The people who make Hillel feel like home

Rabbi Jordan Gerson serves as the Executive Director of Central Florida Hillel, where he brings a deep passion for building Jewish community and helping students develop meaningful connections to Jewish life, learning, and Israel. He is committed to creating a Hillel where students feel a strong sense of belonging and are empowered to participate fully and proudly in both Jewish and campus life.

A Conservative rabbi, Rabbi Jordan was ordained at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles. He holds a Master's degree in Rabbinic Literature from the American Jewish University and a BA in Jewish History from Binghamton University. Before joining Central Florida Hillel, he served for three years as a congregational rabbi in Pensacola, Florida, and spent 11 years at Washington University in St. Louis Hillel as Campus Rabbi and Chief Experience Officer.

Rabbi Jordan is married to Rebecca, and together they have four children, Daliya, Ashira, Nessa, and Ishai, who love spending Shabbat at Hillel almost as much as he does. When he is not with students and staff, Rabbi Jordan can usually be found in the kitchen experimenting with a new recipe or making family favorites, at the gym, in the pool with his family, cheering on the Knights, or settling in for a good movie.

Dr. Jeff Levin is the Director of Jewish Student Experiences and Senior Jewish Educator at Central Florida Hillel. In this role, which he assumed in July 2023, Dr. Jeff oversees all student-facing programming as well as educational and religious life for Central Florida Hillel. He received his Ph.D. in History from American University, as well as a Master's degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a B.A. from the University of Florida.

Before assuming this role in July 2023, Jeff was a middle- and high-school teacher in Florida and Virginia, teaching courses in both History and English. He is married to UCF alumna Meghan Levin, with whom he has two children: Mason and Madelyn. When not at Hillel, you can find Dr. Jeff listening to music, in the gym, or watching the Florida Gators.

Marisa West serves as the Manager of Development and Special Operations at UCF Hillel. She brings more than 15 years of experience in executive operations, development, and organizational support across the nonprofit, financial services, and hospitality sectors.

Marisa is known for her strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to build meaningful relationships. Throughout her career, she has supported executive leadership and Boards of Directors, managed high-profile events and complex projects, and helped keep important initiatives moving forward.

She lives in East Orlando with her husband and their three children. Outside of work, Marisa and her family are actively involved in the Central Florida 4-H community.

Shayna Cohon serves as the Development Associate at UCF Hillel. Based in South Florida, she is excited to engage with the community, build meaningful relationships, and help power Hillel by inspiring others to invest in the future of Jewish student life. Shayna attended the University of Florida Honors Program, where she earned her Bachelor's in Business Administration with a minor in Actuarial Science. During her time at UF, Shayna was deeply involved with Hillel, serving as a Wellness Ambassador, participating in a variety of Jewish Learning Fellowship (JLF) programs, traveling to Israel on Birthright and Onward in 2023, and participating in the Florida Hillels Poland Fellowship in 2024.

Prior to joining UCF Hillel, Shayna worked as an HR Manager at Target, where she developed a passion for working with people and building strong communities. Having been involved with Jewish organizations throughout her life, Shayna is thrilled to pursue a career in a field that is so meaningful to her. In her role at UCF Hillel, she is excited to connect with families, alumni, and prospective students and help them discover meaningful ways to get involved with the UCF Hillel community. She looks forward to hosting fundraising events, informational sessions, and opportunities for connection throughout the community. Raised by a family that placed a strong emphasis on tzedakah and giving back, Shayna believes deeply in the importance of supporting others and strengthening the communities we call home.

Dan Bluman is the Israeli Shaliach (Jewish Agency Israel Fellow) at UCF Hillel. After serving in the IDF Paratroopers, Dan worked in the Israeli music and culture scene as an event producer and bass player. He earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Music. Later, he shifted to the Jewish community world with Birthright Israel Excel, where he grew from a logistics role to managing the program.

Today at UCF Hillel, Dan connects students to Israel through weekly cultural events like "Jam with Dan," "HeBrew" (Cafe Ivrit), and "Kol Israel." He uses his musical background to teach students about Israeli history and culture through playing music and learning song lyrics. While his mother and two brothers live in Israel, Dan is happy to be in Florida near his father, his sister, and his extended family.

Charlie Weingarten is the Springboard Fellow at Central Florida Hillel. She graduated with her Bachelors in English Literature from Washington University in St. Louis in May of 2026, where she served in various roles on WashU's student board from her freshman year in 2022. Born and raised among a strong Jewish community in the valley of Los Angeles, California, Charlie has long been passionate about serving her people in various roles, but found a home in the Jewish political and non-profit space following the catastrophic events of October 7th. Since then, she has been adamant not only about fighting antisemitism on and off campus, but has been a strong advocate and curator of a strong, passionate, and proud young generation of Am Israel.

Outside of her work in the Jewish community, Charlie enjoys spending her time traveling the world, reading, writing, and baking. Joined by her cat Isabella, she is excited to spend the next two years fostering an open and welcoming Jewish environment through programming student initiatives, advising the UCF Hillel Student Board, and teaching various Jewish Learning Fellow (JLF) courses. Following her time at Central Florida Hillel, Charlie hopes to continue building her career as a Jewish educator, advocate, and leader by attending rabbinical school.

Amberley Gin is the IACT Coordinator at UCF Hillel, where she leads Birthright Israel recruitment while building relationships with Greek organizations and students through campus events and Israel programming. Originally from Delray Beach, Florida, Amberley attended Florida State University, where she earned a B.S. in Media Communication Studies and Psychology. Before joining UCF Hillel, she worked in public relations at The Zimmerman Agency, leading publicity efforts for a portfolio of hospitality clients.

Amberley participated in Birthright Israel and Onward in 2022, both of which were life-changing and inspired her to pursue a career in Jewish communal work. She is excited to help students build meaningful connections to Israel and Jewish life and create the same kind of experiences that inspired her own path.