Finding Light in the Darkness
We asked Hillel professionals to share with us what brings them joy and light in their celebration of Hanukkah this year. Here’s what they said:
Topic: Holidays
62 results
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.
High Holiday Roundup
From service-oriented programs like Reverse Tashlich to apples and honey taste tests to a variety of traditional and creative services, Hillel students and staff members have been celebrating growth, joy, and wellness in the new year.
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.
This Year, In Person
Passover has always been our gateway to come together. A way to see how everyone has grown. But as I neared college, I knew that my seder was going to look different. At least temporarily. I needed to give myself space to find new Passover traditions with my Jewish community on campus.
This Halegh (Charoset) Recipe Brings Me Closer to My Persian Heritage
Family recipes, passed down from generation to generation, bring me closer to my Persian roots.
Fusion cooking is helping me embrace my Jewish and Japanese identities.
Growing up, I thought my Jewish and Japanese identities conflicted. When I was in a Jewish setting, there never seemed to be any Japanese people, and when I was in a Japanese setting, there never seemed to be any Jewish people. I felt in-between worlds. Then, I learned about the power of intersectionality.
Charoset Across Cultures
Students from across the Hillel movement and various cultures share their family recipes for the Seder plate essential. Just as different ingredients come together to create this valuable and delicious dish, so too do Hillel students to create meaningful Jewish communities on campus.
A Different Kind of Purim Mask for a Different Kind of Year.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how Purim commemorates the survival of Jews who were marked for death. How many of us have felt that ominous shadow hanging over us, over our communities this last year? There were times when we thought anyone who went outside was asking to get sick and die.
Our biggest goal was to foster an inclusive environment.
I think the best part of that whole conversation was they were so grateful that we educated them because they didn’t know something that we were able to teach them about. They weren’t apologizing profusely. They were sorry, but they weren’t like ‘Really? You have to make our lives more difficult?’ They were so willing to make this change happen with us.
