March 18, 2026
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Dear Students,
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TL;DR

• Current Hillel Rabbi Raffi and educator Ariella Leicht are leaving Hillel at the end of the school year.
• Help us choose the next campus rabbi!  We will have two candidates visiting this week.
  • Monday 3/23: Come learn with Rabbi Ben Barer at the House of Study at 6pm or at an open Meet and Greet with snacks at 7:30.
  • Tuesday 3/24: Come learn with Rabbi Alex Goldfarb at the House of Study at 6pm or at an open Meet and Greet with snacks at 7pm.

Read on for all of the details
Rabbi Raffi and Ariella Leicht, who have served as key leaders of religious life at UMass Hillel for more than ten years, will be concluding their time at Hillel at the end of this academic year.

For so many in our community, they have been teachers, hosts, mentors, and a steady presence on campus - opening their home for Shabbat and holidays, learning Torah with students, and supporting students through important moments of growth.

Looking Ahead: A New Campus Rabbi
Beginning next fall, UMass Hillel will be hiring a full-time Campus Rabbi through a new partnership with Hadar and with the support of a lead donor. Hadar is a dynamic organization devoted to fostering vibrant Jewish communities of learning and practice, and we’re excited by the possibilities of this partnership.  Our new Campus Rabbi will serve as the lead educator and resident rabbi at Hillel, continuing the tradition of strong Jewish learning opportunities, mentorship, and religious leadership on campus.

Our search process is underway.
Help us choose the next campus rabbi!  We have two candidates visiting:

• Monday 3/23: Come learn with Rabbi Ben Barer at the House of Study at 6pm or at an open Meet and Greet with snacks at 7:30.
• Tuesday 3/24: Come learn with Rabbi Alex Goldfarb at the House of Study at 6pm or at an open Meet and Greet with snacks at 7pm.

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Honoring the Leichts and Strengthening Our Community
Additionally, to recognize the impact Rabbi Raffi and Ariella have had on our community and help ensure students of all Jewish backgrounds and identities have the support they rely on, we are launching the UMass Hillel Fund for Orthodox Life.

This fund will enable us to bring visiting Orthodox rabbis for Shabbat and holidays and provide additional support so that students seeking Orthodox practice can thrive alongside peers exploring many different ways of being Jewish on campus.
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Together, these new initiatives will help ensure students of all Jewish backgrounds and identities have a home away from home at UMass.

Want to be involved?
Join Campus Rabbi the candidate visits detailed above on 3/23 and 3/24!
  
Please consider sharing our appeal to honor Raffi and Ariella with your parents and family. Your voice carries real weight, and their support helps make vibrant Jewish life on campus possible.

Feel free to reach out to us with any questions at [email protected].
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Warmly,
The UMass Hillel Team


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