Investing in Creativity is Tikkun Olam — A Way to Repair the World
Mark is a 2024 recipient of the Jordan and Elise Levin Scholarship for Jewish Enrichment and Education through Hillel International. As a first-generation college student at Stanford University, Mark uses filmmaking to tell a diverse array of stories. Learn more about Hillel International scholarships and apply today.
I’m constantly amazed by the power of storytelling, and the way that, no matter who you are, a camera can help you share a story that might otherwise be lost. I believe that everyone has a story to tell, and every individual’s story has value.
My story is driven by my aspiration to be the first in my family to attain a four-year college degree in the United States. My dream is to become a storyteller, a changemaker, and a leader who contributes to the world through the power of film. Through the Jordan and Elise Levin Scholarship for Jewish Enrichment and Education, Hillel International is helping me make that a reality — and helping me show that storytelling is another way we can start to repair the world.
As a Hillel International scholarship recipient, I attend Stanford University, and I’m so grateful to have found a home with Hillel at Stanford. Hillel has become a part of my weekly routine, especially on Shabbat. Receiving a Hillel International scholarship has been an honor — not just because I love my Judaism and I love Hillel, but because I see this scholarship as a way of really putting my Jewish values into action.
Long before I found my way to Hillel, I started down the path of connecting my Jewish identity with filmmaking. My camera became not just a tool but a bridge, connecting me with people who tackled adversity with hope and determination. I decided to harness the power of film to ensure that my peers’ amazing stories would not go unheard.
I also committed to helping other filmmakers realize their dreams. When I saw that financial barriers have kept many aspiring young filmmakers around the world from breaking into film festivals and sharing their work with a broader audience, I began to envision and build a student-led, free-to-enter film festival that prioritized the voices of marginalized artists.
In 2022, the Student World Impact Film Festival (SWIFF) was born. Within the first week, we had thousands of entries, and since then, we’ve received nearly 20,000 films from student filmmakers in 149 countries. But beyond the quantitative impact, many of the filmmakers’ stories really resonate with me.
For example, one student from Brazil wrote to us and told us that she didn’t have enough resources to afford submission fees at film festivals, and in Brazil, there are very few film festivals that showcase student work. SWIFF gave her the opportunity to submit her work, and it really helped her take the next step in her filmmaking career, sharing her story with a broader world.
My Judaism inspires me to do this work as a way of practicing tikkun olam, repairing the world. While there are so many different ways we can make the world a better place, for me, serving others through the arts just makes sense. Hillel’s support, community, and dedication to all kinds of tikkun olam make me proud to be a Hillel International scholarship recipient, and I look forward to continuing to share stories, and promote healing and respect across the world.
Read about more inspiring Hillel International scholarship students like Oscar Seltzer, a Dartmouth student who carries his grandfather’s name and legacy with him as he pursues his education.