Bringing Leadership to Life at the 2026 Hillel International Israel Summit
Yanai Tagor is a student at the University of Texas. He shared his experience attending the 2026 Hillel International Israel Summit and how it strengthened the friendships he’s made through Hillel over the years.
This year’s Hillel International Israel Summit was one of the most impactful conferences I have attended. With more than 150 student leaders gathered at Penn Hillel for a Shabbaton-style summit, the experience was so deep and meaningful. From the moment we arrived, connecting with the Jewish community at the University of Pennsylvania and experiencing the energy at their Hillel set a powerful tone for the entire weekend. There was a sense that something special was happening, not just another conference, but a convening grounded in purpose, pride, connection, and a shared commitment to Israel and Jewish life.
After two years with Hillel’s Israel Leadership Network (ILN), my initial sense of belonging has grown into something much larger. What began as participation became a deep connection to this community and to the people in it. Being together in person alongside scholars, activists, and other Jewish leaders reminded me, above all, what makes ILN so unique. The warmth I felt from both staff and peers made it clear that this network is a place of inclusion, where people show up for each other as individuals.
That sense of connection was especially clear within my own cohort, which I have spent the past year engaging through virtual meetings and relationship building. But it is sometimes challenging to create truly meaningful connections through a screen. This summit helped close the digital gap in a way I had not fully experienced before. Whether we were sharing meals, sitting together in sessions, or having spontaneous conversations in the hallways, being physically present transformed our interactions. It made our work feel more real, more collaborative, and more personal. Through the moments together, I could feel our group’s momentum strengthening, and it gave me confidence that we will continue to build on this energy as we move toward the end of the academic year.
Another aspect of the weekend that stood out to me was how it connected our personal values and experiences with moments on the international stage. During our session with Co-Founder of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Matan Sivek, his story about his work with the Bring Them Home Now movement deeply resonated with me. Hearing his words, and the honesty and vulnerability with which he shared them, made the broader issues we discussed feel immediate and individual. As a Jewish student and an Israeli, I felt a renewed sense of responsibility and purpose in being a valued part of this community.
That experience, combined with in-depth discussions in our masterclasses about the complexities of the upcoming Israeli elections, sparked a new sense of curiosity and motivation in me. These conversations were not abstract. They felt relevant, urgent, and grounded in the real experiences of our communities.
As the summit came to a close, I found myself thinking not just about what I had learned, but about what comes next. I am excited to bring this energy back to my own campus, to apply new ideas, and to continue building meaningful connections with others in the network. I also feel a stronger commitment to supporting my peers, knowing that we are all part of something larger than ourselves.
While being part of this summit has strengthened my connection to the Israel Leadership Network, it also has deepened my ties to the larger Jewish community. More than anything, it reminded me that our work to educate others and elevate Jewish life is not something we do alone. It is something we build together.