Hillel Hosts Yael Gertel, Israel Campus Fellow
Muhlenberg College is one of a few select colleges that were invited to apply for a short-term Israel Fellow in a program funded by Jewish Federations of North America and Hillel International.
Friday, September 5, 2014 01:18 PM
Muhlenberg College Hillel will host Israel Campus Fellow, Yael Gertel, from September 8 - September 24.
Muhlenberg Hillel’s Israel Campus Fellow will assist with back-to-school Israel engagement and education. In her time at Muhlenberg, Gertel will provide extra support, unique and innovative strategy, and another medium through which students will be able to connect with, understand and support Israel. Muhlenberg College is one of a few select colleges that were invited to apply for a short-term Israel Fellow in a program funded by Jewish Federations of North America and Hillel International.
Rabbi Melissa B. Simon, the Hillel Director and Jewish Chaplain, explained, “We are eager to welcome Yael to the Muhlenberg College campus. She will play an important role in our recruitment for Taglit-Birthright Israel.” Muhlenberg Hillel will partner with Birthright for a free 10-day trip to Israel in December.
Nationwide, 58 Jewish Agency Israel Fellows to Hillel serve 67 North American campuses, cultivating relationships with nearly 7,000 students each year.
Born and raised in Jerusalem- a proud 14th generation Jerusalemite, and a former Israeli Army Intelligence Commander, Gertel holds a BA in Education, Sociology and Anthropology from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In October, Gertel will begin her studies in the Honors Graduate Program in Public Policy at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. During the past two years, Gertel served as the Jewish Agency Israel Fellow to University of Maryland Hillel.
Muhlenberg College Hillel serves the most active Jewish campus population in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. Over 33% of the 2200 member student body at Muhlenberg College identifies as Jewish. Over two-thirds of the Jewish students on campus are active in Hillel, making it the largest student organization of any kind on campus. Muhlenberg College was recently recognized as having the fifth largest Jewish population per capita of any college in the nation.
