SEIF OU-JLIC - EMPOWERING TOMORROW'S JEWISH LEADERS, TODAY

On college campuses in North America and Israel, we offer community, opportunities for Torah study and Jewish engagement.

Since its inception in 2000, Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC) has grown considerably, both in terms of scope and variety of outreach models. Rooted in the vision of founding director Rabbi Menachem Schrader, JLIC remains devoted to the spiritual and personal growth of emerging Jewish adults.

We deploy rabbinic couples to more than 30 college campuses, where they serve as Torah educators, role models, community builders and student advocates. These JLIC directors provide critical support to students as they navigate often-challenging environments and take their initial steps toward Jewish adulthood outside the constructs of home and day school.

JLIC Herzliya community members enjoying their end of year event

PROMOTING STUDENT LEADERSHIP THROUGH YAVNEH

Yavneh, a division of JLIC, identifies potential campus leaders during their gap years in Israel. Recruiting them to our national network in North America, Yavneh develops and encourages these students through mentoring, Shabbatons, networking conferences, leadership training, trips and on-campus support.

JLIC SUMMER EXPERIENCES

This past summer, JLIC hosted more than 300 students in Israel during five seven-week programs and three two-week volunteer trips. Those in the seven-week programs took part in internships at such organizations as Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, PwC, Deloitte, Shalva and The Jerusalem Post. They also attended beit midrash sessions in the evenings, learning from Torah scholars on diverse topics. The program included social events and a dozen chesed opportunities.

This year, JLIC also organized three Birthright Israel Onward trips, taking approximately 100 students to Israel for two weeks of chesed and learning.

JLIC summer program participants at one of many social activities

SHOWCASING ISRAEL’S HIGHER EDUCATION

Universities in Israel offer world-class programs in medicine, technology and research, with many courses taught in English and exceptional job-placement rates.

This past year, JLIC launched a College in Israel initiative to help match American students with the Israeli institutions most suited to them. It began with a series of in-person parlor meetings, culminating in a Zoom event that attracted hundreds of students and parents and covered topics ranging from degree options to housing to community integration.

In response to interest from yeshiva high schools, we also coordinated a mission to Israel for guidance counselors with our partner, Tzemach David Foundation. Within the context of rising antisemitism on U.S. campuses, the trip highlighted the attractions of earning a degree in Israel: lower tuition, English-language degree tracks and welcoming JLIC communities.

ABRAHAM’S HOUSE

Abraham’s House is a JLIC division in both Israel and North America focused on chesed and community outreach. In the wake of October 7th, the group provided emergency relief to more than 300 families in Tel Aviv, much of the funds raised from the JLIC community. This daily support included accommodations, food, childcare and organized events, such as a carnival for evacuated children. In addition, we’ve delivered essential items and medical supplies across Israel, hosted morale-boosting events for soldiers and established eight sub-communities to respond to ongoing emergencies. For displaced individuals, JLIC has also launched job-placement and family-matching programs, the latter of which connects individuals and families evacuated to Tel Aviv with community members prepared to serve as supportive points of contact and sources of local knowledge.

JLIC ADDS MORE CAMPUSES

Rabbi Idan and Prielle Rakovsky

BEN GURION UNIVERSITY

Rabbi Rakovsky, who hails from Givat Shmuel, studied at Yeshivat Givat Shmuel, Ma’ale Gilboa and Beit Midrash Zichron Dov. He was a Torah MiTzion shaliach in Toronto, where he served as an assistant rabbi at Shaarei Tefillah and a teacher at Yeshivat Or Chaim and Ulpanat Orot. Rabbi Rakovsky, who has recorded more than 200 shiurim, was host of the parashah podcast “Toronto Torah.”

Prielle, from Kibbutz Massuot Yitzhak, directed informal Judaic studies at Ulpanat Orot and was involved in Jewish education and leadership in Canada. She is a certified kallah teacher who studied at Beit Midrash Migdal Oz.

Rabbi Assaf and Shlomit Olshitsky

ARIEL UNIVERSITY

Assaf, from Petah Tikva, is a veteran educator with a masters degree in counseling. He is also an actor, personal trainer and author of the book Growing Up with Them. Assaf, who lectures and performs in educational plays, founded a theater unit that performed for soldiers.

Shlomit, from Beit El, is a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Mayanei HaYeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak. She loves exploring Israel, especially on foot.

Assaf and Shlomit and their eight children live in Ariel, where they have been for several years

A DIRECTOR FOR THE OU’S NEW ANTISEMITISM TASK FORCE

Matthew Abramowitz is the newly-appointed director of the OU’s recently created antisemitism task force. The new initiative aims to hold colleges, universities and high schools accountable for antisemitic behavior at their institutions and will provide legal resources and counseling for affected students.

Abramowitz, from Woodmere, N.Y., attended the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaways and Yeshivat Sha'arei Mevaseret Tzion in Israel. He went to Queens College as

an undergrad student before earning his MSW degree from Yeshiva University's Wurzweiler School of Social Work. His passion for Jewish communal work and experience working with young adults led him to the OU and JLIC, where he looks forward to supporting Jewish students on campus.

JLIC students having fun at a bake-off event