News

Hillel seniors sign off with reflections on college experience

Author

Gabriel Lesser, Emma Lichtenstein and Rachel Bernstein

Date

May 19, 2022

Cap, gown, tassel 鈥� check.

Hillel seniors are preparing to cross the graduation stage this summer. Meet the soon-to-be college graduates who say the Hillel effect lasts long after they leave campus.

Alanna Margulies, Johns Hopkins University, Class of 2022

鈥�Hopkins Hillel encouraged me to explore my Judaism beyond celebrating holidays and keeping kashrut. I became part of the Modern Orthodox community, and little by little, I began observing Shabbat. I turned off my phone, powered down my laptop, and spent time with my friends. I chose to live an observant Jewish lifestyle, but that didn鈥檛 mean I had to give up the things I loved. I still celebrated Shabbat with all of my friends from different denominations, and I still participated in college activities that were important to me before and are still important to me now.聽

I knew I wanted to make a difference on campus, and that鈥檚 why I began participating in leadership roles. I鈥檝e been an intern for the Orthodox Union鈥檚 Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (OU-JLIC), president of the Israel Middle East Forum, and social and marketing chair for the Hillel student board. In these positions, I learned how to create community by planning events, like 鈥楾he Great Latke vs. Hamentashen Debate,鈥� where I recruited professors and worked collaboratively with other members of the Hillel community. Most recently, I was Hopkins Hillel’s student board president, where I was able to become more confident as a leader and continue using my voice. As a leader, I鈥檝e learned how to make ideas come to life, and that鈥檚 what鈥檚 truly meaningful to me. 

As I prepare to graduate, I鈥檓 thinking about my Jewish future. I鈥檒l need to be much more intentional about the communities and activities I鈥檓 a part of because I won鈥檛 have the structural support of Hillel anymore. I鈥檝e definitely grown a lot as a Jewish young adult, and it鈥檚 become something that鈥檚 personally meaningful to me. As I move into adulthood, I鈥檒l need to build my own community around me, and in many ways, I want to emulate what we have 黑料传送门.鈥�

Harrison Rosengard, Brandeis University, Class of 2022

鈥淢y first day on campus, I saw someone wearing a Brandeis Hillel聽shirt and pulled him aside to learn more. He took me to services that Friday, and that encouraged me to go every week. From there, my involvement with Hillel continued to grow. I signed up for the Jewish Learning Fellowship, a seminar to help students deepen their Jewish understanding. That was my first experience with Jewish learning that wasn鈥檛 sitting in a classroom and reading prayers. From there, my passion grew.聽

Originally, I came to Brandeis thinking I would study science. Once I got to experience Brandeis Hillel, the community that is here, the other people my age who are excited to be Jewish, something just felt right. The community was so vibrant and lively that it made me go from Jew-ish to someone who keeps Shabbat, who keeps kosher, who wants to devote his life to a Jewish community. Now, I want to be a rabbi. I want to support people 鈥� spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.聽

I can’t think of an aspect of Hillel that wasn’t a meaningful role, a meaningful experience in some way, shape, or form. There is no other group of people who can match the energy, the spirit, the welcoming attitude, and the fun times that I’ve had here 黑料传送门. I’m going to infuse that same energy into my community when I become a rabbi. For my entire career, I want to do whatever I can to get close to that same level of passion and enthusiasm at Brandeis Hillel.鈥� 

Lauren Milstein, University of Southern California, Class of 2022

鈥淏efore I was even accepted into USC, a close family friend gave me the most recent edition of the Hillel College Guide Magazine. One article, called 鈥楩reshfest,鈥� was about a USC Hillel聽retreat for incoming Jewish freshmen and transfers. Reading the article further solidified my goal to go to USC and my desire to be a part of the Jewish community on campus.聽

The following spring, I was accepted into USC, and that summer, I actually went to Freshfest. I experienced so many of the things described in that magazine article, like making s鈥檓ores and lifelong friends. The words from that story leapt off the page in real time. That inspired me to pay it forward as a freshman engagement fellow at Freshfest in 2019 and 2021. 

