What Even IS Sigd? A Short Explainer
Sigd (pronounced sihgd with one syllable) is celebrated on the 29th of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, exactly 50 days after Yom Kippur (this year it’s on November 19-20).
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Hillel International
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The Future of Jewish Belonging on Campus: Growing Jewish Joy and Connection
Editor’s Note: In August 2025, Hillel International released a brand-new, three-year strategic plan, “The Future of Jewish Belonging on Campus,” which focuses on building vibrant and joyful Jewish student communities and ensuring belonging for Jewish students on campus and for future generations. This article, focused on the first pillar of the plan, “Growing Jewish Joy […]
“Best of Both Worlds”: Hispanic Heritage Month Reflections
Every month felt like Hispanic Heritage Month growing up in Miami. I heard more Spanish than English spoken on the streets, Cuban coffee and pastelitos dominated cafes, and my family and our neighbors shared an unspoken past – we chased the American Dream right to South Florida. We survived, thrived, and lived as Latinos, Jews, […]
“A Place for Everyone”: Hispanic Heritage Month Reflections with Sofie Ramirez Soto
From mid-September to mid-October, Hispanic Heritage Month invites communities across the United States to honor the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. At Hillel, it’s also an opportunity to highlight the diverse identities and stories that make up today’s Jewish student life. This year, we spoke with Sofie Ramirez Soto, Jewish life […]
Paying it Forward: The Incredible Journeys of a Family’s Shofars
In the fall of 2023, Ira Blum, director of Hillel at Muhlenberg College, received a very special gift from his parents, Rabbi Barry and Amy Blum: a collection of 13 shofars.
From RootOne to Hillel: Jewish Inspiration and Connection
Every year, thousands of high school students travel to Israel on trips funded by RootOne, an organization that helps young Jewish students build their connections with Israel and their Jewish identities.
Embracing My Asian Jewish Heritage
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 — not only because they’re both deeply important, but because they’re deeply interconnected.
Connecting Jewish and Chinese 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.
Caring for Yourself Through Grief: Hillel is Here to Help
In the wake of the tragic mass shooting at Florida State University on April 17 that killed two people and wounded six, FSU Hillel’s Director of Leadership and Wellness Melanie Pelc knew immediately that Jewish students would need comfort, support, and a place to process the day’s terrible events.
Inspired by Their Experiences, Interns in Fellowship: Ambassadors for Birthright (FAB) are Paying it Forward
Every year, Hillel organizes dozens of campus-specific, and national trips, connecting Jewish students and young professionals to their Jewish roots, to Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, and, upon return, helps them forge new ties to their Jewish communities.
