News

Building Belonging and Inspiring Leaders at the Florida Student Leadership Gathering

Author

Paige Simunek

Date

February 21, 2025

What happens when you bring together Jewish college students from 10 Florida campuses for a weekend of leadership, bonding, and learning? You get a room full of energy and pride. You get shared moments filled with joy, meaningful connections that spark inspiration, and a renewed sense of purpose for Jewish leadership. Most importantly, you get student leaders who leave feeling deeply connected to their Hillels, confident in their leadership abilities, and ready to shape Jewish life on their campuses.

Recently, 80 Jewish student leaders gathered at the University of Central Florida to build relationships, gain leadership skills, and express their Jewish identities with joy and belonging. These students were each nominated by their campus Hillel to participate in this pilot program from Hillel International that aims to empower student leaders with the skills and relationships to lead effectively, create meaningful experiences for their peers, and foster collaboration across the region. 

With ideas and input from a leadership council that represented eight Florida Hillels, the programming was designed to be interactive and inspired by students. 

One of the most exciting sessions was “Silent Disco Talks” – a new initiative inspired by silent disco parties, but with a leadership twist! Instead of music, when students put on their headphones, they tuned into skill-building workshops featuring experts from across the Hillel community who shared insights into topics like imposter syndrome, leading with strengths, and the power of storytelling and active listening. 

Students then took these lessons into interactive workshops, which gave them a chance to put these new skills to life, feeling empowered and confident. 

In addition to building critical leadership skills, the students learned to strengthen their relationships with each other. And which activity sparks instant collaboration? Escape rooms! 

Students were separated into teams and tasked with getting out of a room within a specific timeframe. Some faced live actors,  some faced challenging puzzles, but every group had to rely on teamwork, communication, and quick thinking to escape. When students returned to the hotel after the escape rooms, laughter and joy echoed throughout the lobby.

Through it all, Jewish learning and leadership values were woven into each of the programs, beginning with a group intention and d’var Torah, or word of Torah, each day. 

One of the student leaders shared a powerful d’var Torah, where he described the challenges that the prophet Moses encountered early in his leadership journey. When Moses voiced insecurity about his leadership abilities due to his speech impediment, God responded by saying that Moses’ brother Aaron would be his spokesperson and partner. The student reflected on how Moses’ story might mirror the experience of leaders today, reminding the group that leadership isn’t about going at it alone, but instead embracing the strengths of those around us. 

“Everyone here in this room today possesses a unique skill set that makes you a leader,” the student said. “But [the Torah] teaches us that true leadership is forged from collaboration. It’s about bringing people together, understanding how working as a team amplifies our individual strengths.”

This gathering of Jewish student leaders was a powerful example of the very idea shared in the d’var Torah:  it came together through the partnership of student leaders, Florida Hillel staff members, and the Hillel International Student Engagement, Experiences, and Leadership team. Participants left with a deep sense of pride in embracing their Jewish identity, and excitement about leadership opportunities on their campuses. Through this weekend together, students built an experience where they each felt empowered and proud to shape Jewish life on campus together.

Paige Simunek is the director of student leadership at Hillel International.

The post Building Belonging and Inspiring Leaders at the Florida Student Leadership Gathering appeared first on Hillel International.

News

As We Recover from the LA Wildfires, It’s Our Job to Show Up

Author

Dave Cohn

Date

February 13, 2025

Jewish tradition offers us an option of how to respond to moments when words otherwise fail us, one which signals the most essential message at times filled with confusion, pain, or uncertainty — hineini, I am here.

I am here has been a constant refrain among Hillel professionals over the past 16 months, as the Jewish community around the world has experienced tremendous loss, grief, and fear. Yet in an unexpected blessing, the work we’ve done to show up for our students since the devastating attacks of October 7 gave us new insight when we needed to show up for a tragedy much closer to home. 

As the Allen & Ruth Ziegler Executive Director at USC Hillel, I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve said those words, I am here, in the weeks since the outbreak of the Palisades and Eaton fires here in Southern California. We’ve said it to family, neighbors, friends, colleagues, and students — those witnessing the devastation playing out from the fires across Los Angeles, those weathering hours of power outages, those anxiously wondering if they’ll need to leave their homes, and above all, those who have tragically lost their homes to this destructive disaster.

Somehow, it’s been over a month since the wildfires consumed entire neighborhoods of our city of Los Angeles, forever altering it. At a time of upheaval that felt so much bigger than any one of us, we were reminded that it’s the small acts of kindness that stand out as most memorable, and the value of Hillel’s role in offering comfort and connection to Jewish students cannot be overstated. 

