Contact Bama Hillel

MEET THE STAFF

Executive Director

Lisa Raymon Besnoy currently serves as the Executive Director of the Bloom Hillel Student Center at The University of Alabama.  Lisa is an alumna of The University of Alabama where she earned a BA in Industrial Organization and Interdisciplinary Psychology and a PhD in Educational Research Statistics, Evaluation and Assessment. She holds a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern Mississippi and is licensed in the states of Alabama and Ohio as an Independent Marriage and Family Therapist.

Lisa is passionate about Jewish Life on campus and welcomes visitors to tour Hillel or join our student community for Shabbat dinner.  Schedule your visit today!

Lisa Raymon Besnoy, PhD.
Lisa.BamaHillel@gmail.com
(205) 523-4646 – Cell
(205) 348-2183 – Office

Director of Student Engagement and Programming

Halle Shumate has been working in the Jewish nonprofit world since her sophomore year of college, with a focus on community building, outreach, advocacy, and

creating meaningful programming for young adults. Originally from Southern California, Halle graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., where she studied history and international relations and minored in Jewish studies. Her past roles include serving as the Israel and International Affairs Coordinator at the Jewish Community Relations Council in Manhattan and, more recently, as the Associate Director of BBYO in Cincinnati.

Halle is passionate about building strong, inclusive communities and helping students find their place in Jewish life. She brings authenticity, creativity, and a deep commitment to making Jewish spaces feel welcoming and engaging.

Contact Halle at Halle.BamaHillel@gmail.com

Israel Fellow

Guy Kobrin is the Israel Fellow at Bloom Hillel at The University of Alabama.

He is from Kiryat Bialik, Israel, and studied Asian Studies after his military service. Guy speaks Chinese and has worked with Chinese students to share Israeli culture. He’s excited to connect with Jewish students and sees this year as a chance to grow through real, meaningful conversations about Israel and identity.

Contact Guy at Guy.BamaHillel@gmail.com

STUDENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Bama Hillel interns are a vital part of our programming, building operations, and student engagement.  They gain valuable knowledge and experience in the fields of Jewish communal service and non-profit organizations, and have the opportunity to work closely with their fellow students and adult advisers to help make our growing Hillel one of the most vibrant in the region.

Interns:

Aidan Sikora, Atlanta, GA

Alexa Warner, Atlanta, GA

Ariel Goldt, Atlanta, GA

Bennett Pollack, Atlanta, GA

Charlie Eigner, Denver, CO

Elizabeth Averbuch, Nashville, TN

Emma Goldstein, Tuscaloosa, AL

Leo Goodwin, Mountain Brook, AL

Lilly Levy, Atlanta, GA

Logan Katz, Atlanta, GA

Matthew Varon, New Orleans, LA

Max Simmons, Atlanta, GA

Rebecca Surasky, Atlanta, GA

Sam Hochhauser, Fairhope, AL

Sarah Hochauser, Fairhope, AL

Sophie Reich, Ponte Verda Beach, FL

Saul Gerstenfeld, Dallas, TX

STUDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM

Hillel also has a more traditional student board, which gives our students – ranging from freshmen to graduate students – an opportunity to get hands-on experience in student leadership. Our board works hard on all of Hillel’s exciting programming. We are so pleased that our student board members- as well as our interns- hail from all across The United States.

President: Saul Gerstenfeld
Executive VP:  Sarah Hochhauser
Secretary:  Emily Cohen
VP of Finance:  Dylan Siegel