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Hillel CASE unites Jewish young adults across the former Soviet Union, with centers all over Eastern Europe. Hillel CASE participants spent this summer connecting, learning, engaging, and building community, even amid the backdrop of war in Ukraine, and we’re excited to share some of the highlights of their recent programming, which has provided much-needed support in a region in turmoil.
We are excited to share regular updates on this page from the students and staff of Hillel CASE (Central Asia Southeastern Europe).
Warsaw has always been my home. I was born here and grew up in and around the city. It’s central to who I am, and serving the Jewish community here has been a foundational part of my life for many years.
Rebecca Weiss, Hillel International Student Cabinet Member and student leader at Hillel Israel, traveled to Poland in November to learn about the growing Jewish community there and to make new connections at Hillel Krakow and Hillel Warsaw.
Hillels around the world rejoiced in the festival of light, even at a time when the world has been darker than usual. From Californa to Kyiv to Israel, students celebrated, grieved for those impacted by antisemitism and the Hamas-Israel War, and participated in acts of kindness to commemorate the miracle of Hanukkah.
Hillels across the world celebrated Purim this week, each with their own unique flair. We wanted to take you inside two Hillel Purim celebrations on opposite sides of the globe that both brought the Purim joy and fun to the party.
One year later, the war in Ukraine continues to impact families, students, and Hillels across the country. Yulia Pototskaya, Director of Hillel Kharkiv, understands this better than most.
When the world is shifting around you, you’re far from your family, and the news from home is filled with fear and violence, where do you turn? Young adults from Ukraine and Russia who fled to Israel turn to a community that is a source of joy and comfort for them: their Hillel community.
For 25 years, Hillel in Central Asia and Southeastern Europe (CASE) has played a prominent role in the lives of Jewish students and young adults in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Crimea, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. This February, just three days before the war in Ukraine began, city and country directors from Hillel CASE gathered in Odessa for their bi-annual staff gathering.
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.
