MEET OUR STAFF

Get To Know Sara

Rabbi Sara joined Northeastern Hillel in January 2023.  She was hugely influenced by her Hillel experience at Oberlin College, where she was an active member and student leader of the Hillel community.   Rabbi Sara spent significant time in Israel as a college student, after college, during her rabbinical education, and more recently on trips to visit family and friends.  She has lived in the Boston area for the past 20 years.  She was the Director of Spiritual Care at Hebrew SeniorLife, leading a team of chaplains and multiple high-impact initiatives advancing the organization’s spiritual care, chaplaincy education, ethics, research, and DEI mission. 

She was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary. She came to NU Hillel with a passion for building an open tent Jewish student community welcoming students of all Jewish backgrounds and levels of knowledge and creating a Hillel community where students can engage in Jewish learning, Shabbat and Holiday programs, Israel trips and education, Tikkun Olam, and all of Jewish life and culture.  Rabbi Sara looks forward to having you call her to share your thoughts and ideas for NU Hillel.

Get To Know Hannah

Hannah is Northeastern Hillel's inaugural Director of Development, beginning her tenure in November 2023. She has a broad background in nonprofit administration and fundraising, most recently serving as Managing Director of the Puppet Showplace Theater, where she led operations, financial administration, and development for the Boston-area landmark theater. Before that, Hannah helped lead a $5.75 million capital campaign for the Nevelson Chapel, a lesser-known cultural gem in midtown Manhattan. Before heading to New York City, Hannah managed strategic initiatives for the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA where she focused on building impactful partnerships with social service organizations, expanded donor engagement programs, and piloted a task force to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and access. She holds a BA in Architecture from Smith College, and an MA in Arts Administration & Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Hannah grew up in Toronto, Canada, but has now spent more than half her life in Massachusetts. She currently lives in Brookline with her husband and two boys, and many, many books, games, art supplies, family heirlooms, and chachkas. 

Please reach out with any questions about Hillel's fundraising or development. Hannah loves meeting new people and is always happy to talk about our community, programing, amazing students, and our dreams for the future of Northeastern Hillel!

Get To Know Jennifer

Jennifer Stone grew up in Peabody, Massachusetts, right outside Boston. She attended Lesley University earning her Bachelor of Science in Expressive Arts Therapy, spent two years in Tallahassee, Florida earning her Masters of Science in Higher Education Administration. Jennifer had been working in a variety of settings within higher education before deciding to take her passion for Judaism, college students, Israel, and bagels; bundle it all together and turn it into a career! She began her time with Hillel as the Director of Student Life at the Santa Barbara Hillel in 2018, joined the Hillel at Binghamton team in NY as their Assistant Director in 2020, and is thrilled to be joining the Northeastern University Hillel team as their Assistant Director beginning summer 2023.

Jennifer enjoys traveling, (she has been to 27 countries and keeps that list growing) all things Harry Potter (fun fact she had a Harry Potter themed wedding), listening to her favorite podcast "Ologies" on long car rides, and can impress you with her ability to recite every line from the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding!" With her love of Judaism and the collegiate student experience, Jennifer hopes to continue to bring passion, creativity, innovation and fun into the Northeastern Hillel community as she returns home to her Boston roots.

Get To Know Liron

I was born and raised in Haifa, Israel. While in high school, I studied biotechnology and participated in scouts and Mashtzim (youth movement). I then served in the Ministry of Defense for two years, and I was a camp counselor for two summers, serving the role of adventure instructor! 

When Covid began I volunteered with senior citizens, which I still do to this day. I then studied the education and history of Israel at the University of Haifa. Most recently, I worked in the Boston-Haifa connection and also was involved in Hillel Haifa.

In my free time, I like to travel, do yoga, hang out with my friends and my nephew, listen to music and just dance! My favorite food is Kubba.

Get To Know Alina

Alina is a community-builder who strives to form connections and support those around her. She grew up in the Jewish community in Mexico City, but has lived in Chicago, Miami, Philadelphia, and Denia (Spain). Alina loves working in Jewish spaces and most recently worked as the Head Teacher at Makom Community in Philadelphia.

Alina graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied Cognitive Science and Political Science. She is passionate about all things relating to human behavior. If you want to get Alina talking, just bring up books, travel, yoga, history, or neuroscience. Alina is thrilled to be joining the Northeastern Hillel community this year.

Get To Know Max

Max grew up in Toronto Canada where he attended Ryerson University to obtain his Bachelors in Economics and his MBA. While attending university, he was dedicated to building opportunities for student engagement as the President of his AEPi chapter and of the University Consulting Group, a student staffed non-profit consulting firm. 

Before coming to Hillel, Max worked as a Product Manager at a tech start-up, a farmhand on a small farm, and co-founded a digital design studio. He has lived in Toronto, West Palm Beach, Salt Lake City, and now Boston. He is passionate about entrepreneurship, self-improvement, and psychology. In his free time Max enjoys bouldering, skiing, reading, travel, and spending time with friends.

