I had culture shock when I moved with my family from an Israeli kibbutz to Wisconsin.
“I had culture shock when I moved with my family from a kibbutz in Israel — one that only spanned two streets — to Wisconsin.”
Hillel Stories
What’s happening on campus? Hear from students, professionals, and Hillel community members whose lives have been impacted by Hillel and who impact the world with their voices and stories. Share your story with us!
202 results
My dad is Jewish, and my mom is Filipino Catholic. I have no shame.
“My dad is Jewish, and my mom is Filipino Catholic. Growing up, I felt pressured by my Jewish relatives to only focus on my Judaism and forget about the other parts of my identity.”
Because I was raised in an interfaith home, being Jewish was always a choice for me.
“Because I was raised in an interfaith household, being Jewish was always a choice for me.”
My tattoo of the Hebrew word chai represents my Judaism and my long battle with depression.
“I have the Hebrew word chai tattooed on my arm.”
Let There Be Laughter
Madeline Dolgin is a community builder — one who engages Jewish young adults through low-pressure programming. The 25-year-old has dedicated her summer to creating strategic partnerships and building a social media audience for The Chosen One, a humorous Jewish card game. The concept is simple: One player reads aloud a question card each round, and the […]
I have muscular dystrophy. My muscles may not be as strong, but I’ve learned to adapt.
“I was born with muscular dystrophy. My muscles may not be as strong as everyone else’s, but I’ve learned to adapt and figure out how to do things in my own way.
I’m one of the few Jews with a mutated BRCA gene, meaning I’m at high risk for breast cancer.
“I was adopted as a child, but I knew my chances of developing breast cancer were high.”
One of my classmates would whisper about me, saying, ‘Why would I pray for a Jew?’
“I was enrolled in a Catholic school, where I was the only Jewish and Eastern European student.”
People didn’t see my adopted mom as my ‘real’ mother, so they didn’t see me as a ‘real’ Jew.
Nowadays, I’m not scared to tell people that I’m adopted and Jewish anymore.
My brothers and I found a respite from the constant pressures of cadet life at Hillel.
It was a small, tight-knit community that immediately absorbed us and gave us a respite from the constant pressures at West Point.
