will ensure that inclusion remains our primary goal as we seek to improve Jewish life on campus for all.”

In addition to the program at the Hillel International Global Assembly, the Ruderman partnership will include the development of several training resources and programs, including an “Ask Big Questions” curriculum on inclusion. Hillel International will also launch the Ruderman Engagement Internship, an expansion of Hillel’s successful engagement model that will hire students to focus on disability and inclusion in their campus Jewish communities. Hillel will also begin a campaign to use its publications and social media to disseminate information about inclusion on Hillel programs and campuses, share stories and spread tools and techniques for inclusion from campus to campus.

About Hillel International

Founded in 1923, Hillel has been enriching the lives of Jewish students for more than 90 years. Today, Hillel International is a global organization that welcomes students of all backgrounds and fosters an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel. Hillel is dedicated to enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. As the largest Jewish student organization in the world, Hillel builds connections with emerging adults at more than 550 colleges and universities, and inspires them to direct their own path. During their formative college years, students are challenged to explore, experience, and create vibrant Jewish lives.

About the Ruderman Family Foundation

The Ruderman Family Foundation believes that inclusion and understanding of all people is essential to a fair and flourishing community. Guided by our Jewish values, we support effective programs, innovative partnerships and a dynamic approach to philanthropy in our core areas of interest: advocating for and advancing the inclusion of people with disabilities throughout the Jewish community; fostering a more nuanced understanding of the American Jewish community among Israeli leaders; and modeling the practice of strategic philanthropy worldwide.

The Foundation provides funding, leadership, expertise and insight in both the U.S. and Israel, with offices in both countries. To learn more about the Ruderman Family Foundation go to http://www.rudermanfoundation.org/.

For more information please contact Dvir Assouline at 646-266-4532 / dvir@rudermanfoundation.org.