Hillel Staff
Larry Sternberg, Executive Director
A native of Chicago, Larry has traveled to Afghanistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan, and has led groups to Eastern Europe, the Former Soviet Union and Israel. He remains a fan of the Grateful Dead and Bruce Springsteen and loves good coffee and good wine. Larry is an adjunct member of the faculty of the Hornstein Professional Jewish Leadership Program at Brandeis and formerly served as Associate Director of the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis and as Director of the Nathan Perlmutter Institute for Jewish Advocacy at Brandeis. He is a founding board member of the Jewish Organizing Initiative and of Congregation Or Atid in Wayland, MA and lives with his family in Sudbury.
Office: Usdan 144
Phone:781-736-2063
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Cindy Spungin, Associate Director
Originally from Newton, MA, Cindy is beginning her 13th year with Hillel at Brandeis. Her Grand Tour of American Universities has earned her degrees in psychology and higher education administration and taken her to such places as Amherst, Massachusetts; Bloomington, Indiana; Stony Brook, New York; and Scenic Storrs, Connecticut (there’s not much to do there, but it is scenic). Most days you can find her in Usdan, hangin’ out in the Hillel Lounge, keeping the chaos somewhat contained. She enjoys a really good cafe-au-lait. Preferably in a real cafe-au-lait mug and not in a paper cup. And never in Styrofoam – forget what it does to the environment – it just makes the coffee taste bad. Yup, a real cafe-au-lait and pretty much anything on the ice cream menu at Cabots and all will be good with the world.
Office: Usdan 148
Phone: 781-736-3584
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Rabbi Elliot Kaplowitz, Co-director, The Seif Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus
The Seif Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus The Heshe and Harriet Seif Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC) is a program of the Orthodox Union in partnership with Hillel. Rabbi Elliot Kaplowitz is thrilled to be back at Brandeis. Rabbi Kaplowitz grew up in Livingston, NJ. After spending a year in Israel at Yeshivat Sha’arei Mevasseret Zion, he attended Brandeis where he received a combined BA/MA in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. Rabbi Kaplowitz spent a year working as the Iyyun Fellow at Hillel’s International Center in Washington, DC before receiving his semicha (Rabbinic ordination) from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Rabbi Kaplowitz is an avid Boston Red Sox fan. He enjoys reading, home brewing, traveling, and spending time with his wife Toby, and their three children, Yisrael, Matan, and Oshra.
Office: Usdan 147
Phone:781-736-3583
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Toby Goldfisher Kaplowitz, Co-director, The Seif Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus
The Heshe and Harriet Seif Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC) is a program of the Orthodox Union in partnership with Hillel. Toby Goldfisher Kaplowitz received her BA in psychology and music from Stern College for Women and is a graduate of the Stern College Graduate Program in Advanced Talmudic Studies. While in college, Toby spent three summers abroad in Australia and New Zealand leading an experiential Jewish education program called Counterpoint. In December 2006, Toby received her M.S.Ed. from the Bank Street College of Education where she focused her studies and Masters thesis on school leadership and progressive/experiential Jewish education. Toby began her professional career as Program Coordinator at the Center for the Jewish Future, Yeshiva University. Toby loves hanging out with her adorable chidren, Yisrael, Matan, and Oshra.
Office: Usdan 144
Phone:781-736-3581
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Eli Cohn, Coordinator for Israel Engagement
Eli is originally from Minneapolis and is definitely still a Midwesterner at heart. He graduated from Lewis and Clark College in 2010 with a degree in philosophy, which is a super cool thing to study and you shouldn’t make fun of him. He was also very active in student life at Lewis and Clark, helping to start the Greater Portland Hillel and serving as its first President. After graduating Eli spent the year in Israel on OTZMA, an extended volunteer program, where he worked a lot of different places, learned a whole lot, and deepened his connection to Israel. Eli can usually be found in Usdan, and if you can find his office on the first try you win a prize. Fun fact: Eli really enjoys sweaters.
Office: Usdan 147
Phone:781-736-5272
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Karen Tefft, Development Associate
A native of Boston, Karen has worked in Development as a second career for over 10 years. Karen attended both college and graduate school in Boston and has a BA in psychology and an MBA. Although she went to high school in the suburbs, she remained a Bostonian at heart and she couldn’t wait to move back into the city. Karen presently resides in the North End of Boston and summers in Brewster on Cape Cod. A self-proclaimed city girl, Karen enjoys walking around Boston for both pleasure and relaxation. She enjoys swimming and gardening at the Cape, taking Yoga classes, and attending theater and ballet in Boston.
Office: Usdan 52
Phone: 781-736-5780
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Ellen Afienko, Department Administrator
Described in an article in the Brandeis Hoot newspaper as “the heart and soul of the Chaplaincy,” Ellie Afienko has served as Department Administrator for Hillel at Brandeis and the Chaplaincy at Brandeis University for more than 30 years. In that time, she has mentored countless students and served as colleague, counselor, and friend to all Hillel staff and Brandeis chaplains. Ellie’s job involves all elements of administrative matters, from departmental budgets to managing day-to-day communications, from greeting new students to helping student leaders with financial reporting. Ellie is a proud parent and grandparent and lives in Millis.
Office: Usdan 51
Phone: 781-736-3570
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