Diversity and Inclusion

Hillel Stories

At Hillel, I didn’t have to pick and choose

Author

Hadley Kalson

Date

June 23, 2026

鈥淗ello, my name is Hadley Kalson, I use they/them pronouns, and I am the UVM Hillel student president.鈥�

This is how I introduced myself for two years at the University of Vermont, where I served as the Hillel student president.听

But it wasn鈥檛 always so simple. When I was in high school, my friends knew I was non-binary, but I was always too nervous to correct anyone when they misgendered me. I told myself college would be a new start, and I wanted to be more outwardly proud about my queer and non-binary identities.听 But after the first few days of class, I felt myself sliding back into old patterns 鈥� I did not feel comfortable sharing my true self with everyone I met, especially teachers.

Then, the second semester of my first year, I started going to Hillel. I decided to try again and shared my name, my queer identities, and what I was studying. And for the first time, I felt like my whole self was being heard by both students and the staff.

Hillel was one of the first places where I felt that everyone took all my identities seriously and made a true effort to understand my experience. It was also one of the first places where the adults I encountered introduced themselves with names AND pronouns. My friends and I loved how our executive director always had the same introduction: 鈥淢y name is Matt Vogel, I use he and him pronouns, and I鈥檓 the executive director of UVM Hillel.鈥� Matt made it clear that this introduction wasn’t forced and it wasn’t a chore 鈥� it was just normal.

Later in my first year, UVM Hillel handed out different Pride flags printed with Jewish stars. When I saw the non-binary flag with the Jewish star on it, I knew Hillel was going to be my home. I still have that flag and have hung it up in every dorm room and apartment I have lived in since.

For the next few years, Hillel was a place where my friends and I could be our fullest queer and Jewish selves, and I found opportunity after opportunity to be my full self in different Hillel spaces. One of my favorite queer Hillel events was 鈥淨ueers and Schmears.鈥� It was a simple bagel brunch specifically for queer Jews, yet it showed me how easy it could be to celebrate my Jewish and queer identities together.

In my second year on campus, I became the Hillel student president. I was now the most visible student leader in my Hillel, and would always welcome people to events, whether for a weekly Shabbat celebration or the High Holidays. And every time I introduced myself, I said, 鈥淗ello, my name is Hadley Kalson, I use they/them pronouns, and I am the UVM Hillel student president.鈥� I had come full circle in my comfort and confidence in my identity, in large part thanks to Hillel.听聽聽聽

Growing up, there were times I was worried about being open about my non-binary and queer identity and feared I was not going to be taken seriously. Then, in college, there were times when I was in queer spaces and did not feel comfortable expressing my Jewish Identity. At Hillel, I did not have to pick and choose.

Hillel gave me the chance to feel fully like myself for the first time in my life. I cannot express how grateful I am to have been Hadley Kalson, they/them pronouns, and the UVM Hillel student president.

Hadley Kalson is a recent graduate of the University of Vermont and an incoming Springboard Fellow 精东影业 San Antonio.

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Alumni

Diversity and Inclusion

Hillel Stories

Jewish Identity

Wearing All of My Identities on My Sleeve: Celebrating Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month

Author

Ling DeBellis

Date

February 3, 2026

This month is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month. In celebration of the diversity of Jewish identities and Jewish people who have disabilities, Ling DeBellis, a graduate student at Rice University, shared her story of proudly living all of her identities as she moves through life. 

I was born in southern China, near the Vietnam border. At only a few weeks old, I was found abandoned and severely malnourished. Doctors believe I may have contracted a polio-like neuromuscular virus. To this day, I don鈥檛 have an official diagnosis. I navigate the world using various mobility aids, including an electric powerchair, but despite these mobility limitations, nothing stops me from living my full life. 

Eventually, I was adopted by amazing parents in Minneapolis, where I loved being an only child. We鈥檙e very close, and my family鈥檚 wide range of identities has always been a part of my life. You could say we are technically an interfaith family, but it never felt that distinct growing up. 

My mom describes herself as 鈥渓oosely, culturally Jew-ish,鈥� and my dad comes from a Catholic background. Faith was always present in our home, but it wasn鈥檛 rigid or singular. It wasn鈥檛 about reading scripture or attending services, none of that. Rather, it was about being there for one another, being present and conversing over shared meals, and giving back to the communities around us. Faith was something you could question, return to, or step toward slowly.

Some of my earliest memories reflect that openness. I remember visiting a Reform synagogue as a very small child and feeling unexpectedly drawn to the service. I couldn鈥檛 have explained why at the time. I just remember it feeling meaningful, like something was quietly waiting for me there.

