My brothers and I found a respite from the constant pressures of cadet life at Hillel.

“My brothers and I were raised with a deep respect for those in the armed forces. My grandfather served for 17 years, and now we’re following in his footsteps. My older brother was the first of my siblings to attend West Point. He inspired me. Through him, I saw the caliber of person who went there, and I realized that was the person I wanted to be. My older brother also inspired the way I connect to Judaism. We grew up in a Jewish area, but we really discovered our Judaism through the Hillel at West Point. It was a small, tight-knit community that immediately absorbed us and gave us a respite from the constant pressures of cadet life. Now, my little brother is at West Point, and he’s found the same community feel we did at our Hillel.” — Josh Fernquist, United States Military Academy at West Point

Photo caption: Josh Fernquist (second from right) poses for a photo alongside his brothers, Daniel (left) and Ben (right), and West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Darryl A.(second from left) at a Jewish baccalaureate service on May 22, 2019.