Starting on March 22, Hillel Milwaukee’s new executive director will be Rabbi Joshua Herman.
Herman pursued rabbinical studies in Cincinnati and spent two years as an intern at the Cincinnati Hillel, according to Hillel Milwaukee. He trained students to lead services and planned events.
He continued to work at Hillel, afterwards moving to work with Houston Hillel. The rabbi then spent three years working in Israel as an instructor at the Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem. After spending time in Israel, Herman returned to his hometown of Milwaukee to work as a senior educator and director of research and assessment at The Israel Education Resource Center in Illinois. He worked there for a year-and-a-half, up until his appointment at Hillel Milwaukee.
Herman is familiar with Hillel Milwaukee. As a student at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the rabbi was extremely involved with student organizing and holiday planning, according to a Hillel Milwaukee news release.
“Hillel expanded my Jewish experience by introducing me to Jews of varied backgrounds and practices, and provided me with mentorship through my relationship with the professional staff,” Herman said. “I look forward to creating dynamic new Jewish experiences for our local and new to the area Milwaukee students.”
One of Herman’s primary goals as the new director is to establish ways to collaborate further with Hillel stakeholders in the community.
Herman will be filling the spot held for Deb Carneol Fendrich, who has taken a new role as director of Women’s Philanthropy for Milwaukee Jewish Federation.