Jan 23, 2025

Local University Hillels Welcome Israel Fellows

Two young Jewish Agency Israel Fellows are connecting with college students at the Hillels at FIU and UM as emissaries to help students feel empowered against antisemitism and expand their love of Israel. Rotem Asner is a Nova Music Festival massacre survivor who is sharing her compelling personal story with students at UM. She was a youth leader for many years in southern Israel before serving in the IDF and then earning a physical education degree. Hen Tel-Vardi (pictured above) was born in Tel Aviv but grew up in the French Alps before making aliyah and engaging in a pre-military program assisting individuals with disabilities, at-risk youth and Holocaust Survivors. After her IDF service, she worked with North and South American teens, helping them explore Israel and deepen their connection to Jewish identity. At the local college Hillels, both Rotem and Hen are sharing their love for Israel and providing students with the information they need to feel empowered against anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric. Federation funds eight Hillel campuses across Florida through the Annual Campaign.