Finding my place
“A few months into college, I wasn’t entirely sure where I fit in. The Jewish community at Binghamton is huge and incredible, but it left me feeling nervous about where my place would be in it. That feeling evaporated when I found Hillel — my home away from home. I immediately felt welcome, and I was encouraged to participate, grow and lead. I made lifelong friends by just hanging out in the Hillel office between classes and gained skills for every aspect of life.
“Within a week of graduating, I began the next chapter of my life at the World Jewish Congress, the representative body of over 100 Jewish communities worldwide. I serve as the global social media and communications coordinator — writing articles and press releases, managing various digital platforms, organizing events and coordinating cross-departmental information. Many of the skills I utilize everyday are ones I gained not from my courses, but from my leadership experience ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ.
“Planning Hillel’s annual Yom Ha’atzamut celebration during my freshman year, the second largest event on campus, gave me experience in event execution, grant writing and budget planning. Being a member of the Hillel executive board for two years gave me invaluable leadership abilities, such as running meetings, goal-setting and promotion through conventional and digital media sources. All of these skills have directly affected my ability to do my job every single day.” – Yoni Hammerman, Global Social Media and Communications Coordinator at World Jewish Congress, Binghamton University