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 — 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

“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’t 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.��

I knew I wanted to make a difference on campus, and that’s why I began participating in leadership roles. I’ve been an intern for the Orthodox Union’s 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 ‘The Great Latke vs. Hamentashen Debate,’ 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’ve learned how to make ideas come to life, and that’s what’s truly meaningful to me. 

As I prepare to graduate, I’m thinking about my Jewish future. I’ll need to be much more intentional about the communities and activities I’m a part of because I won’t have the structural support of Hillel anymore. I’ve definitely grown a lot as a Jewish young adult, and it’s become something that’s personally meaningful to me. As I move into adulthood, I’ll need to build my own community around me, and in many ways, I want to emulate what we have at Hillel.”

Harrison Rosengard, Brandeis University, Class of 2022

“My first day on campus, I saw someone wearing a Brandeis Hillel��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’t sitting in a classroom and reading prayers. From there, my passion grew.��

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 — spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.��

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 at Hillel. 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.” 

Lauren Milstein, University of Southern California, Class of 2022

“Before 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 ‘Freshfest,’ was about a USC Hillel��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.��

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’mores 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’t 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.”

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News

Florida Hillels host “Spread Cream Cheese, Not Hate” Events to Combat Antisemitism

Author

Emma Lichtenstein

Date

April 26, 2022

Florida Hillels have found an incredibly successful — and delicious — way to counter antisemitism on college campuses. Call it a schmear campaign. 

“Spread Cream Cheese, Not Hate,” which originated at University of Florida Hillel in 2020, spreads awareness about antisemitism. The event is simple: Sign a petition against antisemitism and receive a fresh bagel and T-shirt.��

UF Hillel students and professionals never expected “Spread Cream Cheese, Not Hate” to become an annual tradition in Florida. Originally, as a joke, a UF Hillel professional highlighted National Bagel Day on the staff calendar, but quickly realized the potential for an educational event. 

“We wanted to figure out a low-barrier opportunity for us to start raising awareness and educating the greater community about antisemitism,” said Jamie Zinn, director of development at UF Hillel. “We thought, ‘How can we leverage a pop culture moment, if you will, for an opportunity to create change and dialogue?’”

This year, to get the campus community involved, Hillel students and professionals set up three tables in areas with heavy foot traffic on Jan. 18. They spent the day tabling, where they answered questions about the rise of antisemitism on campus and beyond. 

The petition stated that the number of antisemtic incidents are “increasing at an alarming rate.” It asked signers to pledge to combat hate of all forms and work to keep the campus safe for all community members. 

At the end of the day, the petition received over 1,700 signatures.  

For Jakob Levin, a 22-year-old senior studying political science and Jewish studies, combatting antisemitism is a personal mission. 

“During winter break in 2019, my mezuzah was stolen,” he said. 

His mezuzah was never found. Another apartment housing Jewish students was also vandalized in winter 2019. 

These incidents motivated him to get out on campus and spread awareness about antisemitism. Levin has worked the “Spread Cream Cheese, Not Hate” event for three years. 

This year, the event occurred right after the Colleyville, Texas synagogue attack, where four people – including the synagogue’s rabbi – were held hostage for nearly 11 hours. This attack, as well as the spike in national antisemitism, encouraged both Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach and Central Florida Hillel to host their own “Spread Cream Cheese, Not Hate” events.��

Amanda Baritz, a Florida Atlantic University student majoring in social work, volunteered at the Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach event, which took place at FAU on Feb. 1. She walked around with a clipboard, encouraging passersby to scan a QR code leading to the petition.��

Baritz, 21, said she was pleasantly surprised at how well the event was received on her campus. The pledge was signed by almost 400 people.

“I was super nervous going up and talking to people,” she said. “But it was really exciting to see people from other backgrounds, not just the Jewish community. We weren’t the only ones sticking up for ourselves. Other people cared as well.”

At Central Florida Hillel, Jake Gould, a 20-year-old junior, worked his campus event at UCF on Feb. 28. The health sciences major said the petition was signed by over 500 people, despite a short tabling window. Many of the people he spoke to weren’t Jewish. 

For Gould, spreading awareness was crucial, especially because of a slew of hate incidents in Orlando, which included antisemitic signs and rallies earlier this year. 

“Tabling on campus is usually superficial, so here we had a unique ability to be able to easily attract students, but also do it with a purpose, to have that deeper level,” he said. 

