Our Staff

Nadya Drukker

Nadya Drukker was born into a vibrant Jewish home in Munkach, a small town in Western Ukraine, and emigrated to the United States in 1990. She is a graduate of Brooklyn College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Media communications and a minor in Marketing. As an undergraduate, Nadya served as Vice President of the Russian-Jewish Club at Brooklyn College Hillel. After graduation, Nadya decided to dedicate her career to the Jewish community and began working at the Brooklyn College Hillel in 1997 as the Director of the Center for Russian Jewish Life. In this capacity, she works with many other Jewish organizations to link Russian-speaking Jewish students to the greater Jewish community and she is responsible for coordinating city-wide intercollegiate programming for Russian-Jewish students. After a short time at Hillel, she was promoted to the Assistant Director and now is an Executive Director of the Tanger Hillel @ Brooklyn College. She has a passion for travel and theatre and resides in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons.

Rachel Porges

Rachel has been at Hillel since July, 1997 as the office administrator. Most times you will find her at the computer doing the books, working with the fund raising software or assisting Nadya Drukker. She finds Hillel a lively spot on campus with events happening all the time and enjoys being around the young, vibrant college students coming into Hillel. Away from Hillel she spends time with her husband, three children and grandchildren. She enjoys reading and knitting for her grandkids.

Yelena Azriyel

Born in Ukraine, Yelena has lived in New York since her pre-teen years and recently graduated from Baruch College in Manhattan where she majored in Human Resources Management and minored in Industrial Organization Psychology. Throughout her life, Yelena has been involved in JCC programming in the Russian-speaking Jewish community of Brooklyn, New York.

Throughout college, Yelena served as president of the Baruch Association of Russian Students and has participated in alternative spring breaks doing volunteer work in Israel, Belarus and New York. She most recently completed a year volunteering in Kiev, Ukraine as a Jewish Service Corps Volunteer with JDC.  Yelena joined the Brooklyn College Tanger Hillel team in August 2010 as a Program Director. She is very excited to work with Brooklyn College students on existing projects and develop new programs.  

Nikita Paderin

Nikita is currently serving as Israel Fellow on shlichut for the Jewish Agency and Hillel. Prior to coming on Shlichut , Nikita studied Law at Tel Aviv University and worked as English teacher in several Tel Aviv high schools. He served in the Israeli army as Academic officer at Educational corps. In addition to this, he worked as Research Assistant at The Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University and as a Social counselor (‘madrich’) for ‘olim’students.

Nikita was born in Russia and made Aliyah at age of 14. During his life in Israel he managed to live almost everywhere: north, south, Jerusalem and for the last 4 years - Tel Aviv, his favorite city in the world.

He holds a BA in International Relations and Linguistics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and has an LL.B. (a Law degree) from Tel Aviv University. In addition, he’s a graduate of several professional courses in the field of Hasbara and informal education. Among his various hobbies are travelling, biking, swimming, and theatre.

He looks forward to bringing Israel to Hillel hoping that our homeland will serve as a bridge connecting BC students coming from such diverse backgrounds. He will always greet you with a big smile on his face, so don’t hesitate to visit his office at Hillel House.

Shira Boshnack

Shira Boshnack is the OU's JLI on Campus Educator.  Always with a kind word and a smile, Shira can often be found giving classes, teaching Kallot, and planning events. She is an advocate for those in need and a shoulder for everyone who needs her help. In the blink of an eye, she draws people in to whatever it is she is doing, making them feel a part.  A native of Woodmere, NY Shira holds a BA in Psychology from Stern college and a Masters in Education from Nova Southeastern University. She and Rabbi Reuven have four wonderful children, Levi, Gitty Shimmy and Chumi.

Reuven B. Boshnack

A master of many talents, Rabbi Reuven as he is called can be found doing any number of things, often at once. Whether it's cooking, teaching, having a shmuess with someone, or helping to plan the next Hillel extravaganza event, he brings a zest for life, and his boundless enthusiasm to the halls of Hillel. His warm smile, and listening ear are sought out by students. Rabbi Reuven hails from the town of Oceanside, NY and  holds a BA in Psychology, an MS in Education and ordination from Yeshiva University. He is currently finishing a Master's in counselling to better assist the students on campus. He and Shira have four kenayinahara beautiful children, ranging in ages between 9 and 1 year old.

The Heshe and Harriet Seif Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC) is a program of the Orthodox Union in partnership with Hillel.

In recognition that the overwhelming majority of Modern Orthodox college students are being educated at secular universities, the OU, in partnership with Hillel, administers the Heshe and Harriet Seif Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC), a program that helps Orthodox students navigate the college environment, and balance their Jewish commitments with their desire to engage the secular world. In addition, JLIC provides avenues for spiritual development and exploration for Jewish students from varied backgrounds; JLIC presents a positive, sophisticated and welcoming face for Orthodox Judaism on campus.

Melanie Goldberg

Shirel Gidekel

Born and raised in Israel, Shirel is a music graduate student at Brooklyn College majoring in voice. Music is her passion, especially opera of all styles, baroque music, modern and classic

Israeli music and recently, American musicals. Shirel graduated the Tel Aviv BuchmannMehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University, and performed with the Israeli opera young artists' program. She taught voice and music theory in a music conservatory in Jerusalem, and also music therapy in ICELP, The International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential.

She is the recipient of the AICF (America Israel Cultural foundation) scholarship in singing, and an Excellency scholarship in Baroque singing, among other academic scholarships. Shirel

served in the Israeli military as a "musician of excellence", singing and performing to soldiers all over the country. She performed various concerts in France, England, Israel and the US.

She is excited to reinvigorate the Tanger Hillel A-Cappella group, bring a taste of Hebrew, Israeli and Jewish music to Hillel and create a warm, fun and creative environment for music making!