Andy Harkavy serves as the Director of Hillel & Jewish Life at Queens University of Charlotte, a role he began in August 2024, where he works to build a vibrant, welcoming, and meaningful Jewish community on campus. He supports students in exploring their Jewish identities, developing leadership skills, fostering interfaith relationships, and creating connections to Jewish life, learning, and community. He is passionate about helping students find belonging, purpose, and opportunities to make a positive impact both on campus and beyond.
In a short time, Andy has made a remarkable impact. Since stepping into this role, the Jewish student population has grown by 33% and participation has increased dramatically with a 27% increase in total engagement and a 69% increase in unique contacts. These numbers reflect real students, faculty, staff, and community members choosing to show up, engage, and find their place in Jewish life on campus.
Prior to Queens, Andy served as the Director of Congregational Engagement and Communications for Temple Beth El in Charlotte, NC where he played a creative and key role in reimagining and deepening individual, small group, and cohort engagement. He partnered with congregants and staff to challenge current assumptions, break out of silos, synergize, and create a relational culture. He also oversaw and managed the strategy and vision for the congregation’s communications.
Andy received a double Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Spanish at the University of Georgia and a Master of Arts in Jewish Communal Service from the Baltimore Hebrew Institute at Towson University.
Among his many roles in engagement over the years, Andy has excelled in dynamic teen and young adult education and engagement serving as the Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow at Ohio State Hillel, the Director of Youth Engagement at Temple Beth El in in Charlotte, Director of BEIT-RJ (post B’nei Mitzvah education and engagement program for the Baltimore Reform Jewish community), and the Regional Director of Youth Engagement for NFTY Ohio Valley and Cincinnati Youth Engagement Advisor.
Andy also has a passion and love for camp and has served on staff/faculty at numerous URJ Summer Camps: 6 Points Sports Academy, Camp Coleman, Goldman Union Camp Institute (GUCI), Henry S. Jacobs Camp, and Kutz Camp.
Andy was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia and is an avid sports fan always supporting any University of Georgia team as well as all of his Atlanta sports teams. Andy resides in Charlotte with his wife, Megan, and their two children, Eli Micah and Abby Rose.
