Reviving Jewish Life in Poland
Warsaw has always been my home. I was born here and grew up in and around the city. It’s central to who I am, and serving the Jewish community here has been a foundational part of my life for many years.
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!
226 results
Cracking the Leadership Code on Campus
Perla Dahan (’26) is a recipient of the Paulson Leadership Award for Jewish students at the City University of New York (CUNY), a Hillel International scholarship for students attending CUNY colleges and universities served by Hillel. For more information or to explore other Hillel International scholarships, click here. My passion for learning has been a […]
Building Community in Times of Darkness at Brooklyn College
I am a fourth year student at Brooklyn College and have been an active member of the school’s Jewish community, serving as the president of my fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, and planning many events with Tanger Hillel at Brooklyn College. Following Hamas’ terrorist attack in Israel on October 7th, I was motivated to assume a […]
How I Own My Star
My commitment to my Jewish identity was always strong, but took shape when I decided to leave my home in Uruguay to attend university in the United States. If I was going to go so far away from home, my mother strongly urged me to pick a school with a big Jewish community that could support […]
Rosh Hashanah Memories: Andy’s Story
In 1978, when I was a freshman at University of Wisconsin, Madison, I lived in a dorm that was half a block away from what was then called the Hillel House. Hillel was my primary connection to Judaism and Jewish practice those first few years of college.
Bringing Stories and Traditions to Life: Yakov’s Story
My story begins with other people’s stories; namely, my grandmother’s. I was born in Rishon L’Tzion a few years after my family emigrated from Belarus to Israel, and I spent the first eight years of my life listening to my grandmother share her memories. Her stories from life in the Soviet Union were poignant and became part of my identity and sense of self.
Hillel Graduate Student Award Recipient: Miriam Borvick
When I found myself in the midst of a global pandemic while caring for a medically-complex newborn, I was eager to find a way to help others through this challenging time.
Knapp Campus Leadership Award Recipient: Victoria Yusupova
My family’s path to the United States was grounded in strength and perseverance. After escaping persecution and antisemitism, my parents immigrated to the United States in the ‘90s as refugees from Uzbekistan.
Knapp First-Generation Student Award Recipient: Lia Abuhsira
Throughout my gap year in Israel, I took the train weekly to Jerusalem for Hebrew lessons with my Safta, my grandmother. Safta’s family emigrated from Morocco to Israel during World War II, as antisemitic propaganda plagued northern Africa. The political and financial instability of that time meant that university wasn’t an option for my Safta. […]
Handeli First-Year Scholarship Recipient: Maya Friedberg
I recently traveled to Austin for Texas Advocacy Day, where I served as a group leader and lobbied four Texas lawmakers to pass stricter gun control laws. Before entering the Capitol building, I listened to a fourth grade student and her teacher tell their stories about the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022.