As I got older, my sense of curiosity about the world and my own story deepened. In high school, I wanted to learn more about my genetic background. Part of that came from living with a disability without a clear diagnosis. Part of it was simply wanting to understand where I came from. I didn鈥檛 find any biological relatives, but my mom鈥檚 own genetic testing revealed that her ancestors in Eastern Europe had been targeted by pogroms and forced to convert. That discovery opened something new for both of us. We began exploring our Jewish story together, historically, culturally, and personally, and it felt less like uncovering something foreign and more like recognizing something that had been there all along.

That鈥檚 how I found my way to Hillel at Rice University.

Hillel became a place where I could sit with a very Jewish question: What does it mean to be Jewish? There was no pressure to arrive at a clean answer or to commit to a single definition. I could explore, experiment, and pay attention to what resonated. That freedom mattered. It allowed me to show up as I was, without needing to justify my questions or my complexity.

Today, I鈥檓 pursuing a PhD in health psychology at Rice, studying how stress affects the body, from mental health to immune functioning. In a post-pandemic world, that work feels especially relevant. Much of my research focuses on spousal caregivers of people living with Alzheimer鈥檚/dementia, examining how the chronic stress of caregiving affects long-term health outcomes.

For my dissertation, I鈥檓 especially interested in an emerging field called sociogenomics, or social genomics. At its core, it explores how social and environmental stressors can influence gene activity. Your DNA sequence doesn鈥檛 change, but which genes are turned on or off can shift based on your experiences. One of the central questions in this research is why two people can experience the same stressor and respond so differently.

Again and again, research points to one powerful resilience factor: community. Social support. A sense of belonging. Studies of religiosity and faith communities consistently show that when people feel seen, supported, and connected to something larger than themselves, their health outcomes improve. Purpose matters. Meaning matters.

For me, Hillel is part of that story. It鈥檚 where I found community and where I met some of my closest friends. It鈥檚 a place where I don鈥檛 have to compartmentalize who I am, where my academic interests, my disability, my Jewish identity, and my relationships all get to exist together.

I tend to be pretty open about my identities and wear them on my sleeve. All of them. Not because it鈥檚 easy, but because I believe that showing up honestly creates space for others to do the same.

So I show up as myself. Fully. And if that doesn鈥檛 work for everyone, that鈥檚 okay. I鈥檝e learned that the right communities don鈥檛 ask me to be smaller. They make room for me to be exactly who I am.

The post Wearing All of My Identities on My Sleeve: Celebrating Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month appeared first on 精东影业.

News

Asian Jewish Shabbaton Brings Students Together to Celebrate Identity and Belonging

Author

精东影业

Date

October 28, 2025

500 students from 13 colleges and universities across the Northeast gathered at Yale University鈥檚 Slifka Center for Jewish Life in late October for their first-ever Asian Jewish Shabbaton, a weekend dedicated to exploring Jewish and Asian identities, culture, and belonging.

The two-day gathering, organized by the Asian Jewish Union at Yale, in partnership with 精东影业 and Asian Jewish student groups from several universities, offered students an opportunity to gather with others for a weekend of community building and Jewish learning 鈥� headlined by Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, the first Asian American rabbi ordained in North America and senior rabbi of Central Synagogue in New York City.

鈥淭he Shabbaton is a celebration of the fullness of students鈥� Asian Jewish identities. At Slifka, we support students in bringing their unique identities and traditions to everything they do,鈥� said Rachel Leiken, associate Jewish chaplain at Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale. 鈥淲e have been delighted to work with stellar student leaders in creating this program where they have shared deeply from their diverse Asian Jewish backgrounds, growing up both around the U.S. and in Asia. In doing so, their diverse perspectives have enriched our entire Jewish community.鈥�

Zach Pan 鈥�27 and Benjamin M. Nuland 鈥�27, founders and co-presidents of the Asian Jewish Union at Yale, developed the idea for the Shabbaton. They envisioned a weekend that would celebrate Jewish Asian culture while inspiring students to launch similar communities on their own campuses.

What began as a small idea grew quickly. Through 精东影业鈥檚 Regional Student Gatherings Grant Program, an initiative that empowers local Hillels to design and host cross-campus experiences led by students, the organizing team secured a grant to bring students from over a dozen universities, including NYU, Brown, and Princeton, to New Haven. Yale students volunteered to house visitors and transform their Slifka Center into a welcoming space that reflected the diversity of Asian Jewish life.

