Hillel at Temple University Strategic Plan Jan 2023 - Dec 2025
Executive Summary
Established in 1944, Hillel at Temple University (Temple Hillel) became a national model for service to commuter students. Between 1972 and 2018, Temple Hillel was a program of the regional Jewish Campus Activities Board (later renamed Hillel of Greater Philadelphia), which included several other Philadelphia area campuses. In 2009, the Rosen Center, a 13,000 square foot facility, was built to serve the changing needs of Temple’s students, most of whom were now living on and around Temple’s campus. In 2018, with the dissolution of Hillel of Greater Philadelphia, Temple Hillel became an independent nonprofit organization with responsibilities for all of its needs: financial, administrative, and governance; and with a strong focus on student empowerment and leadership development. The mission of Hillel at Temple University is to connect with students and inspire them to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and community.
Recent and significant changes in student life, Temple University, Jewish life, and Hillel’s organizational structure, together with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined to make this an especially propitious moment for strategic planning. To our knowledge, this is the first such process in Temple Hillel’s history. Further, the new fiduciary Board, talented professional staff, and a formal relationship with Hillel’s Schusterman International Center gave us the confidence that we had the ingredients in place to develop and carry out strategic planning.
Over approximately ten months of work, the Temple Hillel strategic planning committee, with student, staff, parent, faculty and alumni representation, benefited from additional input from the Temple Hillel Board, staff and students, as well as our key organizational stakeholders: Hillel’s Schusterman International Center (SIC), Temple University, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia (JFGP). Current literature and reports about trends and best practices further informed our work.
Purpose
Key Findings and Goals
Among the significant influences shaping the landscape in which Hillel operates, we looked at the general and Jewish characteristics of GenZ, the growth of Temple University, and increased concern around antisemitism and combative discourse regarding Israel. The pandemic accelerated many tendencies already underway and added grief, loss, isolation, and serious mental health concerns to other trends. In short, the current era in student life is difficult and, in some ways, unprecedented.
The work of the strategic planning committee surfaced three major areas that will define Temple Hillel’s priorities for the foreseeable future. Temple Hillel will plan its work in the coming three years by responding to these fundamental questions:
1. How can Temple Hillel best serve students, making the Rosen Center an “oasis” where students can bring their true selves, questions, needs, and Jewish aspirations; and find in Hillel a welcoming and enriching place where they can grow as Jews and as leaders?
2. How can Temple Hillel become a robust organization, including taking full responsibility for the governance, financial management and leadership that accompany its new 501(c)(3) status?
3. How can Temple Hillel deepen its membership in the campus community to become a more visible presence and Jewish educational resource to Jews and non-Jews on campus, ensure a safe and respectful climate for Jewish students, be prepared to advocate when needed, and develop a comprehensive plan for Jewish alumni?
In the pages of our full report, you will find our goals and strategies to guide Temple Hillel over the next three years. Recognizing that we are in a time of considerable turbulence and transition, we will implement and monitor the plan’s progress closely, allowing for shifts in direction when necessary. We are confident that we have built a framework to build on Temple Hillel’s strengths and address the pressing needs of the moment with built-in resilience. This plan will allow us to go “from strength to strength.”
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