Columbia-Barnard Hillel

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Central Park Picnic - Kraft Center

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There is no doubt about it that the post-COVID world is here. NYC is alive and Central Park, New York City’s backyard, is open for business. The Columbia-Barnard Hillel welcomed back current and former students with a Sunday brunch, setup by Perfect Picnic NYC, which was perfectly executed with blankets, lunch, pillows, and drinks. For some of the staff and guests they had not seen one another in 15 months.

Central park nyc event photography

Photographing a picnic in the park really made New York City feel alive once again. Guests were hugging one another, sitting closely together, laughing, and finally not wearing masks. I loved photographing open facial expressions, laughter, and all of the visual emotions that make a photograph memorable. As a NYC event photographer it felt great to openly be doing what I love doing, capturing great photos.

nyc is alive once again and so is jonathan heisler photography

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Seixas Dinner - Columbia University Kraft Center

The Gershom Mendes Seixas Award is bestowed by Columbia/Barnard Hillel on those who have made outstanding contributions to Jewish life at Columbia University and Barnard College. The Columbia-Barnard Kraft center honored Rabbi Michael Paley and Jim McMenamin at its annual Seixas Gala Dinner.

Robert Kraft, New England Patriots owner, was the honorary dinner chair. Eric Goldstein, CEO of UJA-Federation of New York and Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of Hillel International spoke at the event. At the end of the evening, Robert Kraft announced that Jonathan and Jeannie Lavine and family contributed $2.5 million to an endowment fund to support the work of Columbia/Barnard Hillel. In appreciation of their gift, the Executive Director position will now be known as the Lavine Family Executive Director. The Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, a Columbia alum and a friend of both the honorees and of Jonathan Lavine's, spoke via video at the dinner.