Continuity Amidst Change at The University of Chicago's Newberger Hillel: A Note to Our Generous Contributors As a generous supporter of the

Newberger Hillel Center at the University of Chicago, we know you are deeply interested in recent events, their impact on students and Hillel's operations, and our plans for the future. We seek to provide you with what we believe to be essential background information, and to assure you that the future of Newberger Hillel is bright. The future of all Jewish students and of the 17 Hillels throughout Illinois remains a top Federation priority. First we want you to understand what happened. A number of difficult budgetary and governance issues emerged between the Jewish Federation, on the one hand, and its advisory committee and executive director at the Newberger Hillel program at the University of Chicago, on the other. I was asked by JUF/JF Board Chairman Skip Schrayer to work to resolve these matters. After months of negotiations the advisory committee issued an ultimatum calling on the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago to turn over ownership of the building and management of the Hillel program to them. If Federation chose not to do so, the advisory committee and who they referred to as "our executive director" (he was in fact a Federation employee) would establish a "new entity at a different location and with a different name." They indicated that they had undertaken a "two-year long process of study and deliberation" concerning the feasibility of creating a separate entity. Despite Federation's request that they stay a part of the Federation's state-wide network of 17 Hillels, they announced their decision to separate. With regret Federation accepted the reality that the advisory committee and executive director no longer desired to be associated with Federation or with Newberger Hillel. Despite Federation more than doubling the annual financial support to the Newberger Hillel over the past decade, their annual budgets deficits averaged

Federation accepted the reality that the advisory committee and executive director no longer desired to be associated with Federation or with Newberger Hillel. Despite Federation more than doubling the annual financial support to the Newberger Hillel over the past decade, their annual budgets deficits averaged $100,000. These deficits were covered by Federation at the expense of other Hillels and other health and human services programs locally and in Israel. Federation funding of Newberger Hillel, compared per student to other Hillels in Illinois, is more than double that of Northwestern and over four times that of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As you may be aware, the lead gift for the University of Chicago Hillel building came to the Federation with the stipulation that it be owned and operated by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. Federation has a sacred trust to you, our donors, and to those the Federation serves - students on other campuses, children, and the elderly - requiring that these budgetary issues be addressed. We want to assure you that the Federation will restore Newberger Hillel to fiscal health not by decreasing the allocation, but rather through budgetary discipline and enhanced fundraising, an endeavor we hope you will support. The program will be guided by the professional staff at Newberger and the Jewish students who are active at Hillel. A new volunteer advisory committee is being formed, and will include students, faculty, donors, and others passionate about Jewish student life. Today we are experiencing a challenging but effective transition. Rabbi Paul Saiger - a U of C alum, former executive director of The Hillels of Illinois, and a Hillel professional at the universities of Michigan, Missouri and Rochester - is serving as the interim executive director of the Newberger Hillel. Amidst the change in professional and volunteer leadership, the Newberger Hillel continues its decades-long tradition of enriching Jewish campus life. Just this week it assisted student-led Passover Seders and provided meals to students during the holiday while also running its ongoing, innovative programs. Beyond annual support of almost $500,000, Federation maintains the

outstanding Newberger Hillel facility, and is a funder of the Newberger Birthright Israel Bus (which costs $120,000 annually), other Israel experiences for students, scholarships, paid internships, and the University of Chicago's Visiting Professor in Israel Studies. For decades the Newberger Hillel at the University of Chicago and Jewish students there have benefited from Jewish Federation support. In turn, Federation and the larger Chicago Jewish community have benefitted from a vibrant Hillel program at the University of Chicago. Federation support will continue to grow, from fundraising, to programmatic development, and from integrated back office operations to nurturing the next generation of community leaders. Jewish students have been and will remain a Federation priority, l'dor v'dor. Please do not hesitate to contact either myself or one of those copied below. Harvey Barnett, Former Chairman of the Board JUF/JF CC: Rick Edelheit, Chairman Fran Krasnow, Vice Chairman The Hillels of Illinois Governing Commission Rabbi Paul Saiger, Interim Executive Director The Newberger Hillel Center John Lowenstein, VP, Campus Affairs/Exec Director The Hillels of Illinois

Copyright 2012 Newberger Hillel Center, All rights reserved. You are recieving this email from the UChicago Hillel. Our mailing address is: Newberger Hillel Center 5715 S Woodlawn Chicago, IL 60637