鈥淵ale鈥檚 Asian Shabbaton made a union of improbable Jewish stories,鈥� said Zach Pan, who co-led the planning process. 鈥淎nd [it] expanded the big tent of Judaism amidst pressure and uncertainty on our college campuses.鈥�

鈥淲e created our Regional Student Gatherings Grant Program to catalyze exactly the type of innovative, cross-campus and cross-Hillel initiative embodied by this Asian Jewish Shabbaton,鈥� said Adam Lehman, president and CEO of 精东影业. 鈥淭his is a wonderful example of what happens when students come together to celebrate their unique identities and shared Jewish values.鈥�

In addition to Shabbat services, which were led by Rabbi Buchdahl, other highlights from the weekend included shared meals featuring Asian dishes inspired by students鈥� family recipes, a board game share, a performance by Yale鈥檚 Jewish a cappella group Magevet, speed friending, and two events with Asian Jewish leaders: a book talk with Rabbi Buchdahl, who discussed her recent memoir, and a conversation with Hon. Florence Y. Pan of the U.S. Federal Court of Appeals, the first Asian American judge in Washington, D.C.

Throughout the weekend, students spoke about the power of finding others who understood their experiences without needing explanation. Many described years of being the only Asian Jew in Jewish spaces 鈥� or the only Jewish person in Asian ones.

鈥淣ot only was this experience so special to me, but it was so validating, knowing that I wasn鈥檛 the only Asian Jew,鈥� said Aasia Gabbour, NYU 鈥�26. 鈥淎s a unique community, we all have had such similar experiences and that made it so easy to bond with each other right away. This weekend was very inspirational for continuing to plan Asian Jewish programming on my own campus.鈥�

That sense of connection was echoed by other participants who found deep meaning in conversations over Shabbat dinner, learning sessions, and small-group discussions.

鈥淚 was surprised at how deeply we connected over just 48 hours,鈥� reflected Brooke Cohen, Brown University 鈥�26. 鈥淲hile we all came from different Asian backgrounds, we connected not only through our Judaism, but also by sharing a distinctive Jewish Asian identity. It was moving to realize that experiences I previously felt were unique to me were shared with this bigger group.鈥�

Cohen added that, in many Jewish spaces, she鈥檚 used to standing out, but not at this Shabbaton. 鈥淚t was wonderful being in a community this weekend where that didn鈥檛 make me special,鈥� she said.

In addition to fostering community, the Shabbaton created space for leadership and learning. Students discussed representation within Jewish life, shared ideas for campus programming, and reflected on how their intersecting identities enrich Jewish communities.

鈥淔or me, the Asian Jewish Shabbaton was a profound opportunity to connect with a network of Asian Jewish leaders and their stories 鈥� each offering a piece in charting a new pathway for defining Asian Judaism,鈥� said Benjamin M. Nuland, Yale 鈥�27. 鈥淚t was more than just an event; it was a moment of dialogue between Asia and Judaism, between Asian and Jewish communities, and between honoring our heritage and shaping a new mosaic of what a distinct Asian Jewish culture can be.鈥�

Students expressed gratitude for the sense of visibility and community they experienced as the weekend came to a close. For many, it was the start of something larger, a possible blueprint for how Jewish spaces can continue to grow in inclusivity and representation. 

For the organizers, Pan and Nuland, that ripple effect is exactly the point. What began as a campus project can now form a broader network of Asian Jewish students who are shaping the future of Jewish life one conversation, one Shabbat, and one shared meal at a time.

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News

Embracing My Asian Jewish Heritage

Author

精东影业

Date

May 29, 2025

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we are sharing stories from Jewish students who are celebrating both their Jewish and their Asian identities.

For Asian American Jewish students like Naomi Stephenson, a junior at Brandeis University, honoring both sides of that heritage is an important part of her life 鈥� not only because they鈥檙e both deeply important, but because they鈥檙e deeply interconnected.

鈥淚 can’t bisect myself and have one version of myself walk around and be Asian and the other half of myself walk around and be Jewish,鈥� Naomi said. 鈥淚’m both.鈥�

Growing up in Belmont, Massachusetts, Naomi was raised by her Ashkenazi Jewish father and her Thai mother, who converted to Judaism before Naomi was born. Her family attended Shabbat services and were active members of their synagogue, and also took annual trips to Thailand, where they would stay for a few weeks at a time. 

While she was always aware of her biracial identity, sometimes others didn鈥檛 treat her Asian and Jewish heritage as connected.

