Hillel Foundation, Rhode Island Chapter (Mss. Gr. 159)

The records of the Hillel Foundation at the University of Rhode Island were donated to Special Collections in July 2002 by Hillel Director Naomi Sobel. Approximately six linear feet of records from the Hillel Foundation were transferred in the original donation. The records are in good condition and include materials documenting URI Hillel's development from a relatively small Jewish Activities Council to a nationally accredited organization active in campus life.

After processing the records were arranged in the following series:

Series I, Board of Trustees, 1977-1996, contains records generated by the governing board of the B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation at URI. This series includes materials documenting the Board's Annual Meetings, which include the announcement of incoming officers and the annual awards ceremony, as well as correspondence, scattered meeting minutes and financial reports, and versions of the Board's constitution and by-laws.

Series II, Hillel Director, 1980-1999, contains the records of various directors of URI Hillel, including the correspondence of Rabbi Chaim Casper. Other materials include memos, minutes from both Board of Trustees and Student Board meetings, notes, and newspaper clippings.

Series III, Student Board, 1987-1997, contains the records of URI Hillel's Student Board, which is comprised of elected student leaders who initiate and oversee Hillel programs and activities and represent Hillel to the broader campus and Jewish communities. These records include scattered meeting minutes and election materials, various memos, and notes. A considerable portion of this series consists of the records of Robyn Witten, the Student Board President from 1992 to 1993. These records include Witten's notes and materials pertaining to Student Board meetings and the development of Springfest, the Purim Carnival.

Series IV, Subject Files, 1972-1999, consists of files pertaining to various aspects of the function and activities of URI Hillel. The records reflect Hillel's development as an institution at URI, including the accreditation process and versions of the constitution and by-laws, and provide information about a variety of Hillel's programs, such as Passover and High Holiday observance, Holocaust memorial programs, various lecture series and cultural events. Information about donations and scholarship funds is also included. The Subject Files also contain evidence of URI Hillel's connection with other Jewish organizations in Rhode Island, including the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island and the Jewish Community Council of South County. Overall, the Subject Files series provides a sense of the breadth of URI Hillel's involvement in Jewish life on campus and within the community. Additional information about URI Hillel's programs can be found in Series V, Programs.

Series V, Programs, 1980-1996, consists of materials reflecting the programs and activities offered by URI Hillel during each school year. The records include calendars and announcements of events, informational letters and brochures, promotional fliers for lectures, dances, fundraising events, and Student Board elections. A brief history of URI Hillel appears in the folder for 1993-1994. This series gives an vivid sense of the range of programs offered by Hillel and the role that the organization came to play in campus life.

Series VI, Financial, 1973-1999, contains the financial records of URI Hillel, including materials relating to the budget and the allocation of funds, an assessment by the Allocation Task Force of the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island, monthly financial reports, and financial ledgers.

Series VII, Publicity, 1980-1997, contains materials documenting URI Hillel's publicization of its programs and events as well as its monitoring of local and national news media coverage of topics of Jewish interest. Materials include notices and articles pertaining to Hillel events and activities published in the campus newspaper, The Good 5 Cent Cigar, and in other local news media. Also included are articles clipped from various local and national publications relating to both Hillel events and subjects of Jewish interest and press releases about URI Hillel events sent to area newspapers.

Series VIII, Publications, 1980-1991, consists of issues of newspapers published by URI Hillel. Both the earlier A Nickel Stogie and the later Ha 'Eton, served as a vehicle for publicizing Hillel events and as a forum for Hillel members to write about local, national, and international matters of Jewish interest.