“A Hillel cannot change the material reality of impacted families, destroyed property, or a city experiencing collective trauma,” our campus rabbi, Jocee Hudson, shared with me. “What we can continue to do is show up as the community of care that we are, wrap our arms around our students, provide a space of consistent and loving presence, refuse to shy away from asking about and listening to hard stories, and provide chances to give back and care for the larger LA community.”

Rabbi Hudson’s words were particularly relevant for all of us last month. The week the fires broke out, we had planned an immersive off-site professional development day for our team. Instead, we spent the day watching the news, checking on loved ones, and, of course, reaching out to our students across Los Angeles to ensure their physical and emotional safety. We messaged one another constantly with updates from the valley to the city. Students responded in droves — the majority, luckily, were okay, but a few reported that they’d lost their homes. 

We quickly mobilized as a team, sharing updates about resources that students could utilize even before the spring semester officially got underway, such as the Jewish Federation Los Angeles’ resource hub, which offered reliable information on volunteering, food for marginalized communities, mental health services, and more. We made sure our community was aware of important updates about things like air quality alerts, as well as information about transitional housing offerings available through a partnership between AirBnB and 211.

The Welcome Week programs we already had planned for the spring semester took on new importance as we worked to adapt to what our students needed: we offered open office hours with our campus rabbi and wellness director, a cozy hot cocoa drop-in with our executive board, increased marketing of our free therapy opportunities, and began a collaboration with a local buy-sell-trade app to collect fire relief donations.

Reflecting on our first program of the year, our managing director, Rachael Cohen, shared, “Students and parents showed up disoriented, overwhelmed and restless. But as the room buzzed with new conversations and connections, a sense of calm settled in. Even as chaos dominated the outside world, it was all going to be okay.”

Our students had found a sukkat shalom — a safe haven — a place where they could make a new friend, eat a good snack, and have a real conversation. We remain their Jewish home away from home, even when home is something out of reach. 

“We often say that Hillel is not an institution,” Rabbi Hudson recently told our community. “Rather, it is a community of people seeking to draw near and care for one another. Even when times are hard, indeed, especially when times are hard, we know just who we are and how we want to be.” 

And sometimes, that starts with saying, hineini — I am here.

Dave Cohn is the Allen & Ruth Ziegler Executive Director at USC Hillel. To learn more about supporting the Jewish community in LA in the aftermath of the fires, please visit the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles’ Wildfire Crisis Relief resource.

The post As We Recover from the LA Wildfires, It’s Our Job to Show Up appeared first on Hillel International.

News

Jewish Sustainability in Action: Hillel on the Farm

Author

Hillel International

Date

February 11, 2025

Taking care of the land we live on is more than just a Jewish tradition — it’s part of Jewish law.

Campus Hillels across North America are finding ways to tie together their Jewish connection to the land with sustainability and environmental practices. Check out these stories from three Hillels partnering with local farms to make a difference.

University of Vermont Hillel: Hillel Fresh and Seeds for Students

UVM’s Hillel Fresh program started as a way to combat food insecurity among students, and expanded significantly during the pandemic to ensure that students could have access to Shabbat meals even without Hillel hosting. Each student who signs up for Hillel Fresh receives a bag with all the ingredients they need for Shabbat, along with a Jewish learning text and a list explaining where all the food came from.

In the last three years, Hillel Fresh expanded to include its own farming plot on the University’s research farm. During the summers, the farm is managed by Seeds to Students interns who care for the crops while engaging in weekly Jewish learning around agriculture, land ownership, and sustainability. This year, all the produce from the summer was used during the fall semester in Hillel Fresh bags. 

Sophie Warth, a fourth-year student at UVM majoring in Food and Culture, is the Director of Hillel Fresh and Seeds to Students. Under her leadership, the program has grown to include medical and graduate students in its distribution in addition to undergraduate students, making a more significant impact in combating student food insecurity. In reflecting on her experience with these two programs Sophie said, “The most meaningful parts of working with Hillel Fresh and Seeds to Students have been combining my connections to my Hillel community with the relationships I’ve built with the local farms involved in Hillel Fresh. Being on the farm, working with the land, and taking a product from seed to harvest have also been invaluable experiences” 

Berkeley Hillel: Jewish Responses to Climate Change

Chance Reiniesch has made expanding Jewish programs around sustainability and farming his mission at University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) Hillel. Growing up on a farm, Chance spent a lot of time gardening and growing, and he’s been working to bring more programming around Jewish social justice, climate justice, and sustainability to his college community. 