鈥淔or a long time, the environment around me taught me to treat my Thainess and my Jewishness as separate sides of me,鈥� she said, recalling a family tree activity from Hebrew school about Jewish ancestry, in which she was essentially told that the Thai half of her family 鈥渨asn鈥檛 really relevant.鈥� 

Naomi connected strongly with her Jewish identity, enjoying her bat mitzvah experiences and helping out with her synagogue as a teen leader. She chose Brandeis University for her college education, where she studies international relations, history, and French, in part because she wanted to attend a school with a strong Jewish community. She knew she wanted to get involved right away, so she started going to Hillel in her first year. 

Hillel became a regular part of Naomi鈥檚 life at Brandeis. But she didn鈥檛 start to really bring her Jewish and Asian identities together until she connected with the , an organization that cultivates connection, belonging, and visibility for Asian American Jews.

鈥淭hey became the outlet for that side of my Jewish community,鈥� Naomi said. 鈥淭hat was when I really started to claim being an Asian Jew. I didn’t realize how deeply you could feel seen, and feel in community, and feel like your whole self is being celebrated.鈥�

Through her involvement with Lunar, Naomi hosted an Asian Jewish Seder in collaboration with Brandeis Hillel last year, and ran another one this past spring. 鈥淟unar has their own haggadah that centers the Asian Jewish experience, which was really special,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here was something very holy about the fact that I could bring together people who are Asian Jews, people who had Asian Jewish partners, people within this Asian Jewish community who might not have interacted with each other before.鈥�

Naomi is now part of the , a program for emerging young adult leaders of Asian Jewish heritage. Fellows work together to build Asian Jewish communities in their own cities, through planning and facilitating local events. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 been very empowering to realize that I don鈥檛 need to separate the two parts of myself,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll of that Jewish life I鈥檝e engaged with 鈥� Hebrew school, my bat mitzvah, leading davening, leading in Hillel 鈥� I did all of that while being Asian.鈥�

Naomi鈥檚 experience represents a growing shift in Jewish movements in communities to recognize the diversity of Jewish cultures, experiences, and identities. 

鈥淚 feel like our voices are being heard a lot more,鈥� Naomi reflected. 鈥淭he Jewish community is growing more and more diverse, and that’s something that’s wonderful and so important and beautiful. Being at Brandeis and Hillel have taught me that there are ways of being Jewish that I never imagined or encountered before going to Brandeis, and those ways of being Jewish are just going to keep expanding.鈥�

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News

Connecting Jewish and Chinese Identities

Author

精东影业

Date

May 28, 2025

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we are sharing stories from Jewish students who are celebrating both their Jewish and their Asian identities.

Brooke Cohen, a rising senior at Brown University, has always been taught that her Chinese and Jewish backgrounds are more connected than they are different.

鈥淢y parents always told me that Chinese and Jewish values are very similar, from respecting your parents to caring about great food,鈥� she said. 鈥淏oth cultures share so much, and my parents encouraged me to see it that way.鈥�

Brooke grew up in Singapore, where the Jewish community consists of an . Brooke鈥檚 father is Ashkenazi Jewish, and her mother, who is Chinese, converted to Judaism as a young adult. But the maternal side of Brooke鈥檚 family has been connected to Judaism for generations.

As far back as the mid-nineteenth century, . In the 1940s, Brooke鈥檚 great-grandfather was a business partner with a Jewish man who fled from Germany, one of the 20,000 Jews that sought refuge in Shanghai during the Holocaust. He became an honorary uncle 鈥� 鈥淯ncle Willie鈥� 鈥� to Brooke鈥檚 grandmother. Later, Uncle Willie helped her mother鈥檚 family escape from Shanghai to Hong Kong, just before the Chinese Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. 

鈥淗e was a Jewish man from Germany, and China saved his life,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淎nd then he saved my family鈥檚 lives.鈥�

Because of that history, Brooke鈥檚 grandparents had a deep respect for Judaism and the Jewish community, and were supportive when her mother converted to Judaism. Her father, who took a Mandarin class in the 1980s and later studied in China, is fluent in Chinese.听

鈥淚 really like how both sides of my family have had a lot of respect for one another, and a lot of deep understanding,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something I鈥檝e been wanting to personally explore even more.鈥�

Born and raised in an expat community in Singapore, Brooke attended Singapore’s only Jewish day school, where she learned both Mandarin and Hebrew. By third grade, her class consisted of fewer than 10 students, and her parents had to make the decision to move her to an international school with a larger student body.听 Even though her Jewish community was small (she recalls only six or so students in her bat mitzvah class), her rabbi made sure to help her connect with other young Jews from around Asia. He organized annual weekend trips to places like Japan, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, where the students could meet each other and form friendships.听

When Brooke decided to attend college in the United States and chose Brown University, she found the experience of being surrounded by hundreds of Jewish students for the first time to be a special one. 

