We wanted to take some time to highlight the work some of our customers are doing in the community. So let’s introduce our first AMAZING partner...

Benjie Kaplan, the Executive Director of Minnesota Hillel, chatted with us about his team’s experience with COVID-19, working remotely, and plans for students as they return to campus this fall. 

Q: What is Minnesota Hillel? 

Benjie: Minnesota Hillel is the only nonprofit, Jewish center serving college students at the University of Minnesota. We started serving students in 1940 with a direct focus on social programming, social action, social justice, celebrating Israel and Israeli education and holidays, learning, and leadership. Currently, we have 5 staff members that work together to serve over 700 students on campus. 

Q: What did the initial transition to COVID-19 look like? 

Benjie: Students were away on spring break when they found out that the campus would be closing due to COVID-19. We knew everything had to go virtual in order to continue serving students for the final 10 weeks of the semester. Fortunately, we are in the process of building a new center for students, so it was a good time for students who were involved with Minnesota Hillel to not be on campus. 

Q: How has Minnesota Hillel adjusted to working remotely? 

Benjie: We began working from home and realized it does have some barriers and is difficult to not have the opportunity to engage personally with students. Keeping the team mentality and motivation up is also a new challenge we face. Most students did not expect much help from Hillel over the summer which did help relieve some pressure. 

Q: What changes on campus should students expect this fall? 

Benjie: Students will be returning to campus and we plan to follow the university’s guidelines for social distancing. The new building will open in September and we are excited for students to be able to safely utilize it! All of the bathrooms in the new building are hands-free (toilets, sinks, hand dryers, etc.) The new building also has study rooms and classrooms that are available for students to utilize. We have established a room booking system that can track when the rooms are being used, who is using them, and when they need to be cleaned. 

We are also organizing a Welcome Back Barbecue event. An anticipated 200-300 people will attend. It gives students the opportunity to stop by, say hi, and take a tour of the new building. 

Q: Has Minnesota Hillel hosted any virtual events? 

Benjie: Minnesota Hillel hosted the Maroon and Gold Shabbat as a virtual event. 1000 people were able to attend the event because it was online, and it was able to reach a much broader audience. The event was free for students and if parents or alumni wanted to participate, they could receive a sponsorship to do so. All participants received a t-shirt. In previous years, there had been 80th-year t-shirts, reusable double-walled glasses, and even custom maroon, gold, and white M&M’s with the Minnesota Hillel logo!

Q: What do successful promotions look like for Minnesota Hillel? 

Benjie: Minnesota Hillel has a reputation for having really nice swag. I have a background in marketing and public relations and recognize that giving away chapsticks isn’t going to be beneficial to us. We always make an effort to ask our students what they want for swag to ensure that the products will be used, rather than sit on a desk or in a closet for months on end. 

Minnesota Hillel hosts a leadership trip to Israel for a small group of students. All of the students received a Hydro Flask and were very excited about it. This expedition also allows for the students to meet the donors who sponsored the trip as well as receive a gift from them. When other students on campus saw the Hydro Flasks, they wanted to know how they could get one!

Minnesota Hillel is present on both Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about Minnesota Hillel, you can visit their website at https://www.mnhillel.org/. 

------------------------------------------

Lexie Warren is a Social Media Intern at Liquid Screen Design a Branding and Swagging company.  Helping nonprofits and businesses with their physical marketing needs and strategies.