Israel Education alumnae Rachel Sasiene and Jennifer Stone were honored at Hillel International’s 2025 Global Assembly in Boston this December, recognizing their leadership and impact in advancing Jewish life on college campuses. Hosted by Hillel International—the largest Jewish campus organization in the world—the annual Global Assembly brought together more than 1,100 campus leaders, students, supporters, and sponsors from around the globe to celebrate innovation, growth, and excellence across the Hillel network.
Rachel Sasiene was recognized with the Shine A Light on Antisemitism Civic Courage Award for her leadership in empowering Jewish students and equipping more than 300 North American Hillels to navigate their Jewish identity and confront rising antisemitism with strategy and compassion. As director of Hillel International’s Israel Action & Addressing Antisemitism Program, she integrates immediate crisis response with long-term strategic planning to ensure campus Jewish communities are prepared to respond to incidents effectively and prevent future occurrences. Sasiene has emerged as a nationally recognized voice in combating antisemitism, emphasizing the importance of identifying patterns across incidents to strengthen response systems. In addition to her crisis management work, she champions Hillel International’s pilot Relational Advocacy program, which fosters allyship through meaningful dialogue and bridge-building. Her leadership continues to inspire a new generation of Jewish students to stand confidently in their identities and support one another.
Jennifer Stone received the Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence Award in recognition of her outstanding commitment to fostering vibrant Jewish life and a sense of belonging in her role as associate director of Northeastern University Hillel. Presented to professionals at various stages of their careers, the award honors individuals whose passion and dedication enrich the lives of Hillel students, strengthen a culture of excellence across the organization, and set a standard for Hillel professionals nationwide.
In addition, alumni from the inaugural cohort of the GSEHD Fellowship & Summer Institute on Antisemitism & Jewish Identity in Educational Settings—Dr. Keitha-Gail Martin-Kerr and Dr. Jana Lo Bello Miller—were recognized with the Shine A Light on Antisemitism Civic Courage Award for Outstanding University Educator or Administrator in Action Against Antisemitism. Faculty members at the University of Minnesota School of Education, Martin-Kerr and Lo Bello Miller now serve as speakers and ambassadors for the GSEHD program. Following their participation in the GW Fellowship and Summer Institute, they took action to address what they describe as the “quiet complicity” surrounding antisemitism in education. The pair revamped course materials to include comprehensive instruction on antisemitism and Jewish children’s literature, launched a faculty–student dialogue series, and presented their work at the American Educational Research Association conference. They also received an Academic Engagement Network mini-grant to expand their collection of Jewish children’s literature. Beyond the classroom, Martin-Kerr and Lo Bello Miller mentor emerging educators and share insights on allyship and audience engagement through the Summer Institute. Dr. Martin-Kerr’s forthcoming co-authored publication, Evaluating Jewish Children’s Literature: A Toolkit for Elementary Educators, will provide practical resources for integrating Jewish narratives into elementary classrooms. Together, their work reflects a sustained commitment to strengthening Jewish inclusion and confronting antisemitism in educational settings.