Professional Staff
Jenna Citron Schwab - Executive Director
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Originally from New Jersey, Jenna has lived all over the United States from south to north Florida, Texas, Georgia and New York. Jenna earned a master's degree in Public Administration and Policy from the Askew School at Florida State University in 2012 and a BS in Political Science from Florida State University in 2008. Jenna began her Hillel career in 2010 as the Jewish Student Life Coordinator at Florida State Hillel, and in 2012 became the first Director of Jewish Student Life at Queens Hillel. After quadrupling student engagement and being awarded Hillel International's Outstanding Campus Award, Jenna became Queens Hillel's Assistant Director in 2016 and the Executive Director in 2019. Jenna was in the 2nd cohort of the Ruskay Institute for Jewish Professional Leadership, chaired Limmud NY 2018, and received Hillel International's Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence award in 2018. For her commitment to the Queens Jewish community, Jenna was awarded a Citation of Honor by the Queensborough President in 2023, and honored by the District Attorney of Queens for Jewish American Heritage Month in 2024. Jenna serves on Hillel International's Director's Cabinet, is on the Advisory Board of the Kupferberg Holocaust Center, volunteers for Malkhut Queens, and is a member of Queens Community Board 8. Jenna is also an avid cook, a passionate Florida State football fan, a frequent Walt Disney World guest, a fierce Formula 1 Racing fan, and loves spending time with her husband, son, dog, cats, and friends in their beloved Astoria neighborhood. She can be reached at jenna@qchillel.org
ADAM BENDER - Director of Engagement
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Originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, IL, Adam left his midwestern roots and has called New York home since 2017. Adam had his first taste of Hillel on campus at the University of Minnesota, where he received his BS in Finance. He became an Israel intern at Hillel after being on campus just a few days, and the rest is history. Adam began his professional journey at Temple of Aaron in St. Paul, MN, serving as their Engagement Director and since moving to New York has worked at a number of synagogues in varied educational and programmatic capacities. Israel has held a special place in Adam’s heart as he participated in the gap year program Nativ before college, and then had the opportunity to serve as a madrich before graduate school. While receiving his Masters in Jewish Education from the William Davidson School at the Jewish Theological Seminary, Adam also received a Masters concentration in Israel Education through the iCenter. At the heart of everything Adam does is food. You’ll often find him bopping around the city looking for the next great donut or ice cream shop. Adam currently lives in White Plains, NY with his wife, Tamra. He is ecstatic to have the opportunity to jump on board at Queens Hillel and meet you for coffee or a sweet treat! Adam can be reached at adam@qchillel.org
Ruchie Brukirer, OU-JLIC Director
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Ruchie Brukirer grew up in Monsey, NY, and is a proud mommy of two rambunctious boys. She worked with special needs adults while studying for her bachelor's degree. After marrying Shlomo and moving to Israel, she balanced being a part of the Jersualem Kollel, earning her master's degree in Speech Therapy and making Shabbos meals for the many guests they had. While in the Jerusalem Kollel, she studied topics from Rabbi Berkovits shlita such as Jewish theology, Cycle of Life, and Halacha as well as a course in training to give Kallah classes. Ruchie enjoys reading a good book, drawing, and taking a nature hike. She enjoys getting to know people over a traditional home cooked meal. She can be reached at ruchie@qchillel.org.
Rabbi Shlomo Brukirer, OU-JLIC Director
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Shlomo Brukirer grew up in Suffern, NY, and descends from over 30 generations of Jewish educators. While learning in the Mir Yeshiva in Israel, he helped cofound ZAY, a program for young adults struggling with substance abuse. He spent two years learning Halacha in Yeshivas Torah Voda’as, before marrying his wife, Ruchie. After moving to Israel, they joined the Jerusalem Kollel Rabbinical Training Program where he received smicha from Rabbi Berkovits shlita. Shlomo is always ready and willing to have a conversation or debate on classical political philosophy, ethics, and morals. He appreciates good music, experimenting in the kitchen, and getting to know people. He can be reached at rbrukirer@qchillel.org.
Amitai Nelkin, Springboard Innovation Fellow
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Originally from Highland Park, New Jersey, Amitai has spent the last four years in Providence, Rhode Island, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Brown University. Amitai loves biking, drawing, comedy, animating, nature, and animals. He’s so excited to be joining the Queens Hillel team, and can’t wait to meet you all! He can be reached at amitai@qchillel.org
Em Riveles, LCSW, Senior Director of Wellness and Innovation
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Em is a native New Yorker calls the beautiful, diverse borough of Queens her home. She attended Queens College for undergrad and graduated with her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Hunter College in 2017. Em has worked in a variety of settings, from community centers to medical facilities and has worked with populations including LGBTQ+ young adults (ages 13-24) and individuals with chronic mental health/medical conditions. Today, Em is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and spends her days working with the amazing students at Queens Hillel to develop Jewish community where wellness is woven into all that we do. She is passionate about supporting students as they explore their Jewish identity, including questions related to sexuality and/or gender identity, family and friendship dynamics, religious observance, and stress management. Em also oversees the career readiness initiatives at Queens Hillel in collaboration with CommonPoint Queens and loves to help students as they navigate their post-college professional journeys. In her free time, Em loves to play video games, spend time outdoors, eat yummy food, spend time with loved ones, and tend to her many plants. She can be reached at wellnessem@qchillel.org.
