Investing in Creativity is Tikkun Olam — A Way to Repair the World
Mark is a 2024 recipient of the Jordan and Elise Levin Scholarship for Jewish Enrichment and Education through Hillel International.
Humans of Hillel
What’s happening on campus? Hear from students, professionals, and Hillel community members whose lives have been impacted by Hillel and who impact the world with their voices and stories. Share your story with us!
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Bringing Light to My Past and My Present with Hillel and Hanukkah
About two years ago, I found one of my grandmother’s diaries in a corner of my family’s basement. It was very old, the pages were torn, and inside, I found glimpses of her life, including grocery lists and a family secret: my grandmother was Jewish, and so am I.
Carrying a Family Name and Legacy – and Building a New Future
Editor’s note: An aspect of the Thanksgiving story that strongly resonates with many people in the Jewish community is the experience of immigrants trying to create a home in a new place. This Thanksgiving, we spoke to a student whose story shows the lasting impact of seeking a new home and a new future. I […]
Yallapalooza is a Chance for Jewish College Students Like Me to Dance, Sing, and Be Together
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.
Recharging My Commitment to Israel at the Israel Leadership Network Shabbaton
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 […]
My First Shabbat in College
New beginnings can be scary. Whether you’re a wide-eyed first-year or a seasoned senior, stepping into the new school year can be filled with excitement…and a touch of uncertainty. I remember my first Shabbat of my first welcome week vividly—the mix of emotions, the anticipation of what was to come, and the warm feeling of being welcomed into a new community. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back (to school)!
Disabled and Jewish – and Proud
When I entered UCLA Hillel for the first time, I quite literally stumbled my way into the building. After getting progressively more lost on campus, I somehow ended up one block off campus in front of Hillel. But once there, I found both my community and my people.
How My Birthright Trip Gave Me Strength Post-October 7
I never thought I would go on a Birthright trip. As someone who was born in Israel, speaks fluent Hebrew and visits his family there two or three times a year, I thought I knew everything there was to know about Israel. I started opening up to the idea after coming to college.
Reflections from a Hillel Intern on Pride Month
This year, Pride Month coincides with the reading of Sefer BaMidbar, the Book of Numbers. At the outset of the book, we learn that God spoke to Moses in the Sinai Desert, a topic addressed by the rabbis in BaMidbar Rabbah, an 11th century book of midrash, or rabbinic allegory. Why did God choose to […]
Anxiety, Antisemitism, and Acts of Love and Kindness: Graduating in the Spring of 2024
“Did you see they started an encampment this morning?” I did not know who “they” were as I read my friend’s text on the final day of classes for the spring semester, but I made sure to visit the Emory University quad to see it with my own eyes. There were a couple dozen mostly […]
