Officers and Staff

Bowdoin Hillel aims to provide students with a Jewish home on campus by celebrating Jewish holidays, planning Jewish educational events, and offering a social hub. Hillel strives to be not only a place where Jews can be with other Jews, but also an open environment where all Bowdoin students are welcome to participate and learn.

Board Members

Boaz Malakoff ’24
Jacob Trachtenberg ’24
Gabe Gitter-Dentz ’25
Mira Pickus ’25
Cara Fields ’25
Julia Starck ’26
Avery Cutler ’26
Josh Goldstein ’25 (abroad)

Faculty Advisor

Rachel Connelly, Professor of Economics

Rabbi Vinikoor, [email protected]
Hillel Rabbi and Advisor

Rabbi Lisa Vinikoor

I was born and raised in Vermont and I’m thrilled to return to northern New England to serve as Bowdoin College’s Hillel Rabbi. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in History from Smith College, Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and most recently my Rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City.

Before entering the rabbinate, I worked for fourteen years in the Greater Boston area, first as an elementary school teacher and later as a social justice organizer. As a social justice organizer, I worked with a team to engage thousands of clergy and lay leaders in a campaign to win expanded access to quality, affordable healthcare for nearly half a million low income people in Massachusetts. I also organized a campaign to stop the devastating effects of home foreclosures in Lawrence and Lowell Massachusetts.

As Bowdoin’s rabbi, I support students in creating vibrant Jewish religious and cultural life here at Bowdoin.  I serve students in helping to build community, work for justice, explore various aspects of Judaism and engage in spiritual and religious practices.  When I’m not at Bowdoin, you can find me jogging, biking, cooking or trying to catch a glimpse of a moose or two in Baxter State park.  I also love to drink coffee and look forward to meeting you for coffee or tea or at one of our events!


Rabbi Simeon Maslin

January 31, 2022: The Central Conference of American Rabbis mourns the death of its past president, Rabbi Simeon J. Maslin, z”l.