Brooke quickly dove into the Hillel community, regularly attending Shabbat dinners and other programs and joining the student cabinet. She also participated in the , a year-long program organized by the for Jewish student leaders seeking to represent and advocate on behalf of the global Jewish community. 

鈥淢eeting people my age who are also Jewish has been such a new thing for me,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淪o I鈥檝e been very eager to be in these Jewish spaces, and soak up everything I can.鈥� 

This has held true for Brooke even through challenging moments for the Jewish community at Brown since October 7, 2023. 

鈥淓ven though it sometimes felt lonely on campus, I finally had a community of students that were similar to me, or coming from a similar background to me,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淭his was so different from when I was the only Jewish student in my high school during the 2021 conflict between Israel and Hamas, and I had to navigate it alone.鈥� 

Since coming to college, something important to Brooke has been finding ways to deepen her connection to both her Jewish heritage and her Chinese background, taking Mandarin classes and delving into her family history to learn more about her grandparents and great-grandparents 鈥� as well as Uncle Willie. 

鈥淚 do sometimes feel a bit of push and pull with my identity,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淏ut I feel very Chinese and very Jewish. And I鈥檓 still learning and discovering more about where I fit in that puzzle.鈥�

In the long term, Brooke hopes to someday write a book about her family鈥檚 story. Call us when it鈥檚 ready, Brooke 鈥� your Hillel community would love to read it!

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News

Celebrating Jewish Deaf Students At Gallaudet Hillel

Author

精东影业

Date

February 27, 2025

February marks Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), a time to highlight the achievements and contributions of Jewish individuals with disabilities. We are honored to share the story of Sofia Seitchik, a dynamic leader and the program director of Hillel at Gallaudet University, the nation鈥檚 only university designed specifically for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Through her transformative work, Sofia has created a vibrant and inclusive Jewish community at Gallaudet, ensuring Jewish Deaf students have access to their faith, culture, and traditions in a fully accessible environment.

When Sofia Seitchik signed her contract as program director for Hillel at Gallaudet University on October 4, 2023, she knew she was stepping into a critical role. However, she had no idea just how quickly she would need to act to support her students in a time of crisis. Within days, on October 7, the world witnessed the devastating terrorist attacks in Israel, sending shockwaves through Jewish communities everywhere. In response, Sofia swiftly organized a campus vigil at Gallaudet. She also united five Jewish organizations serving the Deaf community to provide space for mourning, solidarity, and advocacy for the hostages taken to Gaza.

Her ability to lead in the face of adversity stems from her years of experience as a business owner, transformational coach, and dedicated member of the Jewish Deaf Congress. However, it is also rooted in her journey of resilience.

A Journey of Identity and Empowerment

Born in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sofia grew up under the Soviet Union鈥檚 restrictions on religious freedom, and she was unable to fully express her Jewish identity in her homeland. From the age of 3 to 15, she attended a residential school for the Deaf in St. Petersburg, Russia. At 16, she immigrated to the United States, where she embraced a land of freedom and new possibilities鈥攍earning American Sign Language, openly practicing Judaism, and fully embracing her identity as a Jewish Deaf woman.

“In Uzbekistan, Jewish women faced oppressive restrictions, with no voice or chance to dream during the communist era,” Sofia said. “When I arrived in the United States, I realized I wanted to inspire other Deaf women to overcome barriers and follow their dreams and aspirations.”

With few mentorship and coaching programs available for Deaf women, Sofia took matters into her own hands and formed Global Deaf Women. For 15 years, she provided transformational coaching services, empowering Deaf women to become entrepreneurs and leaders in their communities. Her work didn鈥檛 go unnoticed; when the Jewish Deaf Congress faced organizational struggles, they sought her expertise in fundraising and community building, which led her to play a crucial role in sustaining the organization.

Transforming Jewish Life at Gallaudet

Sofia鈥檚 leadership at Gallaudet Hillel has revitalized Jewish life on campus. In just over a year, she has organized more than 20 events, fostering a sense of belonging among Jewish Deaf students who often face unique barriers in accessing Jewish education and traditions.

“Most Deaf individuals are born into hearing families that do not learn sign language,” Sofia explained. “This creates a communication gap, making it difficult for Deaf Jewish young adults to understand their religious customs deeply. At Gallaudet Hillel, I am working to bridge that gap by providing accessible Jewish education and cultural experiences.”

