Highlighting Hillel: Tilly Shemer
Tilly Shemer creates a home away from home in Hillel for all U of M students
—By Spencyr Aronson
Tilly’s Story
On May 10th, 2021, the University of Michigan’s student body was shaken as the Central Student Government (CSG) condemned Israel through a one-sided press release. In the statement, the CSG showed full support of Palestine, a controversial take on a complicated and century-long war between the countries. Less than a month later, on the Saturday morning of June 5th, the words “F*** Israel” were written on the iconic campus Rock at Washtenaw and Hill, just steps away from the Michigan Hillel building, which was defaced with red handprints. Many members of the University’s community, Jewish and non-Jewish members alike, were left feeling threatened and dismayed by these events.
However, Executive Director of Michigan Hillel Tilly Shemer chose to view the situation differently. An optimist through and through, she focused on the positive aftermath of these cruel events: In the wake of the hatred, someone replaced the offensive words with a positive message. The rock, in addition to the electric box beside it, were repainted in rainbow colors for pride month. The electric box now has a big Star of David on it which says “Jews for pride” (pictured). As Shemer remarked, “Now we’re in February, almost nine months later, and that message is still up there today. I think that to me is a symbol of what is actually happening on this campus. Every day, Jewish Community is vibrant and thriving at the University of Michigan. Anti-Israel or Antisemitic incidents are very upsetting and important for us to react to, but those are just incidents that happen every once in a while, for the most part. This is a wonderful campus for Jewish students, and sometimes that can feel lost in the spotlight shining on the moments of antisemitism.”
Shemer, originally from Toronto, loves all things youth engagement, community-building, pluralism, women’s advancement, and social justice. In her free time, she enjoys art, traveling and hiking. For her education, Shemer spent her undergraduate years at York University majoring in Environmental Studies and Political Science, and later earned her graduate degree in international affairs from Carleton University. After finishing school, Shemer relocated to Nairobi to work with the United Nations Environment Program, and loved her time in her first job. She eventually moved back to Toronto, and decided her calling lay within the Jewish community and Israel. She coins herself as “the least likely Jewish professional out there,” yet has now spent nearly two decades pursuing the passion. Her roles have ranged from director of Israel affairs at her hometown Hillel of Greater Toronto and, for the last twelve years, Executive Director of the University of Michigan Hillel, which boasts one of the country’s largest Jewish student populations (around 5,000 Jews out of 30,000 undergraduate students). Shemer’s Hillel, with a staff of 16 and a yearly budget of $2.5 million, is the largest run by a woman. This fact is not one that Shemer takes lightly: “I really pride myself and think a lot about the message that my leadership sends nationally as a female Jewish leader, who is also LGBT identified… [in addition to] my responsibility to use my voice surrounding issues that are important to the Jewish community and to all else.”
Navigating a global rise of antisemitism
Shemer is, without a doubt, one of the most positive people with whom you may ever have the privilege of interacting. Despite the unfortunate rise of antisemitism internationally, she has not let this undeniable fact unnerve her. A new study conducted for Hillel International and the Anti-Defamation League found that one-third of Jewish students experienced antisemitism on college campuses in the last school year. However, Shemer remarked that while she has “seen more and more anti-Israel sentiment lead into antisemitism” as of late, she hasn’t seen a significant rise of hatred towards Jewish students on Michigan’s campus. For the local Jewish community specifically, a positive piece of legislation was recently passed, possibly signaling the turning of a long-awaited corner: After 18 years, the city council of Ann Arbor finally condemned weekly protesters that frequent the synagogue of Beth Israel as antisemitic. For far too long, the city of Ann Arbor declined to get involved. That all changed during a city council meeting which took place a mere three days after the hostage situation at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. (Notably, the rabbi who was held hostage during the attack, Charlie Cytron-Walker, is himself a graduate of the University of Michigan.)
Shemer, along with other members of Hillel leadership, sent a letter to the city council encouraging them to vote for this resolution, and it passed unanimously. According to Shemer, the protesters actually stood along the route down to Bearclaw coffee, a student favorite: “We would have some students who would come to us after merely walking to get a coffee, [and were] really upset about what they had seen.” While it is undeniably unfortunate it took 18 years and a mass hostage situation to sway the Ann Arbor council, it is progress, and demonstrates the profound impact Shemer and Hillel have had on this community. Not only did Shemer reach out to the council, but she, along with the rest of the staff, were (and continue to be) there as a support system to comfort students regardless of the situation. Hillel staff members continuously meet with students throughout the school year, discussing everything from academic stressors to current events.