Eden Ahava Romem, Jewish Agency for Israel Fellow
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This is Eden's first-year as a Jewish Agency Israel Fellow at Queens Hillel in New York. During her teenage years, Eden lived in Pardes Hanna, Israel - but throughout her childhood, she lived in various beautiful locations across the country.
After high school, Eden was recruited to the army, where she served for 3.5 years as an officer and later as a platoon captain in the Education and Youth Corps.
While earning her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Business Administration at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Eden worked as a Masa coordinator and led several Hillel programs, including a delegation to San Francisco.
Eden is excited to create meaningful connections and dialogue during her Shlichut. She can be reached at eden@qchillel.org
Darone Ruskay, Managing Director
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A native New Yorker, Darone has lived within a twenty block area for all but the four years he spent in college at the University of Michigan, where he earned a BA in Holocaust Studies in Education. This was followed by a Master’s Degree in Non-Profit Management from The New School. His professional career has spanned the Jewish communal service sector, in a variety of institutions including The Museum of Jewish Heritage, The Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE), The Skirball Center for Adult Jewish Learning, The Jewish Theological Seminary and Tablet Magazine. Darone is passionate about finding ways for technology to enhance Jewish life and learning. His entrepreneurial spirit helped him use these twin interests to create and lead the first Jewish podcast network, JCast Network, which he launched in 2010.
Darone is married to Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay, the Associate Dean at The Jewish Theological Seminary’s Rabbinical School and has twin sons who he loves to watch on the baseball field. Darone was an original “Ruskay Fellow” before it was a thing. Darone can be reached at darone@qchillel.org
Regina Yunatanova, Wellness Support Specialist
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Regina is a New Yorker, born in Russia and raised in Israel and is a multitasker mother, and activist. She is a trilingual in Hebrew, English and Russian. She recently gradated her master’s in Yeshiva University Wurzweiler School of Social Work and is a proud mother of four wonderful children. She attended Molloy College for undergrad and completed her Bachelor’s degree in the interdisciplinary studies of Biology and Psychology. Regina is very excited to be part of one of the most rewarding professions of social work mostly due to the support and assistance she can provide to the community and others.
She decided to pursue social work especially because of her passion to empower women and families’ relations. Regina is also appreciating the diverse population in New York and being able to meet diverse cultures, and communities. She is also passionate about being a part of the Jewish community and the significant traditions that are cultivating the community for years. Regina loves traveling, listening to great music, going to Broadway and other live concerts, meeting new people, spending time in nature, cooking delicious food and most importantly spending time with the family. She can be reached at wellnessregina@qchillel.org.
Michael Stevens, Campus Marketing & Development Manager
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Michael grew up in Staten Island, with little to no Jewish upbringing. It wasn’t until his sophomore year at Baruch College where he first began to explore his Jewish identity. He graduated Baruch’s Zicklin School of Business with a BBA in Marketing and accepted the Springboard Innovation Fellowship with Hillel at Baruch. Michael brought a fun and lighthearted energy to the Hillel. This created deep relationships, tons of laughter, and even better memories. His professional time at Hillel at Baruch is encompassed by community and growth. Being immersed in Jewish life, values, and traditions propelled Michael on his Jewish connection. After leaving Hillel at Baruch, he rejoined the Hillel movement as the Marketing and Development Manager to provide fundraising support to CUNY Hillels. In just the first year at his role, the donor community of Queens Hillel has shown up for students in miraculous ways. In his free time, Michael likes to cook creative meals, train for strength and mobility, and discover music that cures the soul. Send music recommendations pls! Contact Steven at mstevens@hillel.org.
Karen Klein, Career Counselor
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Karen Klein is an experienced career counselor and the director of the CUNY Career Connect program which serves students at five CUNY Hillels. Karen has been providing services to CUNY Hillel students since 2014, offering individual career guidance, workshops, and helping students expand their networks. Karen has also worked with college students from the former Soviet Union, offering internship placement, career support and educational workshops. At the start of her career Karen worked in publishing for several years, and she spent 3 years in Israel, living on Kibbutz and doing community service work. She also teaches 1st grade Religious School at Temple Shaaray Tefila in Manhattan. Karen has an MA in Clinical and Health Psychology from MCP Hahnemann University and a BA in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Karen grew up in New Jersey and now lives in Manhattan with her partner Gary. She loves the energy, connection and creativity of the Hillel community. She is passionate about helping students find successful and fulfilling careers and would love to hear from you!
Board of Directors
*Denotes Executive Committee Member, ^Denotes Committee Chair, ~Denotes Past President
Dani Shulman, President*
Daniel Tavakoli, Immediate Past President*~
Erika Witover, Vice President*~
Lily Pepper Sommer, Treasurer *
Joshua Frankel, Secretary *
Abby Biesman
Professor Arnold Franklin
Zohar Bachiry Geiger
Rabbi Paul Kerbel
Joan Loren*
Yasmin Pinkhasov Malaev
Ellen Koppelman*~
Shanie Reichman
Andrea Reznick
Joseph Stern
Ariel Tavor
Hillel Wallick *~
David Davydov, Student Representative
Honorary advisory council
Muriel Goldberg^
David Aronov
Gitit Bachiry
Tom Blumberg z”l
Sandy Cahn
Ilene Eder
Peal Halegua
Danielle Hersch
Manny Korman
Jerffrey Rosenstock
Bernie and Laurie Spear
R’ Meyar Waxman