Get To Know Jacob

Hi my name is Jacob Weiss, and I am very much looking forward to joining Northeastern Hillel this academic year, as the Rabbinic Intern on campus. I will also be entering my fifth year as a rabbinical student at Hebrew College Rabbinical School in Newton, MA. I am returning to Boston this summer, from spending this past academic year living and studying in Jerusalem, at Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. I am very much looking forward to meeting you, and to fostering an environment of radical hospitality and listening, as well as bringing along a communal sense of ruach (spirit) and love for Shabbat and the Jewish Holidays. 

I am excited to be teaching a JLF course, but most of all I am excited to connect with and learn from you all. I live in Jamaica Plain with my partner Henny, who is a holistic psychotherapist, and we both really enjoy riding our bikes and building community there. A chef in a past professional life, I love cooking and hosting meals for friends and family, hiking and being barefoot as much as possible, seeing as much live music as possible, discussing ideas of pluralism & Permaculture, and trying to find the Torah in everything.

Get To Know Harvey

A native of Athens, Georgia, Harvey moved to Waltham, Massachusetts to attend school at Brandeis University. He majored in Environmental Studies and Political Studies, with a minor in Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies, and graduated in May 2023. Previously, he worked in home energy efficiency and carpentry.

In his free time, Harvey enjoys writing, listening to (and playing) world music, hiking, DND, and reading.

Get To Know David

David Newman has worked in the Jewish communal sector for more than 20 years in a variety of roles, including time spent at Hillel and JCRC. David is passionate about building inclusive, vibrant Jewish communities. He is also a self-proclaimed systems and operations guru. He loves creating efficiencies so that organizations can best achieve their mission and goals.

David has a B.A. from Hofstra University in International Affairs and a M.S. in Management from NYU. His studies brought him to Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. David participated in the Muhlestein Institute for Jewish Professional Leadership, run by UJA-Federation of New York and Columbia University.

In his free time, David enjoys traveling, working out at Orangetheory Fitness, being outdoors and rooting for Boston sports teams (and whoever is playing the Yankees).

Fun Fact: David might be the only person to have worked at both Northeastern and Northwestern University Hillels.

Get To Know Alyssa

Alyssa grew up in Connecticut and moved to Pittsburgh, PA to attend the University of Pittsburgh (h2p)! She graduated in 2019 with a B.A in Political Science and minors in both History and Jewish Studies. After Pitt, Alyssa joined Repair the World first as an education justice fellow and then as a senior fellow focused on teen social justice programming. She then relocated to NYC with her fiancé and started a new chapter with Columbia/Barnard Hillel as the Student Life Associate supporting the robust Jewish life on both campuses. One more relocation brings Alyssa to Philadelphia where she is excited to begin her role as a Campus Marketing and Development Manager supporting the Hillels at Brandeis University, Northeastern University and University of Central Florida with their grassroots fundraising efforts.

Outside of work, Alyssa enjoys exploring her new city of Philly through long walks, bike rides and trying as many coffee shops as possible.

Meet Revi!

He is a Golden Doodle who belongs to our Executive Director, Rabbi Sara.  He is happy to join students for walks around campus, and to be visited at the Hillel House!  

Revi would be happy to walk with you.  Just email or text Sara to set up a time! 

The Northeastern University Hillel Advisory Committee

The Northeastern University Hillel Advisory Committee is composed of dedicated leaders. It is responsible for ensuring that Northeastern Hillel is fulfilling its mission and for the legal accountability of its operations. It is responsible for ensuring effective organizational and strategic planning and for ensuring that NU Hillel has adequate resources to carry out its mission.

  • Mara Mades (President & Parent)

  • Irina Burt Grinsburg (Faculty)

  • Alissa Krasner Maizes (Alum & Parent)

  • Arthur Maserjian (Alum)

  • Larry O’Rourke (Alum)

  • Sara Paasche-Orlow (Executive Director)

  • Stephen Schultz (Alum)

  • Jennifer Skolnick (Parent)

  • Andy Weiss  (Alum)

  • Naomi Zygiel (Community Member)

Coffee Connection

We’d to get know you! Grab a coffee with Hillel staff member…and the coffee is on us!

Want to learn more about Hillel?

Want to learn about Israel programs?

Want to talk about your time at Northeastern?

Whatever the topic, we’d love to meet with you!

Make It Happen Fund

Transforming student’s ideas into their reality!

We encourage you to think big and think broadly. We're interested in innovative ideas that will create new opportunities for students to discover and connect to Jewish rituals, Jewish culture, and Jewish values.

We will fund your idea up to $250. Applications for a Make it Happen Fund grant are accepted on a rolling basis.

  • • The creation of a new or alternative themed Passover Seder

    • The creation of a Challah baking event in your dorm, fraternity and sorority

    • Coverage of travel costs and/or the registration fee to attend a conference/event for grandchildren of Holocaust survivors

    • The creation of a new event that promotes social justice, philanthropy or open dialogue.

    • The development of ​​Israel programming on campus.