Berkeley’s Hillel had a number of small partnerships and programs, but Chance saw room for growth. As the Social Action Associate, Chance expanded a program with University of California Gill Tract Farm, a local university farm that teaches people about indigenous land practices and donates food back to the community. He also helped launch the L’Shomra: Jewish Responses to Climate Change fellowship, where students examine their relationship with the world and their responsibility to protect it — and learn from contemporary sources and Jewish ancestral wisdom. Ben Witeck, a third year student at UC Berkeley, said, “My Judaism has always pushed me to engage in pressing areas of social justice. Connecting ancient and modern land-based practices as integral parts of my Jewish identity has been both a meaningful and powerful experience.”

Students also have the opportunity to take bi-monthly trips to other local farms, and to participate in weekly actions with Urban Adamah, a Jewish community farm dedicated to combating food insecurity in its area. 

One of Chance’s favorite parts of Berkeley Hillel’s sustainability work is the pollinator garden. Students were inspired to build out the garden, working with Hillel staff to plant different species and organize gardening shifts to help it flourish. To Chance, the garden speaks to Berkeley Hillel’s holistic commitment to environmentalism, and allows them to actively show connections between gardening and Jewish learning and ritual. Figs from the garden’s fig tree are used for the annual Tu B’Shvat seder — a sweet way to renew the community’s connection to the earth as responsible caretakers.

Colorado State University Hillel: RAM Kibbutz

CSU Hillel has a unique claim to fame: they’re the first student-led organization to be certified by Adamah. Starting from a farm-to-table program focusing on sustainability in sourcing and preparing Shabbat meals, CSU Hillel decided to create their own campus “kibbutz,” including a vegetable garden and a chicken coop.

Adam Fox, CSU Hillel’s Director of Jewish Student Life, took the initiative to expand the kibbutz beyond a sustainability initiative and added a component of student empowerment and wellness. Noticing that students having a bad day or struggling with the stress of campus life often came to the kibbutz to watch the chickens, he applied for a mental health and wellness grant from Hillel International to add ducks to the kibbutz family, and later received another grant to train student interns to care for them. Student leaders take on the role of “Chicken Tenders,” who are in charge of the care of new ducks Nibbler and Glenda, along with the kibbutz’s existing chickens. 

Adam sees the kibbutz not just as a key part of the Hillel community, but as a way to bring in students who might not otherwise be engaged by giving them an opportunity to connect through sustainability. Since October 7, he’s seen an increased interest in the kibbutz as more students looked for ways to connect to their Jewish identity and spend time in a supportive Jewish space. RAM Kibbutz offers a place and a community for students to connect to and rely on one another — just like a real kibbutz.

The post Jewish Sustainability in Action: Hillel on the Farm appeared first on Hillel International.

Hillel Community

Israel

Connecting Students with Their Jewish Stories Through a Love of Israel

Author

Uziel Pohl

Date

January 28, 2025

IACT professionals work on college campuses across the country to help Jewish students connect with their Jewish identities through Jewish learning, Israel engagement, and community service. They help run Birthright Israel trips, and support students in staying connected to their Judaism and each other when they return from these transformative immersive experiences. Interested in becoming an IACT? Learn more and apply today.

Uziel Pohl is the IACT at Michigan State University Hillel. He experienced a life-changing year due to his work with Hillel, and we are excited to share his experience with you. 

This year has been my shehecheyanu year. Shehecheyanu, the blessing said when experiencing something new, was on my mind as I went to Israel for the first time on a Birthright Israel trip this past summer, as I took my first steps as an IACT (Inspired, Active, Committed, Transformed) professional at Michigan State University Hillel, as I attended my first Hillel International Global Assembly (HIGA), and as I returned to Israel this winter. 

The first step I took with Hillel this year was onto a plane to participate in a Birthright Israel trip this past summer, and it also was my first time traveling to Israel. As I crossed continents, surrounded by people who would also be experiencing Israel for the first time, I felt blessed that we would be forming foundational Jewish memories together.

Some of those powerful moments included wrapping tefillin at the top of Masada, walking to the Kotel to welcome Shabbat, and mourning our brothers and sisters who were killed by Hamas on October 7. I tucked every one of these experiences into my soul to bring back and share with my students at MSU. 

Another critical moment of my growth and learning happened at HIGA and the IACT post-HIGA gathering in December. It was so inspiring to sit in a room filled with other IACT professionals who are passionate and committed to helping Jewish students discover their love for Israel. 

Danielle Kranjec, associate vice president of Jewish education at Hillel International, spoke with our IACT cohort about the importance of gathering groups of students together on campus to learn about Israel and its connection to the Jewish people. Hillel International’s student cohort, Kol Yisrael, is designed for just that, and getting an introduction to the impact that we can have through Jewish education stuck with me when I left HIGA and got back on an airplane to lead my first Birthright Israel trip. 

I was sure that flying to Israel this second time would be filled with all new shehecheyanu moments that were different from my trip as a participant just a few months ago. When the plane touched down in Tel Aviv and I looked around at my students’ faces, I knew that seeing Israel through their eyes would be as powerful, and new, as it had been the previous summer. 

After a trip filled with more firsts, we finished with something ancient — lighting Hanukkah candles together on our last night before returning home. To me, this is what it means to be an IACT. Bringing together Jewish students’ modern identities and perspectives with the ancient Jewish story embedded in the land of Israel. I’m so grateful to be a part of that story and to be exploring it with Hillel.

The post Connecting Students with Their Jewish Stories Through a Love of Israel appeared first on Hillel International.

News

Happy Hanukkah Happenings at Hillel

Author

Hannah Smuckler

Date

January 6, 2025

Jewish college students around the world celebrated Hanukkah in fun and innovative ways this year, with campus Hillels leading holiday parties and other events to rejoice in the festival of lights. Between latke-making, ugly sweater decorating, and connecting with other faith-based groups on campus, each campus had its own Hanukkah tradition to wrap up the fall semester.

At universities like Boston University and American University, Hillels held Hanukkah parties to celebrate the holiday in inviting and inclusive ways before students headed home for winter break. 

American University Hillel (AU Hillel) also hosted a creative “Gelt-Together,” full of crafts like make-your-own Hanukkah candles and dreidel scratch art. The event also featuredThey held a customizable sufganiyot bar, sponsored and run by AU Dining. Students had the choice to include delicious jam, caramel, or pastry cream inside their sufganiyot, along with a number of toppings. “A lot of people here [at AU Hillel] are very academically driven and passionate about doing well, and so I feel like this is a good mandatory break,” second-year student Lea Wayne said. “Taking time to hang out with my friends and chill before I have to get into a lot of studying has been great.” 

BU Hillel held its 20th annual Latkepalooza, hosting 122 students to eat mountains of latkes and decorate their own menorahs. “I was grateful that BU Hillel provided a place for us to have a pre-Hanukkah experience,” student Noah Lenkin said.

At Kent State University Hillel, over 100 students attended its traditional Winterfest. Hillel at KSU partnered with four different organizations to host the event and to donate raffle baskets. Winterfest included a snow machine, a photo booth, and a DJ, and was organized by student leaders who were required to budget, recruit, and pitch a business idea to make the event possible. “Winterfest has been an annual celebration since 2022. It’s a big and fun celebration,” said Dina Levin, a Hillel student board member. “I absolutely love Winterfest because it’s a great way to bond with friends and whenever we put up the decorations, it’s like a winter wonderland.”

Columbia/Barnard Hillel hosted about 200 students for their (Almost) Hanukkah Party. Students enjoyed winter and holiday-related activities like a hot chocolate bar, “ugly sweater” decorating, candle painting, a photo booth, and more. Four student party chairs from three different schools within the university and varying religious backgrounds were in charge of organizing the party, working together to plan an event that all kinds of Jewish students would find fun and uplifting. 

The University of Connecticut Hillel welcomed 75 students to their holiday party, inviting other faith-based organizations to join them in gathering students of different faiths and backgrounds in a welcoming, joyful space. The event included activities such as decorating cookies and making snow globes. Students also enjoyed appetizers and a sundae bar. “I had a great time connecting with my friends and peers at Hillel that I don’t see on a day-to-day basis,” student Cooper Matik said.

These were just a few of the campus Hanukkah celebrations held throughout December, and each celebration was special in its own way. Jewish students were able to spend time with friends and their Hillel communities, enjoy lots and lots of latkes, and commemorate the miracle of the holiday in meaningful and special ways.

The post Happy Hanukkah Happenings at Hillel appeared first on Hillel International.

News

Inspiring Connections: A Springboard Fellow’s Memories from HIGA 2024

Author

Shayna Kling

Date

December 17, 2024

Shayna Kling is the social justice Springboard Fellow at the University of Miami (UM). Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Shayna is an alum of The Ohio State University. At UM Hillel, Shayna works on developing social justice programs with students, engaging first-year Jewish college students, and social media marketing for UM Hillel. 

Shayna recently attended the Hillel International Global Assembly (HIGA), the annual conference for Hillel professionals from all over the world — a high energy, information packed week of connection and inspiration. Shayna kept a journal of her experiences and reflections that we are excited to share with you. 

Monday, Day One:

From the second I arrived at the hotel, I felt the HIGA energy starting and prepared myself to get into conference mode, aka extrovert mode. One of my favorite parts of HIGA is seeing Jewish professionals I know from different parts of my life: friends from my Jewish youth group in high school; my counselors from Camp Wise, a Jewish summer camp in Ohio; State Buckeyes alumni from my alma mater; and of course, my cohort of Springboard Fellows and the UM Hillel staff! I absolutely LOVE the intersection of people from so many areas of my life and the Jewish geography that ensues.

I began the conference with other members of my Springboard Fellowship cohort, and we reflected on what we hoped to gain from HIGA, who we would want to engage with before the end of the conference, and some of the potential challenges we could encounter. I loved the intentionality of these sessions, and how it grounded and connected us before programming took off. I also appreciated that I had the Springboard cohort and so many familiar faces at my side.

Next up was dinner and the opening plenary! This year, I decided to join the Hillel House Band, an annual HIGA tradition featuring Hillel’s instrumentalists and singers, and we opened up the conference in a huge ballroom with songs that brought me back to my camp days. It was indescribable to bring my love for singing into the Hillel community! 

The opening plenary was high energy and inspiring. Adam Lehman, the president and CEO of Hillel International, the HIGA co-chairs, and other Hillel leaders and students talked about how each of us is a Hillel superhero – and how impactful our work is to this generation of Jewish college students, and those who will attend college in the future. I felt empowered as I sat next to my fellow University of Miami Hillel staff members, in our UM themed flannels, and reflected on all the hard work we’ve done this year. We also got to hear from our very own Abi Schcolnik, who is the co-chair of the Hillel International Student Cabinet and a senior at UM! We all felt so proud watching her from the audience, and witnessing how much Hillel has shaped her and allowed her to grow as a leader. 

We ended the night with a Florida Hillels reunion, and let me say, the Florida Hillel vibes are top notch. Everyone is so welcoming, which means chatting never feels like networking, but like getting to know a new friend.

Tuesday, Day Two:

On my second day at HIGA, I led my own session! I decided to take on more responsibility this year, since it’s my second year in the Springboard Fellowship, and my coworkers encouraged me to teach others about social media marketing and the processes I’ve created at UM Hillel. I co-led the session, which was called “Digital Glow-up,” with the amazing Abby Stoetzer, manager of Jewish life and digital marketing at Queens College Hillel. We gave step-by-step suggestions for improving a campus Hillel’s social media from the ground up, starting with brand kits and content calendars, and then moving into more creative ideas to amp things up. I left feeling grateful that Hillel offers opportunities to grow and develop professionally through collaboration and sharing ideas.

With that in mind, I went to another session that focused on the way crafting and creating can heal differences and connect people. I’ve always loved hosting crafting events with my students, but hadn’t thought about it as intentionally as this session encouraged me to do. As a group, we created a beautiful Hamsa using paper quilling, with the plan to give it to Hillel Israel to thank them for all they’ve endured this past year. 

For lunch that day, I went to a marketing and communications cohort meetup, because I often work on social media projects for my Hillel. It was great to connect with many other like minded professionals who have so much knowledge to share. I also learned how many Hillel International staffers work behind the scenes making creative content, running marketing campaigns, and working on digital fundraising.

We had a Springboard social justice cohort meeting in the afternoon, where we reflected on the successes and challenges of the past year and a half. As a Social Justice Springboard Fellow, I have planned and collaborated on over a dozen volunteer events where students have the opportunity to give back to our local community. I love that I’m able to expand the perspectives of my students and take them out of their college bubbles to help local Miamians. We’ve worked with organizations like Camillus House, Repair the World, the local Ronald McDonald House, and so much more. 

After reflecting on these experiences, we brought the conversation back to our roots, and everyone shared where their passions from social action started and why they’re here now. It was a great reminder of why we do this work.

To finish the day, I hung out at a local Boston bar with many of my friends from Springboard, and we celebrated our achievements together.

Wednesday, Day Three:

My two favorite sessions from the final day at HIGA were “How to Make Meetings as Fun and Productive as You Are” and “Moving from Springboard to Assistant Director.” 

As I sometimes plan meetings for our Hillel, I enjoyed hearing about the organization and logistics that go into planning meetings, and the session gave me insight into the work of our leadership team, as well as ideas for how we might adjust in the future.

During the “Springboard to Assistant Director” session, we talked about how to set yourself up for success and growth within your Hillel. This session solidified the importance of professional development, and gave me more confidence in the skills I’ve built up to this point. We thought a lot about what could be next for us as second year Springboard Fellows, and I felt empowered to ask for more responsibilities and learning opportunities at my own Hillel to continue this journey.

Following that session, I had a Springboard focus group, where I listened to feedback from the cohort. It also pushed me to reflect on the team relationships I’ve built at UM, and realize how grateful I am for those relationships and the work we do there.  

The last part of the day was the closing awards dinner, where outstanding Hillels and Hillel professionals are recognized for their incredible work. UM and the Florida Hillels won an Innovation Award for the Hillels of Florida Poland trip that the UM executive director helped bring to life. The hosts of the awards celebration were hilarious, and I loved the humor they brought to their roles. It also was great to hear about the amazing initiatives that other Hillels are working on, and how they are creatively bringing students together. And it was so uplifting to hear how dedicated Hillel International is to building bridges and pluralism, and how much hope there is for the Jewish future. 

HIGA was a delight this year: full of new connections, laughter, advice and opportunities to ask questions, and I discovered roles in the Hillel world that I didn’t know existed. Best of all, I felt connected to people from all over the world. HIGA 2024 did not disappoint, and I can’t wait for next year!

The post Inspiring Connections: A Springboard Fellow’s Memories from HIGA 2024 appeared first on Hillel International.

News

Celebrating Interfaith Connections with a Feast

Author

Hillel International

Date

December 5, 2024

At Hillel, we believe in the power of communities to support college students when they need it most. We believe college campuses are safer, more inclusive places when they come together across lines of difference. And we believe that food makes any event better!

The Interfaith Moveable Feast event, held recently across several faith community spaces at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), is a perfect example of all three of those beliefs in action. This annual tradition brought together 50 students from faith and religious groups on campus for a meal on the move: an appetizer with one organization, starters with another, a main course with a third, and so on. 

“The moveable feast invites everyone to see a different community that has the same goal of inclusivity and caring for the students, just like our own faith community spaces do,” said Rafi Myers, a fourth-year student at UC Davis, “We got to know each other on a surprisingly deep level, and it was very safe,welcoming, and understanding.”

Rafi is actively involved with Hillel at Davis and Sacramento, and has been attending Shabbat dinners and other gatherings since his first year on campus. Last year was the first time he attended the moveable feast — and as antisemitism was rising and conversations about Israel, Zionism, and being Jewish on campus were getting more difficult, he recalled that the event brought him closer to other students. “I felt really isolated as a Jewish student on campus after October 7,” he recalled. “The Interfaith Feast made me feel a lot more interconnected with other groups throughout UC Davis.”

Despite a rain storm this year, dozens of people turned out to attend the roving dinner. “We were making s’mores, and we had to figure out how to do that in the middle of this crazy rain,” said Heather van Waasbergen, a third-year student studying animal biology. “We were putting marshmallows and chocolate on cookie sheets and just baking them in the oven — we had to be creative!”

For Heather, who lives at the CA House, a multifaith living community at UC Davis, the Interfaith Moveable Feast represents an opportunity to open up to people of different faiths and backgrounds. “It’s a chance to just get to know each other,” they said. “Food can really be a factor that draws you in and connects people. I think a lot of religions say, ‘Come, have a seat at our table, we’ll break bread together.’”

In addition to UC Davis Hillel and the CA House, students from The Belfry, the Davis Christian Fellowship, the Newman Catholic Center, and the Baha’i Club for Discourse and Action all took part in the Moveable Feast. For the professionals who have seen the event evolve over the years, the legacy of the Interfaith Moveable Feast is really about watching students grow and learn, and seeing connections happen in real time. 

“I’ve been involved with planning the Interfaith Moveable Feast for six years now,” said Seth Browner, development manager for Hillel at Davis and Sacramento. “Hillel normally hosts the main course, and my favorite part is always showing the guests our Torah scroll upstairs. They are so impressed with how beautiful the calligraphy and case are. It’s even inspired many of our guests from outside the Jewish community to attend Hillel’s programs and services that aren’t specifically interfaith related. I want to thank Hillel International and Interfaith America for supporting these programs with their generous grants.”

The connections students make at the Interfaith Moveable Feast don’t end at dessert. “It’s allowed me to recognize more students around campus,” Rafi said. “Instead of walking past each other, we’ll stop and say hi, ask how everyone is doing. I get to see more friendly faces.”

Helping to support interfaith community connections on campus is just one of the many ways campus Hillels and our allies across other faith communities support each other on campus. Read more about how Hillels build bridges across campus communities here. 

The post Celebrating Interfaith Connections with a Feast appeared first on Hillel International.

Hillel Community

Proud to be Jewish

Yallapalooza is a Chance for Jewish College Students Like Me to Dance, Sing, and Be Together

Author

Natalie Ryba

Date

November 8, 2024

When I heard about Yallapalooza, Hillel’s concert series that is bringing thousands of Jewish college students together in three cities for a night of music and Jewish joy, I signed up immediately. I was even more excited after being asked to co-host the New York City concert as part of Hillel International’s Student Cabinet — I couldn’t wait. The lineup was amazing (the concert featured Matisyahu, Netta, DJ Sasi, and Yonatan Cohen), and I knew the energy at the event would be exactly what I needed after a year of rising antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric on campus.

As a Jewish student at Hunter College, the months after October 7 were really hard and sad. I was constantly exhausted, and struggled to keep up with my classes. Posters around campus of the hostages being held captive in Gaza were constantly pulled down, and some of my classmates referred to Israel as a perpetrator of genocide. 

But no matter how dark things got, Hunter Hillel was a source of joy. I grew up in a large Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn, New York, and originally sought out Jewish life at Hunter to see what other kinds of Jewish communities are like. The staff at Hillel helped me deepen my Jewish identity, get an internship, and provided a welcoming, supportive community when I needed it most. I attended “Not-Shabbat” dinners on Thursday nights, community gatherings at the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life at NYU, and had a dedicated Israel Fellow there to help answer questions. 

Yallapalooza took all of that friendship and community, and concentrated it into one incredible night. The concert was absolutely magical — spiritual, special, and so joyful. The energy the Jewish student community has here in New York is unlike anything else I’ve experienced, with so much diversity, passion and hope, and there was so much love and support in that space: for Hillel, for Israel, and maybe most importantly, for each other. 

It was also so cool to have so many Hillel-connected people in one place. There were thousands of participants from campus Hillels, plus tons of people from the broader Hillel International community. Even Matthew Bronfman, the chair of the Hillel International board of governors, was there. It was really moving to see Hillel leadership show up — their care and commitment for Jewish students is always so evident.

For me, one of the most moving parts of the concert was Netta’s performance. She brought so much joy, was willing to share so much of herself with us, and connected to the crowd as if she was there with each of us as individuals. 

I often feel like Hillel can read minds when it comes to knowing what Jewish college students need, and Yallapalooza is a perfect example of that feeling. Being there, with so many other Jewish college students, dancing to Israeli music with my friends and feeling so connected and uplifted, was everything I wanted. I expressed my gratitude from the stage before the concert ended, but I know I’ll be thinking about that night with love and joy for years to come.

Yallapalooza, powered by Hillel International, is a series of concerts for Jewish college students that celebrate Jewish joy. Catch up on the Boston Yallapalooza concert here.

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News

Hillel Concert Series “Yallapalooza 2024” Visits New York City

Author

Hillel International

Date

November 4, 2024

Grammy-nominated singer Matisyahu, Eurovision winner Netta, and Nova Music Festival artists performed for thousands of Jewish college students at NYC’s Beacon Theater.

Last night, the Yallapalooza 2024 concert series, powered by Hillel International and UJA-Federation of New York, brought together thousands of Jewish college students at the Beacon Theater in New York City for a night celebrating Jewish joy after an incredibly difficult year for Jewish students on college campuses. The concert featured performances by Grammy-nominated musician Matisyahu, Eurovision winner Netta, and DJ Sasi and Yonatan Cohen, who both performed at the Nova Music Festival.

Since October 7, 2023, Jewish college students have faced an alarming surge of antisemitism on college campuses across North America. These experiences have impacted what should be the most exciting, freeing, and transformative years of their lives.

Despite these challenges, Jewish college students have shown extraordinary courage and have come together to embrace Jewish joy, from celebrating the High Holidays to participating in Hillel programs, events, and welcome week activities in record-breaking numbers. Yallapalooza 2024 celebrated that spirit and offered Jewish students a new opportunity to join together in a much-needed space for collective joy with some of the top Jewish musical acts in the world. 

“Tonight was very special. To see so many Jewish students feeling joy through music was incredible,” said Matisyahu. “Their energy was palpable and it was so powerful to be a part of this night with so many students. I can’t wait for our next two shows in Boston and Philly.”

“I am honored to participate in a night of celebration for Jewish students and showcase my music and represent the Tribe of Nova after such a difficult year,” said DJ Sasi, co-producer and a performer at the Nova Music Festival on 10/7. “Jews and Israelis across the world have faced many challenges since 10/7, yet we will continue to stand proudly together and showcase our story for all to see.”

