We discussed what we could do as a community of immigrants to support others.
“I got involved with Texas Hillel my first year in college through the Latino-Jewish Student Coalition. As a non-Jewish student, I was pleasantly surprised at how welcoming everyone was. Moving away from home for school was difficult, but LJSC became a second family to me. The organization’s focus on bridging the gap between the Jewish community and the Latino community created an open space where we could explore our own identities and learn from others. The relationships we have formed have allowed students to acknowledge the similarities between both groups while also appreciating the cultural differences of each. One of my favorite events we’ve held has been ‘Hamentashen, Empanadas, and Immigration Education,’ where we gathered to bake, share our immigration stories and learn what we could do as a community of immigrants to support others going through similar situations.” — Melissa Cossio, University of Texas at Austin