Updates from Hillel CASE (Central Asia Southeastern Europe)

We are excited to share regular updates on this page from the students and staff of Hillel CASE (Central Asia Southeastern Europe).

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Meeting the Second Gentleman, Shofar in Hand

And yet, on September 22, 2022, I became the first person ever to blow the shofar at the Vice President’s residence, the Naval Observatory. This is an honor I will be proud of for the rest of my life. (My parents are proud, too.) I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity to have attended the interfaith Rosh Hashanah event, and I feel immensely proud of myself for completing the task of blowing the shofar in such exciting—and intimidating—conditions.

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Honoring the Generosity of Jules and Gwen Knapp

High Holiday Roundup

Hillel International Student Cabinet Co-Chairs Statement on Antisemitism

Forgiveness in the TikTok Era

HUC-JIR and Hillel International Launch New Partnership

Hillel Initiative Against Campus Antisemitism Adds 12 New Universities

Representing Jewish Women on Miss America

On June 25, I was awarded the title of Miss Wyoming 2022, becoming the first Jewish woman with that honor in the 101 years of the program. This December, I will go on to compete for the title of Miss America. If I win, I will become only the second Jewish woman in history to be named Miss America. My personal icon, Bess Myerson, won the Miss America title in 1945 during the height of the Holocaust.

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Welcoming New Members of Hillel International's Board of Directors

Hillel International is so excited to welcome four new members to our Board of Directors! Joining the Board are Hillel International's two student cabinet co-chairs, a former student cabinet member, and a Hillel Director.

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Shabbat Meant Something New After the Fall of Roe v. Wade

As I live on the West Coast, I first read the news of the overruling of Roe v. Wade upon waking up on Friday morning. By the time the sunset signaled the start of Shabbat, I had digested countless social media posts; engaged in fearful conversations with friends; and witnessed vehement protests from San Francisco City Hall to the steps of the Supreme Court. It was the opposite of peace and quiet.

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Welcoming our New Springboard Fellowship Director

Leah Palestrant (she/her) is thrilled to be joining the Springboard Fellowship team at Hillel International after serving as a learning and development professional for education non-profits for the past decade.

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Hillel CASE Gathers in Israel

Hillel International Announces 2022 Student Leadership Scholarship Recipients

Students from CT, NY and FL receive special recognition, $4,000 award

Hillel International has selected four young leaders, two in high school and two in college, to receive scholarship awards in recognition of their volunteerism and commitment to their communities.

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Hillel International Statement on Supreme Court Decision on Abortion

Today is a painful and distressing day for many Americans and Jewish students across the country who believe that each American should have the right to make personal decisions about pregnancy and abortion in a way that is informed by their own beliefs, values, and needs.

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AJC Honors Hillels in Ukraine and Indiana for their Resilience and Fight Against Antisemitism

American Jewish Committee today honored students at Hillel chapters in the Ukraine city of Kharkiv, and Indiana University, where students marshaled an effort to create campus-wide solidarity in the face of rising acts of antisemitism. The Hillel chapters received the AJC Sharon Greene Award for Campus Advocacy, which recognizes college-based advocates who fight antisemitism and support Jewish life on campus.

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Hillel Kharkiv Begins to Rebuild

Instead of celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this spring, the students and staff of Kharkiv Hillel are working tirelessly to repair their space that was heavily damaged by bombing during the war in Ukraine this spring. Volunteers are coming together to rebuild the Hillel building that previously housed 600 Jewish students and young professionals after it was reduced to rubble.

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New Hillel International COO Brings Innovative Approach to World’s Largest Jewish Campus Organization

Shari Merrill brings record of organizational success, creative programming at for-profits and nonprofits, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington

As it approaches its 100th year of serving Jewish students at more than 850 colleges and universities around the world, Hillel International announced that Shari Merrill will serve as its new chief operating officer, beginning later this summer. Merrill comes to Hillel from the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, where as chief impact officer.

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Anne Frank tree takes root at University of Iowa

A piece of Jewish history has been uprooted from Amsterdam and planted in Iowa City. One sapling grown from an old chestnut tree ​​— which stood outside of the secret annex where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary — was planted at University of Iowa.

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Welcoming the Hillel International 2022 Summer Interns

Hillel International is so excited to welcome our Summer 2022 interns! While these students cannot physically be at Hillel International’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., this talented and diverse group of interns is rolling up their sleeves and working virtually with several different teams across the organization.

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