Position: Associate Director, Rutgers Hillel, New Brunswick

Length of Service: Since 2001

Residence: Highland Park

Multiple roles at Rutgers: Esther Reed is both an ordained Conservative rabbi and an associate director of Rutgers Hillel. Her role reflects the mission of Hillel International:  to enrich the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. Reed seeks to create a welcoming environment for the 5,000 Jewish students at Rutgers, New Brunswick, which has the fourth largest Jewish population on a college campus in the United States. “I have several different portfolios,” she says, “but my biggest responsibility is student leadership development – helping students develop into the best leaders they can be.” Reed provides counseling for students on issues that can range from academics to personal problems and has specific religious goals, such as leading High Holy Day services.  She also serves as a liaison between Hillel and other organizations, such as a coalition of chaplaincies on campus, hosting events and activities. She has been instrumental in helping to organize the Jewish-Catholic dialogue series that is taking place this year, a collaboration between Rutgers Hillel, the Catholic Center, and the Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish life.

Why she loves her job: “The reason I do this is because of the students. I want to help guide students who are asking themselves, ‘Who do I want to be? What kind of impact will I have on the world?’” The goal of Rutgers Hillel is for students to become activists. Rather than attend events planned for them, the organization encourages students to be hands-on, from developing the initial idea for a program to executing a final product.  Reed enjoys the bonds she forms with students. “When students feel they can confide in me and seek my counsel, that trust and friendship is something I value greatly,” Reed says. Relationships often last long after they leave Rutgers. “Students have asked me to perform their weddings,” she says.

Finding her calling: While studying at Bryn Mawr College, Reed became a Jewish studies major as well as a participant in her campus Hillel. She finished college with a degree in Jewish studies, one course away from a biology degree, and a desire to learn more about Judaism. “I was interested in studying Judaism even more; I thought my Jewish classes were fascinating. They were academic, so there was no opportunity to talk about God, and I was interested in going to rabbinical school to learn about those theological issues,” Reed says. Following her interests, after college she began working for Hillel at Tufts University. Reed describes this year as “a year of clarity,” because she realized she wanted to “go to rabbinical school and work with Hillel.” Eventually in 2001, Reed was ordained as a rabbi and got a job at Rutgers Hillel as the assistant director.

Creating a balance:  Reed is married to a rabbi, and the couple has three young boys, ages 5, 3, and 23 months. She met her husband, Mordecai Schwartz, in rabbinical school, at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he is now the director of recruitment and completing a doctoral degree in Talmud.  Reed makes work and life balance a priority. “I’m home almost every night for dinner and to put my kids to bed,” she said. Reed also enjoys hiking in parks and nature preserves with her family and watching movies, particularly thrillers and romances.

Rising to the top: Along with six others across the country, in December of 2007 Reed was presented with the Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence Award. The award – the highest honor a Hillel professional can receive – recognizes those whose remarkable passion and outstanding devotion to the Jewish campus community set a standard for all Hillel professionals to emulate. “It's a little awkward to be the one to explain this, but I received this award because I'm good at my job,” Reed admits. “It’s a very big honor, and I feel humbled by it.”