Andorsky, who is a Crimson editor, says he believes the change in leadership is more of a cyclical pattern than a linear trend.

"Years ago, Hillel had a primarily Orthodox leadership, and now the Conservative movement has come to the fore," Andorsky says. "It has tended to fluctuate. There is no reason it won't turn over again."

Others, however, see the recent changes as part of a transition.

Deena A. Shore '96, a former Hillel Annual Event Coordinator and steering committee member, says she thinks there has been a definite tilt toward Conservatism.

"Four years ago the leadership was more Orthodox," Shore says. "The Orthodox presence was felt much more in the building."

But Steinberg says the change in leadership is more a product of individual choice than group movements.

"I don't think there is anything inevitable about leadership. It is more a function of the individuals," Steinberg says. "Right now, there is a group of strong Orthodox freshman, but there is no way of predicting what will happen in the future."

However, Wilson sees a transition away from the Orthodox minyan.

"My earliest impressions had an Orthodox twinge," Wilson says. "There were certain Orthodox characters I looked up to, who have left and not really been replaced."

New Directions

Many at Hillel believe the Conservative shift is part of a larger trend of pluralism and inclusiveness.

According to Tucker, the leadership of Hillel has made a deliberate effort over the past few years to attract and involve a larger portion of the Jews in the Harvard community.

Because Orthodox Jews were already a significant presence within the organization--by virtue of the fact that Hillel provided all of their meals and religious services--efforts at expansion inevitably led to an increase in the proportion of Jews of other denominations, Hillel leaders say.

"I think there has been a definite expansion over the past two or three years," Tucker said. "Elie Kaunfer, the chair before me, made a concerted effort to make Hillel a more welcoming place for people of all denominations."

This increase in diversity and membership spurred the creation of a new administrative body.