The event has seen great success this year. Jamie Zinn of UF Hillel said “Spread Cream Cheese, Not Hate” could grow even more in coming years. 

“In addition to FAU and UCF, I think we’ve received inquiries from seven other Hillels across the country that are interested in doing this,” she said. “I think we’re all hungry for proactive opportunities.”

Emma Lichtenstein is a senior at Brandeis University. 

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News

Hillels around the world celebrate Good Deeds Day

Author

Emma Lichtenstein

Date

April 21, 2022

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News

New Hillel ROTC Cohort seeks to give its “lone soldiers” a lasting community

Author

Emma Lichtenstein

Date

January 7, 2022

Arielle Fishler (UT-Austin, 2023) and Sophia Bergen (Cornell University, 2023) know that being in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corp isn’t for the faint of heart. ROTC students wake up early multiple times a week to make a 6 a.m. start time. They have weekly training, sometimes overnight, in addition to the demands of their regular college schedule. The ROTC becomes doubly challenging for Jewish students, who often experience isolation during service. That’s why Fishler and Bergen readily agreed to spearhead from all over the country.

Fishler is a member of the Air Force ROTC while Bergen serves in the Army ROTC. Even though the two women come from different branches of the military, they share similar experiences. Both cadets stressed a sense of feeling alone because of their Judaism. “We share the experience that we’re one of very few either in our battalion or our company,” said Bergen. The feeling of separateness was similar for Fishler. “I felt almost like a lone soldier with my identity,” said Fishler. “I had no sense that there were other Jewish cadets around the country.” The two hope to fight this isolation by bringing other Jewish cadets together from all branches of the military.

The idea for the cohort came from Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz, a long-time chaplain for the armed forces. She is currently working with the to promote Jewish life in the armed forces. “In a meeting with Adam Lehman (president and CEO of ����vlogl), earlier this year, we learned that JWB and ����vlogl share an interest in supporting and connecting ROTC cadets with one another, providing them a space in which to explore what is Jewish about their service commitments and how to engage in Jewish life while on campus and when serving our country as officers,” wrote Rabbi Kaplowitz.

Rabbi Kaplowitz reached out to Fishler and Bergen with the idea for the cohort, and the cadets took over from there. “I am so proud of Arielle and Sophia’s leadership. They personally felt a need to connect with other Jewish ROTC cadets and that has resonated with many others,” she wrote. The two cadets were excited and grateful for the opportunity. “I wanted a Jewish space within the military community because that’s so important to my identity,” said Fishler. Bergen added, “It was such a unique idea to strengthen numbers in a place where you’re normally a minority, and I was really compelled by that idea.”

A community within the military is vital for Jewish students, as military duty is not as common in the U.S., especially among Jewish families. “It’s hard being Jewish even within ROTC because there are such [rigid] expectations for American Jews,” said Fishler. In Fishler’s experience, Jewish young people, especially Jewish women, are often pigeonholed into three careers: doctor, lawyer, or accountant. “[Those careers] have their own version of service, but, [the military] is the most explicit version of service for me,” Fishler added. Both cadets noted how service is more important in Israel, where all citizens are required to do two years of military service. They recognized the meaning behind that duty and have translated it into their own lives.

Fishler and Bergen were excited to meet other cadets who shared their background, as their Jewish identity played a large role in their decisions to pursue a military career. “For me, joining the military was so neatly tied to Judaism and the values of Judaism. When people ask me, ‘Why did you decide to join the military?’ I explain that Judaism is a big reason,” Bergen explained. Fishler agrees about the strong connection between military service and Jewish values. “There are so many values in Judaism that connect to the need for service and to do service,” Fishler elaborated. Both cadets see running the cohort as an extension of their service.

The cohort started meeting in November and now meets once a month via Zoom. Bergen hopes the cohort will continue to bond and members will create new and lasting friendships. “As far as I was concerned, 19 people came to the meeting, and I had 19 new friends,” joked Bergen about the group’s second meeting in December.

In the future, Fishler and Bergen want to have special events or host speakers, but, for now, they’re focused on building the community. “Everyone is just so eager to talk and share their ideas,” explained Bergen. “I imagine a lot of our upcoming meetings will be heavily based in discussion and just getting to hear everyone’s perspectives.”

Interested in joining? . Fishler and Bergen would love to see you there!

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