Her initiatives have included:

• Shabbat and holiday celebrations, such as a Hanukkah event featuring Shirly Pinto, the first Deaf Israeli Member of Knesset, drew over 120 attendees.
• The first-ever Passover Seder hosted by Gallaudet President Roberta Cordano symbolized institutional support for Jewish Deaf students.
• Educational programs with Deaf Jewish leaders, including Rabbi Yehoshua Soudakoff, who provided insight into lessons about Judaism through accessible, visual language.
• The groundbreaking premiere of 鈥淎ntisemitism: A Long History of Hatred,鈥� the first ASL film on antisemitism made by and for Deaf audiences, was attended by over 250 people in person and online.听 This film was inspired by 精东影业鈥檚 antisemitism video series.听

A Vision for the Future

Sofia’s passion for accessibility in Jewish life extends beyond events; for her, it is about creating a movement where Deaf Jewish students feel seamlessly included in their faith and traditions.

“Accessibility within Judaism isn鈥檛 always easy for the Deaf community,” she acknowledges. “My goal is to provide a space where Jewish Deaf students can practice, celebrate, and strengthen their Jewish identities in their own language and feel at home on campus.”

Thanks to Sofia鈥檚 dedication, Jewish Deaf students at Gallaudet are thriving and finding connection, education, and a profound sense of belonging. As Hillel at Gallaudet continues to grow, Sofia remains steadfast in her mission: ensuring that Deaf Jewish students can embrace their heritage with pride, knowledge, and full access to their community.

For more information about Gallaudet Hillel or to support its programs, visit .

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Diversity and Inclusion

Hillel Community

LGBTQIA+

Reflections from a Hillel Intern on Pride Month

Author

Emma Mair and Liora Knizhnik

Date

June 24, 2024

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 speak to Moses in the desert, of all places? The sages taught the Torah was given through fire, water, and desert, because each of these three things are given freely to all of humanity. Thus, Torah, too, should be given freely to all of humanity.

When I came across this interpretation, I immediately thought of Hillel鈥檚 tagline, 鈥淎ll Kinds of Jewish.鈥� Through Hillel, any Jewish college student is welcome to freely access Jewish tradition, culture, and community. Any Jewish college student should be able to walk into a Hillel building and feel not only like efforts are being made to include them, but that they belong just as much as anyone else. Gay, straight, trans, cis: Hillel can be your home away from home. 

Over the past year, I have interned for the Center for Student and Staff Wellbeing at 精东影业, learning invaluable lessons about how validating and affirming one鈥檚 identity can affect well-being. Our holistic wellness is deeply important, and the ability to look at someone鈥檚 soul and affirm who they are and that they belong is crucial in today鈥檚 world. Research shows LGBTQ+ young people with at least one accepting adult in their life report rates of attempted suicide. It is absolutely essential that LGBTQ+ college students find accepting adults 精东影业, peers with shared experiences, and programming that supports their well-being and equips them to tackle the challenges of their world.

When I first interviewed for the intern position, 精东影业 Associate Director of Student and Staff Wellbeing Sarah Cohn asked me how I practiced self-care. At the time, I was chair of the Jewish Student Union at my college, working multiple jobs, completing a double major, and applying to rabbinical school, all while being generally heartbroken by the state of the world  – and feeling the weight on my shoulders to repair it. I told Sarah that I didn鈥檛 need a self-care practice, since the work I was doing was fulfilling, meaningful, and important to me and others. As you might imagine, this was not the best response during an interview for a position on a wellness team. Sarah called me on it, and I am profoundly indebted to her. 

The Center for Student and Staff Wellbeing team helped me realize just how essential an individual wellness practice is. It should not be secondary to our lives, something we do only when we have the time. It is foundational, and it鈥檚 how we learn to flourish and thrive 鈥� especially in a world that often wants to keep us subdued.

It鈥檚 been a privilege to work at 精东影业 for the past year and see the many kinds of important work th精东影业 does for Jewish college students, including:  

The Center for Student and Staff Wellbeing offers grants to help campus Hillels bolster their well-being programs, hire mental health and/or wellness professionals, and create spaces dedicated to improving wellness. 

The social impact team offers microgrants to help campuses become engaged in social justice work. This could be anything from facilitating LGBTQ+ interfaith spirituality groups to volunteering with marginalized populations. Working across identity and talking across difference is how we build a world in which we all become liberated. 

