Contact me with questions about supporting Jewish life on campus, leadership opportunities, University relations, reporting antisemitism, FreshFest, Jewish University, or if you have a question and don’t know who to ask!
Jessica Lemons
Executive Director
Jessica Lemons is originally from Long Island. She began her Hillel career at Syracuse as the Coordinator of Advancement. She then served as Interim Executive Director for two years while Syracuse Hillel embarked on a national talent search. Following her tenure as Interim Executive Director, Syracuse Hillel received the Philip H. and Susan Rudd Cohen Outstanding Campus Award at the Hillel International Global Assembly. Most recently, she was the Syracuse Hillel Chief Operations Officer, continuing to work towards organizational excellence. While at Syracuse, Jessica completed the Weinberg ACCELERATE: Hillel’s Executive Training Program.
Jessica holds a B.A. in Communication from the University at Buffalo and an MBA with concentrations in Finance and Analytics from Syracuse University.
During her time in college, she experienced first-hand how transformational a powerful Hillel experience could be in the lives of young Jewish people. She is passionate about organizational excellence, Jewish identity formation, and creating innovative and inclusive communities. When not at Hillel, Jessica can be found searching for the best lattes, browsing local bookstores, or hiking with her dog Skye.
Contact me with questions about Sephardic Jewish Club, grad student opportunities, setting up a prospective student tour, or to grab a cup of coffee!
Shachar Pinsky
Assistant Director
Shachar, an Israeli native, is a passionate individual dedicated to building young Jewish communities and forging meaningful connections. With experience at organizations like Moishe House, The Jewish Agency for Israel, and Hillel, he has honed his skills in community building and fostering engagement.
Shachar holds an Ed.M. in Educational Leadership and an M.A. in Jewish Professional Leadership from the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program at Brandeis University. He also earned a B.A. in Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy from Reichman University in Israel.
Combining his educational background and practical experience, Shachar possesses a deep understanding of leadership principles, educational strategies, and community development. He remains committed to personal growth and creating a positive impact within the Jewish community.
Contact me to get coffee, to learn about JSA, culture committee, or our engagement interns, or about any crazy idea you might have to enrich Jewish life on campus!
Elisa Mezhirov
Springboard Innovation Fellow
Originally from Boston, Elisa got her B.S. in Computational Mathematics from Pennsylvania State University in 2024. Throughout her college career, she was heavily involved in PSU Hillel serving as a Data Analyst, a Wellness Intern, and a member of the alternative spring break to Curaçao cohort. Elisa spends her free time bouldering, reading, and giving her cat Hobbes a photoshoot.
She is invested in fostering Jewish diversity in all circles, especially the Russian Jewish community and creating safety for all "flavors of Jewish.” Elisa is excited to be joining the SBU Hillel team as a Springboard Innovation Fellow! Want to chat and learn Russian? Grab a coffee with me!
Contact me about Shabbat, holidays, Jewish learning, or to grab a cup of coffee!
Arin Pogany
Springboard Ezra Jewish Education Fellow
Arin is a recent graduate from Barnard College and The Jewish Theological Seminary with degrees in Anthropology and Jewish History. Arin is excited to join the team at Stony Brook University Hillel and to help people learn about and connect with Jewish culture. She is passionate about fostering an inclusive and diverse community and looks to the arts as a resource for learning and making human connections. In her free time, Arin loves to cook, watch movies, and be outside.
Contact me about all things Israel, Seawolves for Israel, or to grab a cup of coffee!
Noa Fishman
Jewish Agency Israel Fellow
Noa was born and raised in Tzur Yigal, Central District in Israel. During her time in the IDF she served as a Mashakit Tash, taking care of the well-being of soldiers in her unit, primarily with lone soldiers from the US. After her service, Noa moved to Tel Aviv where she recently completed her schooling and earned her BA in social work. She specializes in social work in the community field and with at-risk youth. In the past year, she worked at a hostel for tourists from around the world. Her role included organizing events and activities, as well as operating social media. During her free time, Noa enjoys spending time with friends, listening to music, reading books, and traveling the world, especially in Europe. She's excited about her new path and looks forward to meeting everyone!
