Founded in 1993 at the University of Pennsylvania, Jewish Heritage Programs (JHP) was created to reach Jewish students who were not being engaged by traditional campus programming.
Building on the foundation of Chabad at Penn, which Rabbi Menachem Schmidt founded in 1980, JHP was co-founded by Rabbi Menachem Schmidt, Rabbi Ephraim Levin, and student leaders Ron Dermer and Paul Germain. Together, they envisioned a new model of Jewish engagement that would empower students to inspire and lead one another.
Our Founders
- Rabbi Menachem Schmidt
- Rabbi Ephraim Levin
- Ron Dermer
- Paul Germain
Rabbi Menachem Schmidt had long recognized that many Jewish students were looking for more than traditional campus programming. A visionary in Jewish campus engagement, he saw the need for meaningful relationships, personal mentorship, leadership opportunities, and professional development as gateways to deeper Jewish involvement. That vision became the foundation of JHP’s unique peer-to-peer model. Today, Rabbi Schmidt serves as President of the Chabad on Campus International Foundation, where he continues to help shape Jewish life on campuses around the world.
As an initiative of Chabad at Penn, JHP pioneered a new model of peer-to-peer engagement. Rather than asking students to simply attend programs, JHP empowers them to become leaders who inspire their friends, build community, and strengthen Jewish identity through authentic relationships.
Under the leadership of Rabbi Menachem Schmidt, JHP has grown from a single-campus initiative into a national organization serving thousands of students, alumni, mentors, and business leaders. His vision has always been that Jewish identity flourishes through personal relationships, mentorship, leadership, and opportunities that enrich every aspect of a student’s life — socially, professionally, intellectually, and spiritually.
30+ YEARS
From one campus in 1993 to a national organization today
Today, JHP reaches students on campuses across the country while continuing to serve as a model for innovative Jewish engagement. More than three decades after its founding, its mission remains the same: to empower students to build Jewish community, inspire their peers, and become leaders who strengthen the Jewish future.