And when I wasn鈥檛 at Freshfest, I was still involved with USC Hillel. It always provided a place of lively conversations and snacks, as well as a wonderful way to connect with my Jewish heritage and identity, whether through Shabbat dinners, Passover seders, or networking events with Jewish alumni.鈥�

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News

Creating a Home for Myself and Others 黑料传送门

Author

Samantha Brody

Date

May 19, 2022

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago in a Conservative, non-observant Jewish family, I never thought keeping Shabbat was something I would do. I couldn鈥檛 imagine losing a day to do homework, go out with my friends, or use my phone. 

Living in Jerusalem, though, made me completely rethink what was possible for my Shabbat observance. 

After graduating high school in 2019, I moved to Israel for a year. The hostel I lived in, the streets I walked on, and my entire schedule was built around Shabbat observance. Suddenly, keeping Shabbat didn鈥檛 seem impossible. 

Empowered by experiences from my first semester in Israel, I decided to give Shabbat a chance. I woke up early one Saturday morning and walked to services, shared Shabbat lunch with my friends, and spent the afternoon taking on as many Shabbat-friendly activities as I could, like playing cards and strolling around a nearby park. 

Though it wasn鈥檛 easy to change up my routine, I found that I really loved being able to take walks, read books, and enjoy time with friends. Despite keeping myself busy for most of the day, I ended that Shabbat more refreshed and ready for the week than I had ever been.

From that Shabbat onward, I became committed to exploring and growing my practices in Israel. Shabbat became a refuge and a time to relax 鈥� what Abraham Joshua Heschel calls 鈥渁 palace in time.鈥�

When I came home in spring 2020, I had to quarantine without my friends and support system around me. However, I still held onto my Shabbat traditions, despite the challenges that accompanied losing the Shabbat-observant setting and community I had come to rely on.

As I prepared to start college at Brandeis University, I already knew that Jewish resources on campus were going to play a crucial role in my social and religious journeys. Since my first day on campus, Brandeis Hillel has remained committed to providing COVID-safe opportunities to enjoy Shabbat dinner, tefillot (prayers) for Jewish students of all backgrounds, and holiday celebrations that bring us together.聽

I never had to worry about the availability of kosher food at an event or having a space for me to say Havdalah. I never worried that I couldn鈥檛 be a part of Hillel because I was more or less observant than my peers. In fact, I鈥檝e been able to keep a stricter level of kashrut (Jewish dietary laws), attend more prayer services, and learn from others about Jewish practices I鈥檇 never even heard of because of the resources at Brandeis Hillel.

As I鈥檝e continued on my journey, I鈥檝e discovered the importance of creating a space where students of all backgrounds and practices can be Jewish together. 

Stepping into leadership roles at my Hillel has enabled me to play a part in making our space more accessible for Jews of all backgrounds. At Shabbat dinners, we make sure to put booklets on the tables for students who need to say Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals), set up handwashing stations, and print out prayers.

The moments when I am most conscious of religious pluralism come during announcements at Shabbat dinner, where my job is to explain how to participate in singing Shalom Aleichem and Kiddush (the blessing over the wine) as well as to direct anyone to resources throughout the room that will make their Shabbat dinner meaningful. 

Every week, I ask myself what I鈥檓 doing to encourage all forms of Jewish connection. Are we defining Hebrew terms during announcements? Are we choosing to sing songs that resonate with a variety of audiences? By taking extra care to formulate our Jewish spaces around diverse needs, I will continue to encourage my peers to explore their Judaism in every way that resonates with them. 

Judaism was made accessible to me throughout my first few semesters of college, allowing me to learn and grow Jewishly, and it has been such a rewarding experience to create a space for others to do the same.

Samantha Brody is a sophomore at Brandeis University.

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