From Hillel to HUC-JIR: Growing into Jewish Leadership
My path to rabbinical school at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC) and my journey in Jewish leadership began as a student at American University Hillel.
Topic: Jewish Learning
15 results
Go Make Friends at Hillel: Rebecca’s Story
It was the first day of move-in for my first year at University of Maryland, College Park. My dad helped me move into my dorm and then, to my complete shock, dropped me off at Maryland Hillel with the firm suggestion, “Go make friends.” I was terrified until I walked in and started meeting the […]
Study, Love, Serve – How Two Hillel Professionals Got Their Start
On Missy Goldstein’s first day at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion’s (HUC-JIR) School of Education in Jerusalem, she bumped into Rob Gleisser on her way to pick up her welcome packet.
Finding Light in the Darkness
We asked Hillel professionals to share with us what brings them joy and light in their celebration of Hanukkah this year. Here’s what they said:
Meeting the Second Gentleman, Shofar in Hand
And yet, on September 22, 2022, I became the first person ever to blow the shofar at the Vice President’s residence, the Naval Observatory. This is an honor I will be proud of for the rest of my life. (My parents are proud, too.) I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity to have attended the interfaith Rosh Hashanah event, and I feel immensely proud of myself for completing the task of blowing the shofar in such exciting—and intimidating—conditions.
High Holiday Roundup
From service-oriented programs like Reverse Tashlich to apples and honey taste tests to a variety of traditional and creative services, Hillel students and staff members have been celebrating growth, joy, and wellness in the new year.
Forgiveness in the TikTok Era
How do we talk about teshuvah/forgiveness/redemption in a world where both mistakes and transgressions are very public and responses to them are fast, public, and often black and white.
Brown/RISD Hillel Fosters Jewish Connection Through Pop-up Art Exhibition
A pop-up art exhibit at Brown/RISD Hillel fostered connectivity between Jewish art lovers, and inspired more students to envision their work on the gallery walls. Motivated by the success, the Hillel has since organized two other art exhibits featuring depictions of Jewish spiritual objects created by more than 30 students.
As a convert, I know what it feels like to be nervous walking into Jewish spaces. Now it’s my job to make sure no one feels like that.
I didn’t come to college with the mindset of, “Oh, time to convert to Judaism.” That wasn’t on my agenda. But, I do credit a lot of the Rutgers Hillel staff and the student board for the work they did to make Hillel such a pluralistic and accessible space for people like me.
Hillel has continued to help me practice my Judaism how I want to.
Coming from a tight-knit Modern Orthodox community, I was worried about maintaining my customs when I first got to college.
