A Heart of Many Rooms: Cultivating Jewish Identities
The first time you step onto a college campus, you cross a threshold. You leave behind one way of life and enter another, a new and exciting space where you’ll learn how to do hard things.
Topic: Hillel Stories
37 results
Why Back-to-School Still Inspires Me as a Hillel Professional
I’ve always loved school. From sharpening fresh pencils to setting new goals, the back-to-school season feels like a reset button for me.
How Welcome Week Events Reinvent Jewish Life on Campus Each Year — And Why You Should Be There to See It Happen
After fifteen years of working in the Hillel movement, and now working as a campus support director for Hillel International, I’ve seen just about every possible version of Hillel Welcome Week programming, from early move-ins and Shabbatons to block parties and barbecues.
The Shabbat Walk That Changed My Life
On a rainy night in late April 2022, nine years into living in Chicago, I took the bus to a Shabbat dinner in nearby Andersonville that would change my life.
How Shabbat is Helping Me Navigate Post-Graduate Life
As I’m writing this, my graduation cap and gown are already carefully tucked away in the closet of my childhood room. I can’t believe how fast my time in college flew by.
Jewish American Heritage Month: Building a Joyful and Authentic Jewish Life
When Lauren Azrin arrived at Dartmouth College, she came with a clear intention: she wanted to be part of the Jewish community.
This Jewish American Heritage Month, I’m Reflecting on My Israeli Jewish American Identity
In 2005, my family flew from Israel to Minnesota to visit my aunt for the High Holidays, and decided to stay permanently. We quickly became very involved in our local Jewish community: We kept kosher, went to synagogue every weekend, and made Shabbat a big part of our lives.
Passing the Torch: The Evolution of Jewish Leadership on Campus
Four years ago, as a first-year student at the University of Miami, who had just recently arrived from Uruguay, I attended my first Shabbat dinner at Hillel, unsure of what my Jewish journey would look like.
Dear Hillel: Finding Light When I Needed It Most
Before the October 7 attacks on Israel, my involvement with Hillel was minimal. I knew it existed on campus, but I hadn't made the effort to connect. I was busy with classes, my sorority, and the usual college activities that fill our calendars. But after that day, everything shifted — both in the world and in my own life.
Dear Hillel: Four Years of Joy and Growth
I can’t believe the welcome barbecue I attended as a first-year student in 2021 was four years ago! I came to the event eager to meet new friends and find a home at the University of Michigan.