Julie Kaplan, LMSW
Social Worker
Julie is working with Hillel as a social worker from the Family Service League’s Jewish Support Services program. Julie holds a BA from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA and received her MSW from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Julie is working with Stony Brook Hillel through a UJA Federation grant as part of a collaboration between Hillel and the Family Service League. Julie works with students at Hillel to provide individual counseling and referrals to community providers, with the goal of helping students thrive, promote the continued development of interpersonal skills, and assist students in recognizing their own individual strengths and challenges. Julie has experience helping people recognize their own strengths and improve their self-esteem and day to day functioning.
Julie is available for both in-person and telehealth appointments and can be reached at 631-560-5049. There is no cost associated with appointments. If you are struggling to cope or feeling in crisis, Family Service League’s DASH Crisis Center Hotline is available 24-hours a day at 631-952-3333.
Prior to scheduling with Julie, please reach out to her to set up an intake conversation.
Contact us to learn more about Jewish learning, Shabbat minyan, Kosher food, or to have coffee and chat!
Rabbi Jeremy Perlow & Devora Perlow
Orthodox Rabbi & Rebbetzin
Rabbi Perlow is a passionate teacher who believes in building community through Torah learning, community engagement, and personal relationships. After studying in Israel for two years at Yeshivat Shaalvim, Rabbi Perlow earned a BS in Accounting from Sy Syms School of Business and a MA in Bible from Bernard Revel Graduate School. He received his Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchonon Theological Seminary. Rabbi Perlow currently serves as the Rabbi of Stony Brook Hebrew Congregation (SBHC) and works in partnership with Emet Outreach to bring additional Torah learning and rich Jewish experiences to campus.
Devora graduated from Yeshiva University with a BA in Psychology, earned a MS in School Psychology from St. John's University, and is currently a doctoral student in School Psychology at St. John’s.
Rabbi Perlow and Devora live right off campus and have two adorable children who are #1 fans of Stony Brook Hillel! The Perlows are passionate about fostering a warm Jewish community on campus and love hosting Shabbat meals.
Maya Arber
Marketing & Development Manager
Maya is an American-Israeli originally from Rockville, Maryland. With a strong Jewish and Israeli upbringing, she has always felt her professional calling in the Jewish world. Maya holds a B.A. in Human Development & Family Studies, with a Minor in Psychology, from the University of Delaware, and an M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Reichman University in Israel.
Maya’s experience outside of Hillel has been focused in the non-profit sector, serving as the International Recruiter and Marketing Director for Kol Ami Mechina, a gap year program under the Jewish Agency in Israel and Masa, for the last seven years. Through her fundraising and donor stewardship work, Maya looks forward to supporting Jewish students at Stony Brook as she enters her second year at Hillel International, and her first year at Stony Brook Hillel.
When she isn’t in the office, you can find Maya baking challah, traveling, or hunting down a new local coffee shop!
Rabbi Joseph S. Topek
Director Emeritus
Rabbi Joe, as he was known to generations of students, served as Director of Stony Brook Hillel from 1982 - 2019. He began his 40 year Hillel career at Virginia Commonwealth University in 1979 and holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, Brandeis University, and the Academy for Jewish Religion. While at Stony Brook he also served as Chairperson of the Interfaith Center from 1989 - 2019 and continues to serve as Adjunct Instructor in the Undergraduate Colleges and as the Jewish Chaplain for the Long Island State Veterans Home and Stony Brook University Hospital. Rabbi Joe is proud to have been honored with the Sister Margaret Ann Landry Award for Lifetime Achievement in Advising and the Shirley Strum Kenny Steel Magnolia Award. He continues work in his academic field of American Jewish military history with writing and lecturing and enjoys spending more time with his spouse, Susan Remick Topek, their three daughters and sons-in-law, and their six grandchildren.