Several years ago the Center for Jewish and Israel Education adopted a policy lovingly called the that increases the voices of women and other minority genders on our source sheets. For millennia, Jewish texts and our study of them have been dictated by men. Hillel is at the forefront of pushing for change in this arena, so many brilliant voices that have been left off to the side for too long can be brought into the center. 

Ari Levy, Hillel鈥檚 associate vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion recently completed Keshet鈥檚 Shivyon Project, a year-long, cohort-based project of training, consultation, and learning. Keshet conducted an internal assessment, hosted a full-day of learning, worked with Ari to create a sustainable plan for action, and established tools for ongoing work to support LGBTQ+ staff 精东影业. Ari鈥檚 support and the institution鈥檚 support of LGBTQ+ personnel is essential, and I am grateful for it. 

This past year has also been my first as a rabbinical student at Hebrew College鈥檚 Rabbinical School, not to mention a painful and immensely challenging year for the Jewish people. My queer and Jewish identities have always intersected, and I am deeply committed to promoting LGBTQ+ belonging in Jewish community and tradition. To train as a spiritual leader while working for 精东影业 and witnessing the culture th精东影业 promotes has been an incredible privilege. It gives me hope for the future of mainstream Jewish society,  one in which 鈥淎ll Kinds of Jewish鈥� are accepted and belong. 

This Pride Month and every day moving forward, may Hillel continue to be a leader in cultivating communities in which all can freely access Jewish tradition, culture, and community because they feel affirmed and a deep sense of belonging.

Emma Mair is a rabbinical student at Hebrew College, located north of Boston. She likes to celebrate Jewish joy, ask bold questions, and facilitate meaningful experiences for all kinds of people. 

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News

Welcome to Hillel: The Ramirez Sisters Head Back to School

Author

精东影业

Date

August 30, 2023

Roll Call:

College students across the country are headed back to school. At the University of Central Florida (UCF) and at New York University (NYU), two sisters are kicking off the school year as brand new Hillel staff members. Melina Ramirez, Engagement Manager at UCF Hillel, and Sofie Ramirez, Springboard Innovation Fellow at NYU Hillel, are excited to welcome students back to campus and to continue their own Hillel journeys. 

Growing up in a small Jewish community on Long Island, Sofie and Melina were both deeply involved in their childhood synagogue, as well as . 

When Melina started school at Florida Southern College, a school with a very small Jewish population, it was a new experience for her to be one of the only Jewish people that most of her classmates had ever met. She quickly became involved in the tight-knit Hillel community, and after graduation, decided that connecting with a larger, vibrant Jewish community, like the one she grew up with and the one she found on her gap year in Israel, was a priority for her career and life choices. After working for BBYO and her local JCC, she found her way back to Hillel where she is starting her first year as a Hillel professional. 

Sofie鈥檚 journey also took her to Hillel as a student at Hofstra University on Long Island. Hofstra Hillel became an important part of her college experience as she volunteered as a student leader and worked closely with the Hillel rabbi on campus. After taking some time off following graduation to visit her family in Puerto Rico, Sofie is excited to share her love for Hillel with students at NYU as a Springboard Innovation Fellow.

Welcome to Hillel!

As first-year students move onto campus and begin exploring their new schools and communities, Hillel staff and student leaders are there to welcome them. 

kicked off this past weekend with a brunch that brought together first-year students and their families in the Hillel building. For the next two weeks, Hillel staff will be available to help students move into their dorms, connect with new friends, and chat over coffee. Different types of programs will be available to students depending on their interests. Sofie will run a one-day color war for student athletes that will include team-building exercises as well as classic games like wheelbarrow races and ring toss. She believes that offering space and programming to students with a wide variety of interests and backgrounds is essential to helping first-year students start to feel at home on campus and 精东影业.

At the University of Central Florida, students started arriving on campus in mid-August. UCF Hillel hosted FreshFest, an early move-in opportunity for Jewish students paired with programming and a chance to meet other first-year students before classes began. Twenty first-year students, along with third- and fourth-year student leaders and Hillel staff members had a splash at the nearby Aquatica Water Park. Following two days of getting to know each other, the FreshFest students attended the first Shabbat dinner of the semester with 80 other students from across the university. 

Melina reflected that in addition to FreshFest, her favorite part of welcoming new students was and bring them to the Hillel building for coffee chats, activities, and hang-out time. She鈥檚 excited for the energy of this first week to carry through the rest of the year. 

Wishes for the New Year:

The first weeks of the new school year often lead right into Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Reflecting on the upcoming academic and Jewish year, Melina and Sofie each have dreams they鈥檙e hoping to accomplish with their students. 