Throughout the year, Shemer and Hillel work to combat hateful messages through educational opportunities and thoughtful events. According to Shemer, “it’s important that we are consistently offering strong programming around Israel, the Jewish community, what antisemitism is today, and how it manifests.” For example, Hillel has an active Holocaust education and awareness group which gives students the chance to examine modern forms of antisemitism today, and unpack the lasting impacts of the holocaust together. Shemer works tirelessly to ensure that there are a wide-range of opportunities available for all students, in which they can have a space to find their voice and connect with other members of the Michigan community, Jews and non-Jews alike. Currently, Hillel is working with the LSA student Government on a resolution that will comprehensively condemn antisemitism. To Shemer, this is a “prime example of the important work that happens in between these incidents, so that we can build relationships and build greater understanding of the needs of the community throughout the year.”
Not just Hillel, but a home away from home
Thanks to the hard work of Shemer and her dedicated staff, Hillel has become a safe place on campus, a supportive environment for all students to enjoy and learn throughout the year. Two areas in particular that Hillel has always emphasized include diversity and inclusivity. While Hillel is, of course, a primarily Jewish community, that doesn’t stop Shemer from working to highlight the importance of branching out and including all students in their activities, regardless of their religion, race, gender or sexuality. Hillel not only encourages but consistently offers interfaith events, from opportunities with Hindu and Sikh students, to programs with the Trotter Multicultural Center on campus. Regarding challenges with integration, Shemer remarked: “I think it’s more challenging today in the time of Covid than I’ve ever seen in all my time working with Hillel. The country itself is very polarized, and there’s less interaction between groups right now [overall]. So people are often sticking with who they share values and beliefs with, and it can be harder to make sure that students are connecting outside of their communities. We try to create opportunities for us to make our students feel comfortable, but we also want to push them outside of their silos, so that they are in contact with other groups on campus, and feel as if they can bring their Jewish values to those spaces as well.” Shemer and her staff manage to accomplish this by connecting students from all different parts of campus together, helping them form new bonds they may not have made otherwise.
This inclusive and welcoming demeanor has made Shemer an easily-accessible, friendly face for students to turn to during their years at Michigan. In fact, when asked about her favorite part of her job, Shemer answered without the slightest hint of hesitation: “Definitely my favorite part is the students I work with. I really love watching them grow over the four years that they’re here, and I think the same goes for our staff, especially some of our younger professionals. I really feel honored that I get to hold a community like this, and the best part has been the relationships I’ve made along the way.”
Alana Wilck, a Junior at Michigan, has formed a close bond with Shemer, and gave some insight into their relationship: “Tilly has been one of my biggest role models since coming to Michigan and becoming involved in Hillel. I have learned so much from her and her role as Director, and it has inspired me to work in the Jewish nonprofit world in the future. Tilly not only works to provide Michigan students with an enriched Jewish experience, education, and community through opportunities at Hillel, but she is also an incredible support system for all students. I am so grateful for Tilly, the lessons she has taught me about working in the Jewish world, and her genuine kindness and compassion.”
A final note of advice
At the end of our interview, Shemer (pictured) made sure to reiterate the fact that, in her opinion, antisemitism is always going to exist, yet managed to circle back to her optimistic mindset once again: “I don’t believe that it’s going to go away. There are hateful people in the world, there are ways in which groups like Jews are used as scapegoats for other people’s issues. And I think we have a responsibility around education and relationship building to help address it. I don’t want to be the kind of Jewish leader that is only focusing on those moments of antisemitism, I want to be the one that is focusing on positively empowering students, building community, and strengthening their Jewish identity in all of the days in between antisemitic incidents, so that they feel more supported and empowered in those moments, and feel able to speak up for themselves.”
When asked if she had any advice for students who struggle with hateful incidents, she replied: “The best thing you can do is get involved, get connected to your Hillel, your religious center, your community. Students who feel connected to their own communities and staff members know they have someone and some place to turn to if something unfortunate happens… I really believe it’s the students that are involved in Hillel all those other days during the year, that when an incident arises, they feel supported and empowered enough to bring their voices forward.”
Featured image: Tilly Shemer; Photo credit, Michigan Hillel