Hillel Scores Record $38M Donation To Bolster Staff

By Josefin Dolsten December 6, 2016

(JTA) — Hillel International is receiving $38 million, its largest gift ever, from a foundation established by the co-founder of Home Depot.

The Marcus Foundation, established by Bernard Marcus and his wife, Billi, said Monday it would make the multi-year donation to a new Hillel staffing initiative, Talent Grants.

The initiative seeks to “recruit, train and retain talented professionals who will inspire every Jewish student to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel,” according to a statement.

“This generous support from The Marcus Foundation will enable Hillel to invest in the field professionals who engage and inspire Jewish students on college campuses across the country and around the world, building a stronger Jewish community for future generations,” said Hillel International President and CEO Eric Fingerhut.

Josefin Dolsten is a New York-based writer who has reported for the Forward, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Times of Israel and other Jewish publications. She currently works as an account director at Fenton Communications, supporting organizations that work to advance racial justice, LGBTQ+ equality, reproductive rights and more. Dolsten earned her B.A. in government from Cornell University and her M.A. in comparative religion and Jewish studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO