Notes from Springboard Fellows: Jewish Learning on Campus is About More Than Just Knowledge
Notes from Springboard Fellows is a series of deep dives into the work of first and second year Springboard Fellows who play transformative roles in their Hillel communities. Read on to learn more about Chaya Mamer, the Ezra Jewish Education Fellow at Guelph Hillel with Hillels of Ontario.
Interested in becoming a Springboard Fellow? Apply today.
Jewish educators have a unique role in their communities, and college communities are no exception. Chaya Mamer, an Ezra Jewish Education Springboard Fellow at the University of Guelph, has made teaching and studying Torah the core of her work with students, encouraging them to use knowledge and exploration to find new ways of forming relationships, deepening their Jewish identities, and developing a sense of curiosity in all aspects of their lives.
Chaya grew up in Calgary, Canada, and attended the University of Waterloo as an undergraduate, where she studied political science and business with a minor in economics. She was deeply involved in Hillel Waterloo and Laurier, where she served as a student staff member, ran a campus food bank, and ultimately became student president. Inspired by the Springboard Fellow at her Hillel, Chaya knew she wanted to dedicate her life to Jewish nonprofit work.
After she witnessed the upheaval on college campuses following October 7, Chaya realized she wanted to help build bridges between communities.
She knew this work would require compassionate, sensitive, and innovative approaches to learning and teaching, and with that in mind, she identified the Springboard Fellowship as a strong pathway to that goal — specifically, the Ezra Jewish Education track of the program.
Ezra Jewish Education Fellows follow in the footsteps of the biblical Ezra, who reengaged and reinvigorated the Jewish community by reading the Torah aloud in the town square on Shabbat and market days, and translating it for people to understand. Ezra’s commitment to teaching, engagement, and innovation is a model for fellows to bring Judaism off the page and into life on campus.
“With the Ezra track, you can come in with whatever your knowledge base is and you’ll have the opportunity to learn and grow,” she said. “And then you have the opportunity to learn how to share your knowledge with others.”
Over the past six months of her fellowship, Chaya has been able to put her learning into action. And while she’s been an educator for her students, it’s not a one-way relationship — they’ve been teaching her, too. “They walked onto campus this year with joy and courage,” she said. “Seeing them flourish has kept me inspired all semester.”
Another powerful aspect of Chaya’s experience as a Springboard Fellow is the ability to connect with a large group of other young professionals with whom she shares goals and interests. She’s found the support of her cohort to be deeply meaningful. “The early months and years of your career can be really lonely,” she said. “I’m grateful to be able to reach out to people who are at the same stage and in similar roles.”
Recently, Chaya joined the Fellow Advisory Committee, a group of fellows who act as liaisons between their cohorts and the Hillel International Team Springboard, after being inspired by how much Team Springboard cared about hearing feedback and perspectives from her peers. Working with Springboard Fellowship Manager Ava Gurman, Chaya became part of the cohort communications committee, representing the unique Canadian Jewish community. She’s enjoyed being a bridge between Team Springboard and the fellows, as well as getting to know fellows from both active cohorts.
Chaya sees the Springboard Fellowship as an opportunity to work within the Hillel movement and learn what the organization does, and to be part of its next stage of growth in a meaningful way. She also has some advice for prospective Springboard Fellows.
“Approach your application and your interview process with a desire to improve and support your community. Trust yourself — your experience and perspective is invaluable,” she said.
To learn more about the Springboard Fellowship and see if it’s right for you, visit hillel.org/springboard-fellowship/ today.