Community Blog Welcome Home: Marsha Katz Slotnick Returns as Donor Engagement Specialist
By wise tradition, Jews do not say, “Goodbye,” but instead, “L’hitraot”, or, “Until we meet again.” We at Hebrew College are thrilled to welcome back our new Donor Engagement Specialist, Marsha Katz Slotnick, in a role that is more like a homecoming than a new beginning.
Marsha’s connection to Hebrew College spans decades. As a high school student she attended Prozdor, Hebrew College’s long-running high school program. She went on to receive a Bachelor’s of Jewish Education from the College (when it was still known as Hebrew Teacher’s College), having spent her junior year at Machon Hayim Greenberg and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. These eight years of intensive study with Hebrew College became the foundation for a lifelong commitment to Jewish learning, leadership, and service. “It was one of the best programs around,” Marsha recalls. “We studied five days a week, and every course—history, Talmud, literature—was taught in Hebrew. It was challenging, but it gave me a lifelong gift: fluency in Hebrew and a deep connection to Jewish text and tradition.” In addition to her degree at Hebrew College, Marsha is a graduate of New York University and received a master’s degree in art history from Wellesley College.
That connection led Marsha to volunteer on Hebrew College projects and committees, eventually helping to establish the development department as staff member in the early 1990s. Several years later, she helped lead the campaign that ultimately funded Hebrew College’s previous campus in Newton Centre, a role that earned her an honorary degree from the College in recognition of her efforts.
Marsha returns to Hebrew College with experience from a rich and accomplished career, having served in senior fundraising roles as the New England Regional Director for the Jewish Theological Seminary and Campaign Director for Boston’s Hebrew SeniorLife, and as an invaluable volunteer fundraiser and lay leader for Temple Emanuel of Newton, along with other organizations. “I’ve only worked for institutions I believe in,” she explains. “If I don’t believe in the mission, I can’t do the work. And I’ve always believed in Hebrew College.”
“We are excited for Marsha to step into this role and join a small but incredibly dedicated and hard-working team, devoted to nurturing Hebrew College’s institutional sustainability and growth,” says Director of Development Rosa Franck.
Marsha’s approach to development is rooted in integrity, empathy, and careful listening. “Successful fundraising is all about trust,” she says. “If people trust me, they’ll trust the institution I represent. It’s a partnership. And when it works, everyone feels good about what they’re building together.”
She shares a favorite story from her volunteer work with a local synagogue: “There was a woman who had helped design a beautiful new parochet—the ark curtain—for the sanctuary. When I suggested she might sponsor it, she thought about it, made a gift, and invited others to contribute in honor of her birthday. Years later, she told me, she derives great feelings every time that ark is opened. That’s what it’s all about—connecting people to meaning.”
Marsha brings that same vision and heart to her new role at Hebrew College. She sees the College as a vital part of Boston’s Jewish ecosystem and a national leader in forming the next generation of Jewish educators, clergy, and thought leaders. “Just look at where our alumni are,” she says. “One of my rabbis at Temple Emanuel is a graduate, and that’s the same for one of my daughters at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham. Hebrew College is bringing new energy and leadership to Jewish communities in Boston and beyond.”
Marsha is the mother of Nancy Slotnick, Debbie Garner, and Rebecca Shimshak, all Prozdor graduates and Camp Yavneh alumnae, and the bubbe to six grandchildren.
As she begins this new chapter, Marsha is excited to help strengthen the College’s base of support and ensure that future generations can access the kind of transformational Jewish education that shaped her own life. “Hebrew College gave me so much,” she says. “It’s an honor to be able to give back.”