Yallapalooza is a Chance for Jewish College Students Like Me to Dance, Sing, and Be Together
When I heard about Yallapalooza, Hillel’s concert series that is bringing thousands of Jewish college students together in three cities for a night of music and Jewish joy, I signed up immediately. I was even more excited after being asked to co-host the New York City concert as part of Hillel International’s Student Cabinet — I couldn’t wait. The lineup was amazing (the concert featured Matisyahu, Netta, DJ Sasi, and Yonatan Cohen), and I knew the energy at the event would be exactly what I needed after a year of rising antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric on campus.
As a Jewish student at Hunter College, the months after October 7 were really hard and sad. I was constantly exhausted, and struggled to keep up with my classes. Posters around campus of the hostages being held captive in Gaza were constantly pulled down, and some of my classmates referred to Israel as a perpetrator of genocide.
But no matter how dark things got, Hunter Hillel was a source of joy. I grew up in a large Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn, New York, and originally sought out Jewish life at Hunter to see what other kinds of Jewish communities are like. The staff at Hillel helped me deepen my Jewish identity, get an internship, and provided a welcoming, supportive community when I needed it most. I attended “Not-Shabbat” dinners on Thursday nights, community gatherings at the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life at NYU, and had a dedicated Israel Fellow there to help answer questions.
Yallapalooza took all of that friendship and community, and concentrated it into one incredible night. The concert was absolutely magical — spiritual, special, and so joyful. The energy the Jewish student community has here in New York is unlike anything else I’ve experienced, with so much diversity, passion and hope, and there was so much love and support in that space: for Hillel, for Israel, and maybe most importantly, for each other.
It was also so cool to have so many Hillel-connected people in one place. There were thousands of participants from campus Hillels, plus tons of people from the broader Hillel International community. Even Matthew Bronfman, the chair of the Hillel International board of governors, was there. It was really moving to see Hillel leadership show up — their care and commitment for Jewish students is always so evident.
For me, one of the most moving parts of the concert was Netta’s performance. She brought so much joy, was willing to share so much of herself with us, and connected to the crowd as if she was there with each of us as individuals.
I often feel like Hillel can read minds when it comes to knowing what Jewish college students need, and Yallapalooza is a perfect example of that feeling. Being there, with so many other Jewish college students, dancing to Israeli music with my friends and feeling so connected and uplifted, was everything I wanted. I expressed my gratitude from the stage before the concert ended, but I know I’ll be thinking about that night with love and joy for years to come.
Yallapalooza, powered by Hillel International, is a series of concerts for Jewish college students that celebrate Jewish joy. Catch up on the Boston Yallapalooza concert here.