Dear Hillel: Connecting Jewish Communities Across the World
“Dear Hillel” showcases letters from graduating seniors reflecting on their experiences of joy and belonging with their campus Hillels. Ori Segev, a graduate student at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and member of the Hillel International Student Cabinet, shares how she found her way to Hillel in the last year of her undergraduate experience — and how deeply Hillel changed this year for her. Read Ori’s letter to Hillel:
Dear Hillel,
My Hillel story is a little unusual, because until my final year of undergrad, I had never even heard about Hillel. I was fully focused on my studies in the Hebrew Literature department at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and on the friends that I already knew.
And then I found my way to Hillel Israel by accident. I met a staff member, Yossi Morris, in the hallway of the Jewish Thought department, and six months later, because of that random moment, I joined a “Yeha-do-it!” program he was leading. It was a five-session journey of exploring various Jewish practices through a pluralistic lens. I loved the freedom to experiment and the way the program encouraged us to explore our heritage through hands-on, experiential learning.
That program changed me. Over the five sessions, I met people from across campus who I otherwise would never have met. I got the chance to explore my Jewish identity in the way I had always hoped to during my university years. I created Jewish-inspired art, joined Shabbat dinners, and even discovered a synagogue in my own neighborhood in Be’er Sheva that I didn’t know existed.
But more than anything, I found a sense of community, which became even more important after the attacks on October 7, 2023. Hillel quickly became the central place for all of us to come together, support each other, explore our Jewish identities, and think about what our future in Israel might look like.
And it didn’t stop there. I got more involved, went on Shabbatonim where I met students from Hillel centers across the country, and started showing up to more and more community events at Hillel Ben-Gurion. By the end of that year, Hillel had become a huge part of my student experience. I built a deeper connection to Judaism and formed friendships that are still a big part of my life.
At the end of that year, I completed my undergraduate program, started my master’s degree in Hebrew literature, and joined the Hillel Ben-Gurion staff. Now I was the one leading the “Yeha-do-it!” program, the same course that made me fall in love with Hillel in the first place!
I worked with an incredible group of students, and together we went on a really meaningful journey. We shared Shabbat dinners, studied in chavruta (traditional partner-based learning), and explored the city together to learn more about the Negev. Being part of the Hillel Ben-Gurion staff quickly became a core part of my identity and my day-to-day life.
I also got to see Hillel from a new perspective. I helped organize events like our Thanksgiving dinner for Israeli students and olim (new immigrants to Israel), musical Kabbalat Shabbat services, and local volunteering initiatives. Hillel gave me the space to bring ideas to life and try things I had always wanted to do, but never had the chance to before. One of the most impactful opportunities has been representing Hillel Israel on the Hillel International Student Cabinet over the past year.
When I interviewed for the cabinet, I described it as something similar to the work of the nehutei, the Talmudic sages who traveled between the Land of Israel and Babylon, connecting Jewish communities and sharing ideas.
And that’s exactly what this last year has felt like, traveling between Israel and the United States and sharing ideas and hopes with 20 other incredible Jewish students from around the world. We spent time building real connections and thinking together about the future of Jewish life on campus.
Those conversations and shared hopes led me to design the “Kehillot” program that I lead today. “Kehillot,” or “Communities,” brings together students from all six Hillel Israel centers across the country. In each session, students meet with someone from a different Jewish community around the world — giving each student in the cohort the opportunity to take on the role of the nehutei, just like Hillel gave me.
Looking back, that random hallway conversation didn’t just shape my university experience; it completely changed how I see myself. Hillel showed me that I’m part of something much bigger, a global Jewish community connected by shared history, values, and hope.
I feel incredibly grateful to be part of this community, and even more grateful to keep building those connections, together.