Welcome to Hillel: Finding Community Through Discussion and Laughter
“Welcome to Hillel” is a series of letters from current students welcoming first-year students to Hillel communities. Sarie Goodweather, a second-year student at the University of Texas at Austin studying sociology and Jewish studies, shares a foundational moment from Texas Hillel that changed her college journey. Read Sarie’s welcome:
Going away to college can be daunting, as you leave behind the familiarity of home. I remember worrying I wouldn’t find a place that feels like home and would never fully adjust to living somewhere new. That is, I felt that way until I started going to Texas Hillel.
I missed out on a few Shabbats with Hillel early in my college career, out of fear that I wouldn’t be welcomed. I regret that decision now, because, in fact, nothing could’ve been further from the truth. The first time I mustered up the nerve to step into Hillel was in early September. I didn’t know anyone and was concerned that I would feel out of place. Nevertheless, as someone who grew up surrounded by a large Jewish community, I was excited to get involved with Hillel, despite feeling overwhelmed.
Within a few seconds of walking in the building, I was greeted by staff members and immediately felt a sense of peace. I had made my first friends at Hillel! As we played Jewish geography, I quickly realized I had found my community and began feeling calmer about being away from home. I made some more friends that night and left knowing exactly where I would spend all of my free time in college.
One opportunity that stands out as a cornerstone of my freshman year is participating in a Jewish Learning Fellowship (JLF) cohort. During the second semester of my first year I signed up for JLF with a friend I had met at Hillel the previous semester. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I knew that the classes were being led by two Hillel staff members who had such a positive impact on my first semester that I signed up.
The first night was off to a great start as I made new friends at dinner (which was free, of course!) and we bonded over our desire to meet new people and our love for Hillel programs. After dinner, we broke off into our cohorts to begin discussions. We started off with a unique icebreaker: “What is something that you just don’t understand how it works?” Within the first few minutes, we were already all cracking up.
Over the course of the fellowship, we often heard people in the class next door comment that we always sounded like we were having the time of our lives. They were right! Over the next seven weeks, Wednesday nights became my favorite time of the week, because JLF provided me with a space to connect with my new friends, de-stress, learn some Torah, and most of all, feel at home. We studied topics such as Shabbat and friendships, with the lessons always rooted in Torah but applicable to our lives as college freshmen.
My JLF friends turned into the people I sit with in class, lean on for advice, and even travel to Israel with. My first year would not have been what it was without Hillel programs like JLF. My advice to a first-year college student is to remember that you are in charge of your own happiness, and it’s important to find a community where you feel uplifted and appreciated. For me, this was Texas Hillel. What started out as a place to spend my Friday nights quickly grew into the backbone of my first year. My friends and I all felt so grateful that we always had a place to go to hang out, get a snack, learn, connect, and just be together.
The truth is, my best memories from my first year all took place at Hillel. My biggest smiles, warmest hugs, and deepest friendships are all results of stepping out of my comfort zone and showing up, even when it wasn’t easy.
Having a space where I can show up as myself and be fully supported and celebrated has been the greatest gift of my college experience, and it’s all because of Hillel. As I begin my second year, I look forward to seeing how the incoming students get involved with Hillel and can’t wait to watch Hillel transform their lives as it did for me.