Celebrating Michael Simon

Pardes alumni are making an incredible impact on our world.

They are leading and creating organizations and businesses of all kinds, responding to humanitarian crises, writing novels, educating at all levels, creating works of art, and so much more! In celebration of Pardes’s 50th, we are highlighting 50 standout alumni whose accomplishments exemplify the rich texture of the Pardes community worldwide. 

MEET MICHAEL

Twelve years ago, Michael Simon assumed the role of Executive Director at Northwestern Hillel, the center and catalyst for Jewish life, community, and personal exploration at Northwestern University. Northwestern Hillel operates with a mission to cultivate and empower young Jewish leaders, equipping them with the passion and foresight to make meaningful contributions to the Jewish community and the broader world. On a personal note, Michael is married to Dr. Claire Sufrin, who holds the position of Senior Editor at the Shalom Hartman Institute – North America. Together, they are proud parents of two sons, Jacob (11) and Ethan (8).

CAN YOU SHARE A SPECIAL PARDES MEMORY?

There are so, so many. One moment that comes to mind is the time during midday announcements in the Beit Midrash when Leah Solomon and Miriam Margles mentioned that The Nesiya Institute was looking for madrichim for Summer 2002. I followed up, which led to my first Jewish communal job.

Perhaps a bigger “small” moment came on July 28, 2006, when I came to Friday night services that were being led by Mishael Zion for the Shabbat that began the third summer session. I was just a guest that night, and in the hallway outside of the door to the Beit Midrash I happened to meet another guest, Claire Sufrin. Two years later, we got married.

WHAT DID YOU DO FOR THE FIRST TIME AT PARDES?

I learned Talmud for the first time at Pardes. I also learned mishna, halacha, and midrash for the first time at Pardes. In a sense, I did my first real, sustained Torah learning of my life at Pardes. I went on my first tiyulim in the desert and Shabbatonim with Pardes. So many gifts!

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CLASS AT PARDES?

My very favorite class at Pardes was my Tanakh class taught by Judy Klitsner. This took place during my second year at Pardes, when I was a Fellow. This was also the year after Marla and Ben had been killed (along with seven others) and Jamie had been injured (along with dozens of others) in the terrorist attack at Hebrew University. For me, that year was incredibly painful — often, it was difficult just to get out of bed, let alone to come to Pardes and try to get through a day of learning. But Judy’s class — which would have been special anytime — became an anchor, a pathway back toward meaning. The wordplay and connections that Judy helped us to see, the questions I got to explore in hevruta, the reminders of how vast our tradition of learning are and how we’re connected across thousands of years of tradition — all of those were like lifelines for me, every day.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SPOT IN JERUSALEM?

My favorite spot in Jerusalem — can I pick 3? Actually, can I pick 30?

  1. The Tayelet (Haas Promenade), especially at the point where it opens up to a kind of plaza. I’ve been there with groups from Harvard Hillel and Northwestern Hillel, and I’ve also been there on my own and with friends. Always, always, the view of the Old City and the hills beyond makes me pause in my tracks and feel gratitude just to be right there.
  2. Emek Refaim — I lived on Hamelitz during my two years in Jerusalem, and it felt like home and still does.
  3. My seat in the Pardes Beit Midrash — it’s not actually my seat anymore, and soon the beit midrash won’t even be in the same spot where it was. But, at least in my memory, it also still feels like home.

IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY SHABBAT GUEST, WHO WOULD IT BE?

I have so many ways that I’d like to answer this question. I’d want to bring back Martin Luther King, Jr., to talk about social justice and racial justice in America. I’d want to bring back Moshe and ask him if all of it — if any of it — is true. Same with Jacob. Same with David. I’d want to bring back the women of the Torah whose voices are so often muffled or missing. I’d want to bring back my mom, and my dad, and my grandparents.

But if I could only bring ONE guest, real or fictional, currently alive or no longer with us, I’d invite Marla Bennett. Marla was ripped from this world at the age of 24, in an instant of horror. I’d ask her if I’ve honored her memory in the way that I’ve lived since she was killed, and I’d ask her if there’s anything else that I could do to elevate her memory. I’d also want to make sure that all of her friends from Pardes, all of her teachers from Pardes, all of her family and people who have loved her, would have one chance to say hello and goodbye again in person. So — it would need to take place in a pretty big venue. 

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR WORK?

I am incredibly fortunate that I have the opportunity to work with smart, kind, passionate, and caring students who are interested in making a positive difference in the world. I am most proud when I see what students who I have worked with in recent years are now doing out in their communities, building wonderful friendships and families, and helping to make the world a better place in small and large ways.

I am also very proud to work with colleagues — and to have worked with colleagues over the years — who have gained skills and experiences and knowledge that they have taken with them to other organizations and endeavors. I really do believe in “paying it forward” — I recognized shortly after leaving Pardes how much the Pardes experience was shaping how I approached my work at Hillel, and I love seeing how much others’ work with me at Hillel shapes their next steps.

I’ll also mention that I am most proud whenever — whether in a conversation, a text study, or an experiential moment (e.g., a trip to Israel and the Palestinian Territories) — I’m able to help a student or group to challenge assumptions, to see nuances and complexities in situations and on issues that are often rendered only in black and white.

