Board of Directors
Debbie Doliner, Co-President
"Suncoast Hillels have the opportunity to engage young adults at a critical time, when they are deciding who they are and what they believe. Our mission works to ensure a Jewish future for our People and for our students. What we do is vital, and it is my honor to support and serve this highly meaningful organization."
Karen Schilit, Co-President
"It is my pleasure to serve on the Hillels of the Florida Suncoast Board. When my son, Brad, was at USF, he thoroughly enjoyed the programs offered at USF Hillel and became very active. I knew at that point I wanted to give back and serve on the Board. Students are the next generation to carry on the Jewish philanthropy work, their time in college is one more chance to encourage participation in Jewish activities, and it is so important that Hillel provide a welcoming and fun environment."
Naomi Brooks, Treasurer
"My Hillel experience changed my life. Many of my dearest friends today, I met at Hillel. We shared Shabbat and holidays together and still do as often as we can. So many years later, I look forward to serving on the Suncoast Hillels Board of Directors and working to promote and contribute to opportunities for students to connect with Judaism through meaningful experiences during their university years."
Cindy Korenvaes, Secretary
"I am a strong supporter of Hillel and proudly serve on the board because I feel every Jewish student should have a "home" on his/her campus to enjoy, practice and explore his/her Jewish identity with other Jewish students ."
Bruce Goldstein
"There is a great deal of anti-Jewish noise in the world today, especially on college campuses. I'm on the Board of the Suncoast Hillels because I believe it is important that there be a strong Jewish presence to give students the strength to stand up to dangerous ideas that threaten our Jewish way of life and give them the tools to enlighten their classmates to the truths that others try to obscure."
Jeff Benatar
"I am honored and excited to serve on the Hillels of the Florida Suncoast Board of Directors. I look forward to promoting Jewish culture, identity, awareness, and pride for college students in our region. I am especially proud to represent students, staff, and faculty at Florida Southern College as well as the Lakeland Jewish Community."
Meyer Weitzman
"I am excited to serve on the Hillels of the Florida Suncoast board of directors because I have a passion for helping to build and sustain a welcoming environment for Jewish students on our college campuses. I feel it is so important to nurture young Jewish minds by providing them with a nexus for social, political and cultural activities while they prepare for the rest of their lives."
Deborah Roth
"College is the last real opportunity to reach and engage our young people. Hillel provides them with the experiences of Jewish life, learning and spirituality, to enhance their personal growth and confidence. It is quiet a challenge, but these young people are our future—the future of the Jewish people and community in this country, and I believe it is our responsibility to meet this challenge."
Laurie Chane
"As a parent of a child who was very involved in Hillel during her undergraduate career, I saw firsthand the positive impact Hillel had on her and the deeper meaning it brought to her overall college experience. I am proud to serve on the Suncoast Hillels Board of Directors and excited to help ensure a future for students on all of the campuses which we serve."
Hana Cowart
“I am a University of South Florida alumna and was proud to serve as Vice President of Religious Programming on the USF Hillel Student Board. I am very excited about the opportunity to reconnect members of the Hillels of the Florida Suncoast alumni community back into the current work of Hillel.”
Merrill Marx
"The college campus environment is becoming more challenging as anti-Semitism and anti-Israel activism rise. As a “home away from home”, Hillel provides support, guidance and an opportunity to socialize for our Jewish students. I strongly believe that Hillel helps to ensure a Jewish future for them and for us."
David J. Brunell
"I am a University of South Florida alumnus and am proud to have served as Vice President for Engagement and as President on the USF Hillel Student Board before serving as a Steinhardt Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow at USF. I also have experience working in nonprofits, and currently serve as Senior Attorney at the American Heart Association. I am eager to share my experiences as a student, Hillel staff member, and nonprofit attorney to give back to the Hillels of the Florida Suncoast community that has given me so much.”
Leah Spero
“I chose to serve on the board of the Suncoast Hillels because it is important for college students to have a safe place and to help Jewish students have a place. Making sure we impact the community in a positive way.”
Judy Rosman
Check back soon for Judy Rosman's quote about why she serves on the Suncoast Hillels Board of Directors.