Hillel Scholarship Recipients
We’re empowering Jewish students to reach higher and achieve more. Meet our scholarship winners!
Hillel International is proud to announce the recipients of the Handeli First-Year Student Scholarship, the Jules and Gwen Knapp First Generation Student Scholarship, Jules and Gwen Knapp Campus Leadership Award, and the Hillel Graduate Student Award. These outstanding high school and college students from the U.S. and Canada exemplify Jewish values, as they foster a better world through leadership and volunteerism in their communities.
2023 Recipients
Salomon Bibas
Handeli First-Year Student Scholarship
“My name represents my Venezuelan and Jewish heritage and identities, and keeps me grounded in my values.”
Maya Friedberg
Handeli First-Year Student Scholarship
“I’m Jewish, Mexican, and a young woman—all demographics that are disproportionately affected by gun violence. I went to the Capitol to show our lawmakers that I represent the 80% of Texans who support gun safety laws.”
Victoria Yusupova
Knapp Campus Leadership Award
“However, after visiting Israel, the rest of my Jewish identity started to take shape, and I was able to feel pride in my Jewish identity, and derive joy from being Jewish.”
Lia Abuhsira
Knapp First-Generation Student Scholarship
“This relationship with my Safta anchors my desire to pursue a college education – not just for myself, but for my Safta, my family, and for the women who will come after me.”
Miriam Borvick
Hillel Graduate Student Award
“I developed a community health program to provide Orthodox Jewish communities with access to evidence-based, high-quality health information and to create moments of direct, genuine connection between health professionals and community members.”
2022 Recipients
Elijah Harris
Handeli First-Year Student Scholarship
“By being a part of these communities, I have felt encouraged to embrace myself — no matter what Jewish space I occupy.”
Elizabeth Shvarts
Handeli First-Year Student Scholarship
“Bridge to Literacy renews my faith in the promise of a community founded on empathy-driven leadership and dynamic, one-on-one mentorship.”
Ethan Voskoff
Hillel Campus Leadership Award
While I may be wearing a surgical mask while interacting with my community, the smile underneath has never faded.
Aharon Grama
Hillel Campus Leadership Award
When our student community sees themselves represented in leadership roles, they feel more safe, secure, and seen on campus.
2021 Recipients
Emma Rosman
Handeli First-Year Student Scholarship
“My experiences were the tip of the iceberg; I had just as much learning to do as everyone else.”
Sarah Frank
Handeli First-Year Student Scholarship
“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.”
Dylan Patrick
Hillel Campus Leadership Award
“For me, being lucky enough to be a Jew means my life’s purpose is to heal the world, one action at a time.”
Adele Smolansky
Hillel Campus Leadership Award
“My college major allowed me to make an impact on my sister’s life that I never even knew would be possible.”
2020 Recipients
Andrew Kaye
Handeli First-Year Student Scholarship
“We were almost homeless. That pushed me to live my Judaism through acts of social justice.”
Juliana (Jules) Oringel
Handeli First-Year Student Scholarship
“The unthinkable happened in Parkland. That fueled me to create a nonprofit.”
Eva Liebovitz
Hillel Campus Leadership Award
“My Judaism is no longer an inconvenience, but a rich, centuries-old tradition I cherish.”
Enav Zusman
Hillel Campus Leadership Award
“I am raising my son to be immensely proud of his Jewish identity.”
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