Melina said, 鈥淎s students come out of a very isolated experience with the Covid-19 pandemic, we want to make sure there is a warm and welcoming environment waiting for them 精东影业. A big part of that is making sure that each student has a space where they can feel comfortable. As a Jewish Latina, building a space for Jews of color to share their experiences and their voices is so important to me.鈥� 

Sofie added, 鈥淐reating an affinity space for Jews of color at NYU means that there will be a unique space for every Jewish student to speak up. I鈥檓 excited to run a Yom Kippur program about forgiveness and processing emotions around difficult interactions鈥擨鈥檓 looking forward to broadening this space for Jewish students of color.鈥�

As sisters, Melina and Sofie are also looking forward to connecting with each other through their Hillel work and to growing strong, vibrant communities at UCF and NYU.

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News

Connecting Across Faith Traditions

Author

精东影业

Date

May 22, 2023

In partnership with the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, 精东影业鈥檚 Social Impact Department offers Interfaith Outreach Microgrants, which support projects that are the outgrowth of collaborative relationship-building between Jewish students and students from other faith traditions, and that result in expanding and strengthening relationships among students from different faith traditions. Below are some examples of recent multifaith programs from across the country.听

Syracuse University:

Rabbi Ethan Bair and Imam Amir Duri膰, both chaplains at Syracuse University, were inspired to build relationships between the Jewish and Muslim students on campus as a way to strengthen their individual and shared faith communities. With an Interfaith Microgrant from 精东影业, Imam Duri膰 and Rabbi Bair worked with their student leaders to host a that would serve as an iftar for Muslim students and an opportunity to observe Passover for Jewish students. 120 students with equal representation from both faith communities gathered for dinner, a Kahoot about the relationship between Judaism and Islam, and powerful conversations about the connections between these two faith traditions.

The celebration was followed by a community service project centered around the value of tzedakah or sadaqah, shared by both faiths. Both Rabbi Blair and Imam Duri膰 remain committed to continued shared learning and celebrations.听

Wake Forest University: 

During Passover and Ramadan, students from across multiple faith communities gathered together for a communal Interfaith Seder and Iftar. Over 60 students who identify as Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and more attended the event. Aman Kimani, the President of the Hindu Student Association shared, 鈥淚t was a really impactful and immersive experience to learn about each other鈥檚 cultures and religions – not just with Jewish and Muslim people, but with people who hold all kinds of beliefs and traditions.鈥澛�

University of Miami:

The University of Miami Hillel recently hosted an Interfaith Shabbat program, led by student leaders from multiple faith communities. Katherine Pratha, one of the student organizers of the event, shared this reflection, 鈥淲e had a fantastic time at InterFaith Shabbat! I truly enjoyed the ability to work with student leaders from other faiths on an event that meant so much to me. Coming from an interfaith family, dialogue surrounding shared traditions and differences has always been a conversation of value to myself and my learning. The ability to learn from other students of other faith practices while sharing the Jewish tradition of Shabbat with communities at the University of Miami was an enriching experience that I sincerely hope to repeat.鈥�

For more information on 精东影业鈥檚 Interfaith Microgrants, connect with the Social Impact team at socialimpact@hillel.org.听

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Diversity and Inclusion

Speaking Up and Making Change: Madison’s Story

Author

Madison Essig

Date

February 28, 2023

It can be hard to have a disability and make friends at school. In high school,  I was involved with Washington Hebrew Congregation and loved being a leader in my Jewish community. So when I was searching for a way to form a community for myself at George Mason University, I went to see what was happening 精东影业.

Joining Hillel gave me a sense of family on campus and I met great people there who became my friends. My Hillel family gave me a space to explore my Jewish identity and inspired me to get involved in other leadership opportunities.

When I arrived on campus, I was shocked to learn that George Mason LIFE students (students who participate in a four-year program for people with disabilities) .听 I was determined to change that for myself and other students who were passionate about leadership. Madison鈥檚 Bill, a piece of legislation that I introduced, allowed students with disabilities to join the student government.听

I took the first step by winning a student senate seat to represent the voices of marginalized students like returning education students, international students, and students with disabilities. 

Across campus, there continued to be opportunities for me to speak up for inclusion. From making Greek life more inclusive to advocating for kosher dining on campus to changing how George Mason defines their enrolled students with disabilities, I spoke up and my Hillel family was with me every step of the way. 

I became only the fifth person in the United States with Down鈥檚 Syndrome to graduate from a four-year college. I hope my journey and the work I did as a student and beyond inspire others to speak up and make space in their lives for inclusive change. 

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