Humans of Hillel

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!

18 results

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 […]

By being a part of these communities, I have felt encouraged to embrace myself — no matter what Jewish space I occupy.

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.

Speaking Up for Israel

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.

I grew up being taught the values of helping others and making sacrifices for the greater good.

I’m majoring in bioengineering. But I’m also in an academic program that combines Engineering, Business and Computer Science. It focuses a lot on the design and development of different products and that’s truly what I am interested in pursuing. So when I heard about the Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) Fellowship, I thought: Wow, this truly aligns with my passions.

Each experience reminds me that I am the role model I’ve always wanted to be — and that all the hard work was undeniably worth it.

“In fifth grade, I struggled with a newly diagnosed life-threatening peanut allergy, the resulting anxiety, and for good measure, an appendectomy. During that rough year, writing was the creative outlet I needed and became the catalyst for the adventure of a lifetime. “I decided I wanted to write a story that I, as an avid […]

When countering antisemitism, you can make significant progress because of the experiences you’ve faced.

I’ve talked to so many people who were and still are actively fighting BDS, and they feel like they’re losing. But I always remind them that it’s an uphill battle and that there is light at the end of the tunnel. You can make significant progress for the future because of the experiences you’ve faced.