MIT Hillel has affected the lives of thousands of Jewish students at MIT since it was established 60 years ago. So it was no surprise that Gray House was filled to overflowing on April 3 when President Susan Hockfield and Dr. Thomas Byrne hosted a reception in honor of MIT Hillel's 60th anniversary. Guests included alumni and their families, students, and members of the faculty and staff.
Co-chairing the celebration were Lawrence Bacow, former chancellor of MIT and current president of Tufts University and his wife, Adele Fleet Bacow (MCP '77). Lawrence Bacow is also a former member of MIT Hillel's Board of Directors.
In their remarks, both Hockfield and Bacow referred to how students and academics live simultaneously in many communities-cultural, religious, academic-and call them all home. Hockfield also spoke about how MIT's "strong" education combines so well with a "warm" community, as richly exemplified by MIT's Jewish community, Hillel, and the Institute's extensive student-life initiatives.
MIT Hillel Director Miriam Rosenblum added, "MIT is an incubator for society's future leaders in science and technology. It is MIT Hillel's job to complement and supplement this work by creating informed, passionate Jewish leaders who will take with them Jewish values and a commitment to 'tikkun olam,' service to humanity."
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on April 13, 2005 (download PDF).
