EFTA00727994.pdf

Reesman Center for Harvard Hillel Rosovsky Hall 52 Mount Auburn 5:root Cambridge. MA 0213E TI' 617.495.4695 Par 617.864 1637 HILLEL www/WWWI.bavard ate May 10, 2010 Mr. Jeffrey Epstein 301 East 66th Street Suite 10B New York, NY 10065 Dear Jeffrey: Thank you for your support of Harvard Hillel and the Harvard Jewish community during this important moment in history. As you know, we find ourselves managing through a short-term financial challenge and simultaneously pursuing a long-term opportunity - one with the potential to meaningfully impact student life at Harvard and the worldwide Jewish community. In the short-term, Harvard Hillel faces financial pressure due to the global economic crisis that has challenged many non-profits combined with the added complexity that our fundraising efforts underperformed over the past two years when our Director of Development became seriously ill. We now have a new Director of Development and, with your help and that of other friends, are in the process of stabilizing the current operating budget As we navigate the "here and now" and look to the future, we are enormously encouraged by the opportunity that exists for Harvard Hillel to increase the role it plays for Jewish students across the University; to deepen its ties with the Harvard faculty at the College and Graduate Schools; to build bridges among Jewish and non-Jewish students at Harvard; and to collaborate with other Universities and Jewish organizations around the world. I very much appreciate your offer to share this letter and the attached information with those who you think may have an interest in learning more about our efforts. Harvard Hillel Today Harvard Hillel is an independent, non-profit organization housed in a 21,000 sq. ft. building designed by famed Israeli architect Moshe Safdie. This landmark building is located in the heart of Harvard Square and is named for Henry Rosovsky, the first Jewish Dean of Harvard's Faculty of Arts & Sciences and a legend in Harvard history. • Harvard Hillel enjoys unique status at Harvard. Harvard Hillel's "affiliated structure" with the University - a recognized part of the community but not a wholly owned subsidiary - provides Harvard Hillel with tremendous flexibility to experiment, work across the historic boundaries among its schools, collaborate with EFTA00727994  members of all of Harvard's faculties, and seize the benefits of being a part of the University community while navigating Harvard's size and complexity successfully. This positive structure, of course comes at a cost - which is that Harvard Hillel receives absolutely no financial support from the University itself. We are entirely dependent upon the generosity of individual donors to fund our existence and operation. • Harvard Hillel is the largest student organization at Harvard, serving thousands of students annually. Unlike the often preconceived notion of a "Hillel" as welcoming only to the very observant, Harvard Hillel is equally utilized by Jews who are discovering their tradition for the first time, those who are deeply observant — and those who fall anywhere in between. Importantly, we also educate large numbers of non-Jews, about the history and meaning of Judaism. • Harvard Hillel plays an integral role in student life at the College and the University, both for individuals and the Institution itself. Our activities range from a course on "Faith in a Fragmented World" taught earlier this year in conjunction with the Kennedy School to a candle light vigil we initiated between Jews and Muslims (instead of the virulent protest planned) in the heart of Harvard Square related to the conflict in the Middle East. Increasingly, others are emulating our model of Jewish education, outreach, and bridge building among Jews and between Jews and non-Jews. • Harvard Hillel is increasingly collaborating with faculty members across the University. Over a dozen senior scholars from across Harvard are deeply engaged in our current work and our plans for the future, as outlined below. Among others, our faculty advisors include Noah Feldman and Robert Mnookin from Harvard Law School; Marshall Ganz and Robert Putnam from Harvard Kennedy School; Stephen Greenblatt, Elisa New, Steven Pinker, Michael Sandel, and Christopher Winship from the Faculty of Arts & Sciences; and Jan Rivkin and Roy Shapiro from Harvard Business School. It goes without saying that Henry Rosovsky is also a member of this group and that we continue to benefit from his wisdom. The attached information provides a concise overview of Harvard Hillel's current and historic activity. The Vision for The Future Seventeen years after moving into Rosovsky Hall in the center of Harvard's campus, Harvard Hillel is beginning to position and define itself for the next decade. • Our intent is to change the organization's name from "Harvard Hillel" to one that more accurately represents our vision and role, both within the University and beyond. Our current thinking is that the new identity for the organization will become "The Center for Jewish Life & Leadership at Harvard University." A naming opportunity will be offered to a single donor who may wish to materially support this new Center. EFTA00727995  • The Center for Jewish Life & Leadership will continue to provide the social and religious programs to the University community that Harvard Hillel does today. It will broaden its mandate, however, to explicitly focus on providing (a) experiential Jewish education, which we define as providing pluralistic educational programs and experiences to Jews of all backgrounds and levels of observance about the values, contributions, and beliefs of their tradition; and (b) intensive leadership training to young Jews with demonstrated leadership potential - from Harvard and beyond - through non-degree "executive education" courses on the Harvard campus in the summer and during the winter break • Faculty members from across Harvard will play an increasing role in developing ideas and teaching courses related to Judaism and Jewish values. These faculty members, many of whom have a long-standing relationship with Harvard Hillel, will become the heart of the Center for Jewish Life & Leadership. Over time, the Center for Jewish Life & Leadership will encompass a robust Institute for Jewish Leadership and serve as an incubator to facilitate and support social action ideas. Over the past year, we have held in-depth consultations with students, members of the Harvard Faculty, and leaders from the public, private, and non-profit sectors within and outside the Jewish community. The consensus from these discussions is that we have an extraordinary opportunity to build upon the success of Harvard Hillel - and to transform it into a worldwide resource for the Jewish future, one that inspires and serves individuals and communities of all backgrounds associated with our 4,000 year-old tradition. The funding aspiration to secure the financial foundation of Harvard Hillel and enable the pursuit of this ambition is $25 million. We are in the early stages of identifying friends and investors with the vision to help shape and support this important undertaking. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, li-i 2t-Li Dr. Bernie Steinberg President, Harvard Hillel Co-Founder, Center for Jewish Life & Leadership Professor, Kennedy School of Government Copy: Dr. Henry Rosovsky Eric Sinoway EFTA00727996