By Mary Eshet
More than a decade ago, a generous and inspired group from the Charlotte Jewish community came together to create Queens Hillel and Jewish Life at Queens University of Charlotte. Fast forward to now, all the original donors who made possible a vibrant program at Queens are still supporting Hillel and Jewish life.
“ Our partnership with the Charlotte Jewish community is unique,” says Andy Harkavy, Director of Hillel & Jewish Life at Queens.“ A vibrant Jewish life at Queens contributes to a vibrant Jewish Charlotte, and vice versa. Our Jewish students at Queens are involved on campus, with institutions across Shalom Park, and with the greater Charlotte Jewish community. The Jewish community is such an important part of our story because they helped set the foundation to help make it all happen. They are phenomenal in supporting the program, and the staff. They have been with us from the beginning, making sure Jewish students have a home at Queens Hillel and that Jewish life at Queens can thrives.”
The Jewish student population began with one student, and today numbers have grown to between 20 and 30, including three Israeli students. Queens Hillel saw a 33 % increase in Jewish students over the past year alone.
“ I love that we have created a space where Israelis feel welcomed, comfortable, and supported,” said Rabbi Judy Schindler.“ They share their experiences with their Israeli friends, encouraging them to consider attending Queens, and also proactively discuss their culture and traditions with others at Queens.” One example of this is student, Tamar Kopilevich, who plays on the Queens basketball team and is working with Andy Harkavy to host a Shabbat dinner for the entire basketball team, including the coaches.
Hillel & Jewish Life sponsor a wide variety of programs that offer something for everyone. Holiday events and monthly Shabbat dinners draw both Jewish and non-Jewish students.“ We often connect with Jewish students, faculty, and staff and create awareness and educate non-Jewish students, faculty, and staff through tabling at our low-barrier events, like serving matzah ball soup, apples and honey, or challah on campus,” said Harkavy.“ Students – even non-Jewish ones – have told us that they have never felt so welcomed in a club as they do at Hillel. They are drawn to the community, and it is a favorite place to congregate and connect on campus.”
For many years, Jewish Life grew as part of the Greenspon
Center and is now part of the Spiritual Life program supported by Queens University of Charlotte, Chaplain, Adrian Bird.“ The 10th anniversary of Hillel and Jewish Life is a wonderful and celebratory milestone for the Queens University campus,” says Bird.“ At Queens, we thrive on the enriching diversity of our community, and we firmly believe we are stronger together. Jewish Life at Queens has grown in the most wonderful ways over the last ten years, and it is good to take pause and recognize how far we have come. With an enthusiastic Director of Hillel and Jewish Life, and an incredibly creative, dynamic, and innovative group of students, Queens has so much to celebrate.”
Ian Hirsch, a senior, double majoring in data analytics and music composition, is President of Queens Hillel.“ Queens Hillel has given me a space to explore my Jewish identity within the Queens community,” says Hirsch. Queens Hillel provides Jewish and non-Jewish students, faculty, staff, and alumni with meaningful opportunities to connect and explore Jewish culture and tradition together. Through Hillel, I’ ve reconnected with old friends who returned for events after graduating and met new ones who joined for the first time this semester. There truly is a place for everyone at Queens Hillel. I’ m grateful for the chance to engage with both the Queens community and the greater Charlotte Jewish community – and to continue growing in my understanding of Jewish life and my own Jewish identity.”
Hirsch especially enjoyed the opportunity to blow the Shofar during the Rosh HaShanah service at Queens this year.
Harkavy and Schindler appreciate the partnerships across the Queens campus. The faculty, staff, police, and security are always willing to help and ensure Jewish students have a safe, welcoming space to celebrate, commemorate, and connect. They are also excited about the opportunities that lie ahead with the Elon / Queens merger, as Elon has a vibrant Jewish life on campus as well.
Queens Hillel & Greenspon Center Introduce the Silverman
The Charlotte Jewish News- October 2025- Page 9
L’ chaim to 10 Years of Queens Hillel and Jewish Life & Inaugural Silverman Jewish Cultural Series
Cultural Series
One opportunity to celebrate Queens Hillel’ s tenth anniversary is by attending the inaugural Marc and Mattye Silverman Jewish Cultural Series event on November 20 – Spice and Soul: Exploring Israeli and Mediterranean Cuisine Through Taste and Talk with Chef Shai Fargian of Yafo Kitchen. The Charlotte community is invited to join for an evening of learning about Jewish and Israeli food, experience a cooking demonstration, and of course taste delectable food! The program will explore how food can be a powerful force in bringing people together.
Marc and Mattye Silverman have generously funded the cultural series with the aim of furthering connection and understanding in the community, as they believe the best path to creating a better humanity and understanding is to share culture and traditions.“ We want to welcome the community to celebrate our traditions and culinary experiences from a different part of the world,” shared the Silvermans.“ We hope you savor something familiar and discover a new food experience too. So, grab a plate and hopefully learn about a new perspective or idea. We are happy to have Chef Shai for this inaugural event, and we look forward to a wonderful evening of learning and delicious food.”
Israeli students from Queens will be featured in a video sharing thoughts on their favorite foods and traditions.
The event will be at 7:00 p. m. on November 20 at Queens University, and you can register at stangreensponcenter. org / events.