Welcome to Hillel: Finding My Place at College
When I think back to the first few days of my college experience at the University of Illinois, I remember feeling a mix of excitement and fear.
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!
194 results
Welcome to Hillel: Finding Community Through Discussion and Laughter
Going away to college can be daunting, as you leave behind the familiarity of home. I remember worrying I wouldn’t find a place that feels like home and would never fully adjust to living somewhere new. That is, I felt that way until I started going to Texas Hillel.
Welcome to Hillel: Find Your Unique Path
The week before moving into college at Central Michigan University felt terrifying to me. I was moving away from everything I knew, and leaving the vibrant Jewish community I grew up in. The college I chose had a small Jewish community, which was an unfamiliar experience for me. Thankfully, even before I set foot on campus, I knew to look for Hillel.
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.
Finding Jewish Joy, Community, and Leadership Through Hillel
Rebecca Brumer is a third-year student at Marquette University and a Hillel International Intern. We recently sat down with her to learn more about her connection to Hillel and her Jewish identity.
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.
Defying the Odds, Reaching New Heights, and Honoring Those Who Came Before Me
Melissa is a 2025 recipient of the Sandy and Jack Cohen Scholarship through Hillel International. She is a rising second-year student at New York University, studying computer science and economics.
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.
