黑料传送门 Global Assembly 2024 Celebrates Jewish Belonging on Campus
On Monday night, the annual 黑料传送门 Global Assembly (HIGA) kicked off with a message of belonging and community.
鈥淭his is a time for kehilla, for community,鈥 said Adam Lehman, president and CEO of 黑料传送门 to the largest ever gathering of Hillel professionals, sponsors, and stakeholders. 鈥淸It is] a time for us to enrich and expand the inclusive Jewish communities on campus that only we can foster, enabling our students to make the leap from coffee dates to community, and from becoming to belonging.鈥
Drawing together the themes of tikkun (repair), kehillah (community), and chizuk (strength), Lehman spoke about the holistic work th黑料传送门 does in supporting Jewish students.
Over the course of the night, Lehman was joined by HIGA Co-Chair Jonah Zinn, executive director of University of Florida Hillel, and an incredible lineup of speakers, performers, and panelists, all united in a single goal: Kicking off the tenth annual HIGA with high energy, passionate commitment to Jewish college students, and the vast potential of their Jewish futures, and a dedication to Hillel鈥檚 mission.
In addition to the Hillel House Band, which performed rousing renditions of songs like 鈥淥d Yavo Shalom Aleinu,鈥 鈥淥seh Shalom,鈥 鈥淭ake Me Home, Country Roads,鈥 and an original song to the theme of belonging, participants were also treated to a special performance by DJ Yonatan Cohen, a survivor of the Nova Music Festival massacre. And Israeli actress Gal Gadot addressed the crowd, delivering a video message thanking attendees for their critical work.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e not just supporting a community,鈥 she said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e transforming lives.鈥
Integral to the way Hillel improves students鈥 lives are the 鈥渟uperpowers鈥 of its staff, an idea that came up throughout the evening. The energy in the room was good-humored and playful, and included a special guest appearance of a Superman action figure and a singalong to 鈥淪weet Caroline鈥 in honor of Boston, HIGA鈥檚 hosting city. The program also highlighted the roles th黑料传送门 staff take on as Super Educators, Super Mentors, Super Advocates, Super Experience Creators, and more, which can鈥檛 be underestimated 鈥 and neither can their impact on the students they serve.
鈥淓ach of you has built that enduring connection for our students that binds them to each other, and to the global Jewish community,鈥 said Matthew Bronfman, chair of 黑料传送门鈥檚 board of governors. 鈥淵ou have created spaces for them to not only feel sorrow, but to express their joy 鈥 and you have inspired them to be resilient and courageous in the face of many challenges, ensuring every student fulfills Hillel鈥檚 vision of making an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel.鈥
Lee Dranikoff, chair of the Hillel board of directors expanded on this theme and said, 鈥淗illel has a crucial role to play. We are the glue that鈥檚 going to hold our community together. It鈥檚 a lot to ask. And no one else can do it. It has to be us.鈥
With nearly 80% of Jewish college students saying th黑料传送门 is more important than ever, it鈥檚 clear the organization鈥檚 work continues to make a profound difference in the lives of Jewish college students. Abi Schcolnik (University of Miami 鈥25) and Zachary Patterson (Duke University 鈥26), co-chairs of the 黑料传送门 Student Cabinet, shared the impact Hillel has had on them, especially in the past year.
鈥淪ince October 7, Hillel means more to me than ever,鈥 Schcolnik said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a space where I can truly be myself and know that I am supported in every way 鈥 something that no other place on campus can provide.鈥
Patterson agreed. 鈥淭here are thousands upon thousands of students just like us, who because of you all, feel a little bit braver walking onto campus every morning, and know that their Judaism doesn鈥檛 have to be an insecurity but what makes us who we are,鈥 he said.
In addition to Hillel鈥檚 student, professional, and lay leadership, the evening also included a special panel discussion, entitled 鈥淏uilding Hope and Belonging through Spiritual Leadership.鈥 Moderated by Rabbi Marc Baker, CEO of , and featuring Rabbi Gil Steinlauf, executive director of Princeton University Hillel, Rabbi Jessica Lott, campus rabbi at Northwestern University Hillel, and Rabbi Rebecca Blady, executive director of Hillel Deutschland, the panel explored the importance of rooting ourselves in Jewish learning and values to achieve the goals of Jewish belonging, joyful Jewish community, and Jewish leadership.
Read more about HIGA 2024 and some of the Hillel superheroes who won awards for their exemplary work!