HOW DOES PARDES CONTINUE TO AFFECT YOU TODAY?

It is difficult to imagine that I would be who I am in 2023 if it weren’t for my experiences at Pardes. As I often say, during 2001-2002 I fell in love with Israel, with Torah learning, and with Marla — all of this took place while I was at Pardes. My love of Torah learning and Israel became the foundation for my looking into work in the Jewish communal world that summer at Nesiya, and then when I was ready to return to the U.S. in August 2003. There is a direct line from Pardes to Nesiya to Harvard Hillel, where the Executive Director was Bernie Steinberg, a renowned Pardes alum who became my mentor and one of my most important teachers.

The direct line continued from serving as Associate Director at Harvard Hillel to become Executive Director at Northwestern Hillel. The devastation of losing Marla led to a year — actually, more than a year — of grief, but it also led to growth, to an understanding of my own capacity to persevere, to hope, and to love. I couldn’t have known, or imagined, that I’d meet the person that I would actually marry at Pardes that night in 2006, but I did. Aside from Claire, some of the most important and closest people in my life — Dan Savitt, Stu Jacobs, Amanda Pogany, Mark Baker, and more — were there with me at Pardes. My connection to The Hartman Institute, where I have been a Campus Fellow, and at Encounter — those also came from connections forged at Pardes.

Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation

Start date: ASAP

We are seeking a charismatic, creative, and action-oriented Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation to lead this initiative. This individual will play a key role in bridging the gap between the immersive Jerusalem-based Pardes experience and the ongoing life-long learning opportunities we offer in North America.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Implement and Iterate Alumni Engagement Strategies:
    • Enhance the current “menu” of opportunities for Pardes alumni to both “give” to
      and “receive” from, Pardes.
      • Give: Empower alumni to take action, create initiatives, and leverage
        Pardes as a platform for leadership and innovation.
      • Receive: Encourage alumni to engage in continued learning through
        classes, retreats, Shabbatonim, cohorts, and other programs.
    •  Ongoing internal evaluation of efficacy of strategies and implementing iterative
      updates to enhance outcomes.
  • Program Development and Management:
    • In collaboration with the wider team, develop and implement ideas for online and in person classes, including holiday programs, one-off shiurim, and limited series.
    • Oversee the execution of programs including but not limited to: email
      correspondence and registration, coordinating with marketing, Zoom production,
      and post-program evaluation.
    • Ensuring cross-departmental collaboration specifically with the engagement and
      development teams
    •  Serve as the project manager for select alumni cohort learning programs,
      ensuring smooth operations and successful outcomes.
  • Community Building and Leadership:
    • Foster strong, relational connections with alumni, encouraging their active
      involvement in the Pardes community.
    • Identify and cultivate connections with key alumni leaders. Lead efforts to inspire alumni to take on leadership roles within their communities, promoting Pardes’ values and educational mission.
    • Cultivate and steward and existing external partnerships with organizations and
      initiatives as it relates to our Pardesnik engagement and activation work
  • Alumni Coaching and Mentorship:
    • Provide coaching and mentorship to alumni interested in developing initiatives, such as micro-grants or local events, and support them in realizing their ideas. This may include group coaching within cohorts.
  • Targeted Recruitment and Outreach:
    • Engage in focused recruitment and outreach efforts to involve specific alumni in relevant Pardes offerings.
    • Collaborate with the wider team to manage recruitment for various programs,
      including necessary follow-up and evaluation.

Qualifications:

  •  Proven experience in alumni relations, community engagement, or a related field.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a talent for building and maintaining relationships.
  • Creativity and initiative in developing new programs and strategies to engage alumni.
  • Passion for Jewish learning and a deep connection to the mission of Pardes.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
  • Willingness to travel as needed to engage with alumni across North America.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Pardes alumna
  • Experience working in Jewish education or community leadership.
  • Familiarity with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and its programs.
  • Based in New York City

Benefits:

  • Competitive salary commensurate with experience: $70,000-$85,000
    100% health insurance coverage for the employee (dependent coverage available)
  • 403b retirement plan with Nationwide with up to 5% contribution by employer
  • Paid time off & Paid holidays (Jewish and secular)
  • FSA
  • Group Life and Personal Accident Insurance
  • Parental leave
  • Remote and hybrid working option and flexible hours
  • Opportunities to travel domestically and to Israel to collaborate across the team
  • Opportunity to contribute to a dynamic and growing organization with a meaningful mission.

How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter detailing their qualifications and passion for this role. All applications should be sent to Assistant Director of Programs at Monica at monica@pardes.org.

Cover letters should answer the following questions

  • What makes you passionate about this role and work?
  • What concrete professional or personal experiences have prepared you best for this role?
  • What is one project, strategy or initiative that this job description stimulates in you?
  • How do you ensure great teamwork and successful collaboration?
    PLEASE NOTE:

Applications are due by October 8th and interviews will be the week of October 28th. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Pardes North America provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants in all organizational facilities without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer-related or HIV/AIDS-related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

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