Hillel Leadership

Syracuse Hillel has been part of my family for more than 30 years. When I received my college acceptance letter, I was ready to make them proud.

Author

黑料传送门

Date

February 18, 2022

The post Syracuse Hillel has been part of my family for more than 30 years. When I received my college acceptance letter, I was ready to make them proud. appeared first on 黑料传送门.

News

After Losing My Dad, My Hillel Community Helped Me Grieve.

Author

Jordan Greene

Date

February 2, 2022

鈥淎re you ready, Jordan?鈥�

My eyes welled with tears as I tried to find the words to answer Rabbi Joel Goldstein, the聽 campus rabbi at Syracuse Hillel. It was February 2020. Rabbi Goldstein and I were just minutes away from leading a memorial service in honor of my dad, who had lost his battle with pancreatic cancer less than 24 hours before.聽

Was I ready?

I replayed the last 11 months of my life. My dad was diagnosed with cancer in April 2019, and I leaned on Syracuse Hillel as I grappled with fears of losing him. Rabbi Goldstein offered compassion and support during weekly chats over coffee. Hillel friends constantly texted me with loving messages. My Jewish community was there for me 鈥� every step of the way.

Now, they gathered to help me grieve.

Rabbi Goldstein and I ushered 200 students into the basement of Syracuse Hillel. I had only expected a handful of people to come, so I was stunned to see so many old and new faces. We held hands and waited in silence. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Rabbi Goldstein make his way to the front of the room. There was a table with a memorial candle and a box of tissues. I joined him and picked up a match to light the candle. 

Was I ready? No, I wasn鈥檛. But with the support of my community, I could find the strength I needed to get through this moment and the next. 

My voice quivered as I began reciting the Mourner鈥檚 Kaddish, a Jewish prayer said in memory of the dead: 鈥�Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei raba鈥︹赌�&苍产蝉辫;

When the service ended, people hugged me and comforted me. We shed tears together. I left Hillel that night knowing that with my community by my side, I could mourn and eventually heal. 

The memorial service was just the beginning of my grieving process. I struggled to celebrate the big moments without my dad 鈥� holidays, birthdays, anniversaries. As the months dragged on, Hillel students and professionals helped me navigate my darkest, most challenging moments. They understood when I needed the quiet comfort of a listening ear and when I needed to hear Jewish nuggets of wisdom.

Now, two years later, I truly understand the power of Jewish community. Hillel students and professionals gave me a space to experience my raw, painful emotions. There was no timeline on my grief; there was no expectation to simply get on with life. They honored my pain because they cared. I realized being Jewish meant I was part of a community of people who accepted me. No matter what. 

As I continue to cope with my dad鈥檚 passing, I know I鈥檓 not alone. My Hillel community will always be there to support me.

Jordan Greene is a junior at Syracuse University.

The post After Losing My Dad, My Hillel Community Helped Me Grieve. appeared first on 黑料传送门.

News

Shir Delight: Jewish A Cappella Groups Bring Students Together

Author

Gabriel Lesser

Date

January 3, 2022

At the start of his freshman year, Itai Segev already knew that he wanted to join an a cappella group. He auditioned for one and got in, but when he learned that there were no Jewish a cappella groups on campus, he decided to start his own.

鈥淚 wanted to combine my passions for Judaism and singing. I found a group of people that shared the same passion.鈥� said Segev, who is currently a senior at American University.

Segev co-founded with strong support from American University Hillel. 鈥淎ll of our advertising goes through Hillel,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd we try to perform at different Hillel events, like at Rosh Hashanah services, Hanukkah events, and Shabbat once a month.鈥�

While TenLi Tunes was founded recently, Jewish a cappella has been thriving on North American college campuses for decades. These groups provide students an opportunity to connect with their Jewish identities through music and song.

Many of these Jewish a cappella groups create catchy names for themselves with multiple meanings. Segev talks about the meaning behind TenLi Tunes, with Ten Li meaning 鈥済ive me鈥� in Hebrew. Tenleytown is also the neighborhood in DC. in which the group resides.

At Northwestern University, the premier Jewish a cappella group is named Shireinu, meaning 鈥渙ur song鈥� in Hebrew, with the final two letters capitalized to stand for the initials of the university.

Natalie Daninhirsch, one of the co-presidents of , emphasizes how a love of music brings together members of various religious and cultural backgrounds. 鈥淢y Jewish experience on campus is this beautiful melange of music, culture, education, and people,鈥� she said.

Fellow member Rachel Meiselman expresses a strong connection between ShireiNU and Northwestern Hillel, as the group both rehearses and performs in the Hillel building.

鈥淲e just performed in Hillel鈥檚 Hanukkah event, Latkepalooza, and we are lucky to have a very supportive audience,鈥� Meiselman said.

As a freshman, Meiselman is delighted to start her college career as part of this group. 鈥淢usic is something that truly bonds people together,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the most unique community experience I鈥檝e had.鈥�

In addition to fostering a strong sense of community, Jewish a cappella allows for students to explore a wide variety of music, ranging from traditional Hebrew songs to both Israeli and American pop.

At Syracuse University, Anna Fleischer describes how her Jewish a cappella group, , performs a variety of genres, mixing Hebrew music with popular American music.

鈥淲e have our two staple Hebrew songs: 鈥�Al HaNissim鈥� and 鈥�Licha Dodi鈥�,鈥� Fleischer said. 鈥淎nd we鈥檝e also performed popular songs like 鈥淗appier鈥� by Olivia Rodrigo, 鈥淪et Fire to the Rain鈥� by Adele, and 鈥淎merican Boy鈥� by Estelle and Kanye West.鈥�

Keren Binyamin, a current member of the Jewish a cappella group, (鈥渟ounds of joy鈥�), at the University of Maryland, mentions how her group balances Hebrew and English songs and mixes in fun pop songs and ballads. 鈥淲e are planning to record a CD of our music during winter break,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e also made two recordings for the KOLedge A Cappella Competition.鈥�

The KOLedge A Capella Competition, which Binyamin mentioned, is a Jewish collegiate a cappella competition that features multiple Jewish groups each year. This year, (鈥渞hythm鈥�), from Johns Hopkins University, won first prize singing Leonard Cohen鈥檚 鈥淗allelujah.”

Diana Bershadsky, president of Ketzev, describes the singular feeling of performing Jewish songs. 鈥淭here is something so special about singing songs steeped with tradition and meaning,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen you get it right, time stops and you can feel the goosebumps.鈥�

Ketzev performs 鈥淗allelujah鈥� at each of their concerts and invites visiting alumni to come sing with them, a touching tradition that has gone on for years. 鈥淭hese moments of meaning are why I joined Jewish a cappella in the first place,鈥� said Bershadsky.

When asked about the essence of Jewish a cappella, students are filled with pride in being able to combine their Jewish identities with musical passions.

Segev describes his joy in expressing his Jewish identity through music. 鈥淚 love singing and I love Judaism,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to give other people the opportunity to practice Judaism on campus in a way that fits their style.鈥�

Anna Fleischer echoes this feeling of joy. 鈥淛udaism has always been a huge part of who I am, along with singing,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he combination of both is incredible beyond words.鈥�

The post Shir Delight: Jewish A Cappella Groups Bring Students Together appeared first on 黑料传送门.

Antisemitism

Social Justice

Institutional change has to be widespread.

Author

黑料传送门

Date

December 7, 2020

The post Institutional change has to be widespread. appeared first on 黑料传送门.