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My parents were not yet my age when they were forced to leave their homes in Iran and start a new life in Los Angeles. Like so many other courageous Jewish refugees, they did not hide their identities and love for Israel in the United States. Instead, they engaged in an act of cultural resistance: they invested tenfold in strengthening their own children’s Jewish and Zionist identities, and instilled in me pride in who I am.
My family is Mizrahi, meaning my Jewish ancestors lived in Western Asia and North Africa. I can trace my roots back to Bukhara, Persia, and Yemen.
It’s not just trees that grow in Vermont! University of Vermont’s Jewish student life has been growing and flourishing this year with programs and spaces that nourish students’ bodies and voices.
I am a bi-racial Jew: My mom is white and Jewish, and my dad is Black and a non-practicing Christian. My parents always told me how special I am to be part of two extraordinary groups of people, but I long believed I could only be one or the other. Over the years I have learned to become more comfortable coexisting in both identities.
For me, Judaism is warmth. It is the warmth of a mazel tov on a happy occasion. It is the warmth of far too much food at every social gathering. It is the warmth of traveling away from home to college and having a constant, reliable base in the campus Hillel. And it is the warmth of hearing “welcome home” the moment you step foot in Israel.
On June 25, I was awarded the title of Miss Wyoming 2022, becoming the first Jewish woman with that honor in the 101 years of the program. This December, I will go on to compete for the title of Miss America. If I win, I will become only the second Jewish woman in history to be named Miss America. My personal icon, Bess Myerson, won the Miss America title in 1945 during the height of the Holocaust.
Over past two years, I’ve learned what it feels like to leave your home and everything in it at the spur of the moment, not knowing when you will come back – something my immigrant parents went through in their own childhoods.
Hillel seniors are preparing to cross the graduation stage this summer. Meet the soon-to-be college graduates who say the Hillel effect lasts long after they leave campus.
As I’ve continued on my journey, I’ve discovered the importance of creating a space where students of all backgrounds and practices can be Jewish together. Judaism was made accessible to me throughout my first few semesters of college, allowing me to learn and grow Jewishly, and it has been such a rewarding experience to create a space for others to do the same.
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.
