Staff

Allison Buchman is the Associate Director at Maryland Hillel, where she has been on staff in various roles for the past 10 years. Prior to working at Maryland Hillel, Allison worked for BBYO for many years, honing her Jewish education and leadership training skills in both the Michigan Region and Northern Region East. Allison is an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, teaching Jewish Leadership.  Allison lives in Silver Spring, MD with her husband Ira Miller, who is also in the Jewish education field, and their two super cute daughters!

Rabbi Aderet Drucker is our Campus Rabbi & Director of Jewish Life and Learning. Prior to moving to Maryland, she served as the Rabbi and spiritual leader of a congregation in Northern California. She received her rabbinic ordination from JTS, The Jewish Theological Seminary, with a concentration in pastoral care. Rabbi Aderet integrates her years of experience in social justice and interfaith work, pastoral care and community organizing, into the Torah she teaches.Whether at a café, the gym, a Greek house, or under a tree, Rabbi Aderet looks forward to meeting you and creating impactful learning opportunities together. Rabbi Aderet lives in Maryland with her husband, Brett, and their two daughters, Avital and Shaiya.

Avital made Aliyah with her family at the age of 10, from Baltimore, MD to Bet Shemesh. At the age of 15, her family moved once again, this time to Neve Daniel. After high school, Avital chose to do Sherut Leumi, a National Service program for religious girls. Avital worked with holocaust survivors in Jerusalem as a friend and companion. The following year Avital studied at Midreshet Nishamt, and went on to study at Bar Ilan University, where she received her BA in Logistics and Management. Avital has been studying at Matan, a Women’s Institute for Torah Studies in Jerusalem and is a certified Kallah Teacher. She enjoys being outdoors, finding interesting recipes on Pintrest, DIY projects, and spending time with her husband, Yonaton, and their two precious girls, Nava and Tamar. Avital always keeps her door open for students, enjoys meeting new faces, and is always excited to plan the next big BBQ!

Talia Orencel is the Director of Engagement and Social Justice at The University of Maryland Hillel. Originally from Argentina, but grew up in Maryland, Talia is a proud Terp Alumni who joined the Maryland Hillel team in 2015. She runs the Tzedek and Hillel Greek Life Fellowship, coordinates small and large scale social justice programs, and has staffed several Alternative Break and Birthright Israel trips.  After receiving an MPA in Non-Profit Management from George Mason University, Talia served 2.5 years in the Peace Corps in Ecuador working on women and youth empowerment projects. She has always been a strong activist for social change in the local and global community, and enjoys bringing that energy for Tikkun Olam to her students here at Maryland Hillel!

Miriam Schwartz is originally from Great Neck, NY. She spent a year studying at Migdal Oz and attended Stern College for Women. She was a fellow at the Legacy Heritage Jewish Educators Project, a program that trains Jewish educators through courses in education, psychology and Judaic studies, as well as intensive fieldwork in classroom settings. Miriam was an OU-JLIC Fellow at Queens College and the co-director of Student Activities. She completed her Masters in Jewish Education from the Azrieli School of Jewish Education and is still pursuing a masters in Bible at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. Miriam loves watching the West Wing and Shark Tank, reading, and cooking different ethnic cuisines. She also does Tai Chi and Yoga (and can sometimes convince Rabbi Schwartz to join her). She loves to cook delicious food for her husband, and especially her students! Miriam and her husband, Elie are so excited to become part of the UMD family!