Incoming UCLA Hillel Director Rabbi Aaron Lerner spoke at the ADL Pacific Southwest Region Executive Committee meeting on May 12. Rabbi Lerner was part of a panel discussion with current Hillel Director Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller and former UCLA Hillel Student Board President Tammy Rubin.
Regional Director Amanda Susskind provided an overview of ADL’s involvement at UCLA over the past two years including the most recent training of members of UCLA’s Undergraduate Students Association Council. Associate Regional Director Ariella Schusterman discussed the ADL’s role in monitoring, preventing and responding to anti-Semitic and anti-Israel activities on campus.
Rabbi Lerner discussed the BDS movement and its current manifestations on campus. Rabbi Seidler-Feller described a recent initiative of the UCLA Hillel – a trip to Israel for campus opinion leaders. Graduating senior Tammy Rubin stated that contrary to popular belief, “Campus is not ground zero.” While she described some of her experience dealing with these issues as “traumatic,” she wanted the assembled lay leaders to know that the students have a strong sense of community and mission.