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Key people at Hillel Rio.
Hillel Rio is a non-profit organization based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, dedicated to engaging young Jewish adults aged 18-30 through diverse educational, cultural, and social programs. Its mission is to foster Jewish identity and community leadership, operating as an independent community hub promoting pluralism rather than a university-based Hillel. The organization serves approximately 3,000 young Jewish adults in the region and has facilitated Birthright trips for over 1,500 Brazilians. Hillel Rio raised $1 million for its new Ipanema facility, securing the final $300,000 in August 2020, which officially opened in mid-2021. Rony Rechtman has served as executive director since 2016, with Marcia Kelner Polisuk, director of international advancement at Hillel International, also a notable figure. Hillel Rio was inaugurated in 2003.
Key people at Hillel Rio.
Hillel Rio is a non-profit organization and the sole Hillel affiliate serving young Jewish adults aged 18-30 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with approximately 8 employees and a focus on consumer services within the non-profit sector.[1][2] As part of Hillel International's global network, it engages around 3,000 young Jews through programs fostering personal growth, Jewish identity, leadership, and community involvement, including social action, Israel advocacy, entrepreneurship, business clubs, and social events.[2][3] Unlike traditional campus-based Hillels, it adopts a city-wide approach, creating vibrant experiences that strengthen Jewish life amid Brazil's diverse landscape.[3][5]
Hillel Rio was established around 2003-2004 as Brazil's leading organization for Jewish students and young adults in Rio de Janeiro.[1][4] It emerged as part of Hillel International's expansion into South America, where affiliates have operated for over a decade to support Latin American Jews through tailored, life-changing opportunities.[3][5] Key milestones include facilitating Birthright trips to Israel for 1,500 Brazilians and raising $1 million for a dedicated facility, marking its growth from shared spaces to a permanent hub for the community.[2][4] Participants like Gabriela BarDavid credit it with personal and professional development, integrating them into Jewish life.[3]
Hillel Rio operates outside the commercial tech ecosystem, focusing instead on non-profit Jewish engagement in South America, where it rides trends of global Jewish connectivity and youth leadership amid diaspora challenges.[3][5] Its timing aligns with Hillel International's metropolitan expansion to over 50 international hubs, addressing urban Jewish isolation in regions like Brazil by blending cultural, professional, and advocacy programs—some touching entrepreneurship that indirectly supports startup mindsets.[3][5] Market forces like rising interest in Israel experiences (e.g., Birthright) and community-building post-pandemic favor its model, influencing the ecosystem by nurturing leaders who apply Jewish values in business and social innovation.[2][3][4][7]
Hillel Rio is poised to expand its new facility's reach, deepening hybrid programs in entrepreneurship and advocacy to engage hybrid work-era youth.[2][3] Trends like digital Jewish connectivity and global mobility will shape it, potentially amplifying startup-adjacent initiatives through business clubs.[3] Its influence may evolve by exporting successful models to other South American Hillels, solidifying a thriving network for Jewish young adults in a post-pandemic world—echoing its core role as Rio's vital community anchor.[3][5][7]