“Following October 7, the Jewish college experience was completely upended by the rise in antisemitism on campus, which has directly impacted many of us in New York,” said Natalie Ryba, a senior at Hunter College and member of Hillel International’s Student Cabinet. “Events like Hillel’s Yallapalooza concert in New York City give us the opportunity to experience Jewish music and joy with thousands of other college students, and for us it means the world to be able to celebrate being proudly Jewish together.”

For over 100 years, Hillel has been a welcoming and supportive space for millions of Jewish college students of all backgrounds, denominations, and beliefs. Hillel, the world’s largest Jewish college organization, remains committed to being a trusted place for students seeking community, belonging, and support. With this concert series Hillel continues to be there for Jewish students, enabling them to come together, dance, sing and enjoy an evening together after an extraordinarily difficult past year.

“Amid another year marked by continuing challenges on campus, we were thrilled to take our commitment to Jewish college students on the road and bring thousands of students together for a night of music, celebration and joy with some of the world’s top Jewish musicians,” said Hillel President and CEO Adam Lehman. “Whether it’s on or off campus, giving our students the opportunity to experience these indelible moments of Jewish joy is at the heart of Hillel’s mission.”   

“During a year when Jewish college students have faced an alarming increase in antisemitism on campus with strength and courage, it is more important than ever that we support them with opportunities where they can proudly showcase what it means to be Jewish,”said Matthew Bronfman, Chair of the Hillel International Board of Governors. “Tonight’s concert, featuring some of the most recognizable Jewish and Israeli musicians in the world playing in front of thousands of cheering students, was a wonderfully positive and uplifting experience that our students so richly deserve and that Hillel is so proud to provide.”

The concert was entirely free of charge for Jewish students and recent college graduates in New York City and the Tri-State area. Students attended from more than 200 schools, including Columbia University, NYU, Binghamton University, and the City University of New York (CUNY) schools, as well as from colleges and universities nationwide.

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Hillel Community

Israel

Recharging My Commitment to Israel at the Israel Leadership Network Shabbaton

Author

Leah Kressel

Date

October 22, 2024

In my second year at Muhlenberg College, I became the Israel leadership co-chair at Muhlenberg Hillel. From the beginning, Hillel International’s Israel Leadership Network (ILN) was an important resource for me—a place I could look to for event ideas, strategies, and accurate information. When I was invited to the White House last year to speak with Douglas Emhoff, the Second Gentleman, about my grandmother’s experience in the Holocaust and my own experience on campus, ILN resources helped me prepare for the event. The Israel Leadership Network continues to be instrumental in my growth as a Jewish student leader. 

The recent ILN Executive Shabbaton in Denver was inspiring and uplifting and deepened my connection with other students who are passionate about Israel. The 36 hours we spent learning and sharing experiences were a much-needed boost after a difficult year. 

One of the central conversations throughout the Shabbaton was how to develop strategies for sharing informational and training resources across all of our campuses. Many of us know students who want to speak up and share their perspectives on Israel and Judaism, but they feel isolated, confused, and pressured from other students and professors to hide their beliefs. In sharing that experience, we reaffirmed that one of ILN’s critical roles is to provide facts about Israel and antisemitism as well as moral support to students around the country to empower them to speak up for their beliefs. 

Throughout our Shabbat together, I appreciated the open exchange of ideas and the shared values that I found time and again. These discussions led to a concrete mission statement and set of goals for ILN, which will inform our work over the coming academic year. 

Another deeply meaningful moment for me took place during our Shabbat prayers. While I wear a hostage necklace and a yellow ribbon every day, I often feel like I am alone in my effort to keep the hostages at the forefront of my mind. Spending Shabbat in Denver was particularly meaningful, as I knew everyone in the room shared a connection and commitment to the people being held hostage in inhumane conditions in Gaza. Before we said Shabbat prayers, we each had a chance to choose a printed photo of someone being held hostage. Throughout Shabbat, we prayed for their return in the hopes that they, too, can enjoy Shabbat with family and friends again—a Shabbat that is long overdue.

Since October 7, 2023, my college experience has been colored by antisemitism, events in Israel, and my efforts to speak up for Israel and Jewish students on my campus. At times, this fight is empowering, but it can also be lonely and stressful. It means a tremendous amount to me to know that there are organizations, like Hillel International and the Israel Leadership Network, that believe in student leaders like me, and bring us together to amplify and connect the work we do. 

Leah Kressel is a junior at Muhlenberg College, where she is double majoring in Psychology and Jewish Studies. She is passionate about Israel advocacy and education, has been a leader in many Zionist activities on campus, and currently serves as the Small Campus Trustee in the Israel Leadership Network.

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